# Are Llamas safe to keep with Nigerian Dwarves?



## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I go back and forth but actually am planning to sell one of my bucks and buy a llama. My first question is if a female llama would be a good, and safe guard for Nigerian Dwarves (too big?)

I would look into Mini Llamas as well but I'm not sure if they guard as well. 

I would like to have one llama as a precaution against coyotes. We don't have any aggressive predators around, but we know a pack recently moved in and I would like someone in there to watch over my "kids".


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

It comes down to the llama. The right llama would be fine. You will need to shear annually.


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## MoonShadow (Mar 1, 2015)

It depends on the llama fro sure. It would also be good to get a llama from a place that also has goats or llamas who have been socialized and are use to goats, thats going to help the transition go smoother. shearing is also something to consider and if you cant do it yourself you should make sure you have not one but a few people in your area who are willing to do it or like where I am they hold a llama shearing convention type things every year and you can bring your llamas to be sheared. My old neighbor had llamas and alpacas for years and we would go over and feed them and hang out with them...and then they would spit in our faces Lol. They really are great animals.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I had llamas with mine. No problems at all. They were not intimidating enough to keep coyotes away though.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I was hoping to start with a young llama so it grows up with the goats and learns to be with them, but the point of getting one is to help deter coyotes (even though it would be very well loved and cared for). I'm just not sure what the best route would be. Guard dog isn't an option for us and I've seen a lot of issues with donkeys kicking the goats.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You need a proven guard llama. Either a gelded male or a female. They should be 3 years old or older and proven to guard. My female llama killed a dog that went into her field.

No guarantee that a young one will prove to be a guard animal.


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## Marcy54 (Jul 16, 2015)

I bought a young 7 month old llama familiar with goats. He was gelded after we got him. I have had him for four months, he is bonding well with my goats, they have a stall, he has one, they share a pen. The goats seem to like him and he likes them. My queen Nigerian dwarf bosses him like the other goats but he is very good with her. It is a lot of work teaching them to walk on a lead, he is still quite shy. I can catch him in most instances, but llamas do get loose and are quite fast if they do.


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## odieclark (Jan 21, 2016)

i am unsure how to start a new post, or even if a new post is needed...but, we are wondering if we need to have more than one llama? 

Currently, we have one llama who watches our goats. He is responsible for 4-10 little goats.
This spring we intend to also pasture some lambs. As we don't intend to keep the lambs and and goats together, we will pasture them on either neighboring sections of land, or on one side of the barn, and the others on the other side of the barn. If they are pastured in eye site of one another, will our llamas compete with one another, or will they focus on one another instead of their flocks? Currently, our original llama has been an awesome caretaker of his goats! 
We are new, at most of this ....what do you think?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Depends on the llamas. I would think if you get a good guard, they will guard.


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## Marcy54 (Jul 16, 2015)

I have a young gelded male llama in with my three female Nigerian Dwarf goats, he has been pretty good with them overall. He bonded quickly, and although since he is under a year old he trys to occasionally play, he isn't rough. It just reminds you of a large goofy kid on the playground. He chases the rooster out of the goat yard when he occasionally goes in.


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