# We were just given a young male llama



## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Hello...I know there are several llama owners here and hope to learn a bit more about llamas. Our Nieghbor needed to find a new home for his young llama. He didnt say how old he was but he was still running with mom...Raymond is solid black, about 5'3"-5'5" tall ...my husband just brought him home last night..it was dark so we didnt try too much with him..only gave hay and water a tad bit of grain..this after noon we are doing fence visiting..he is used to coming in for feed, but not handled much...so we are going slow..letting him smell us, he likes to get right up to our face and smell lol..we are allowing time for him to get used to the sounds and dogs and such...and letting the dogs get used to him as well, pretty much how we did our donkeys, he is in a very safe pen..with a hut. Ok..my question...should he be fed grain? I find conflicking info..he is not under weight..he looks great...his fiber is beautiful...eyes bright, nails not too long...we will have him cut, which is my next question, whats a good age? we will be reading alot about llamas to provide good home...but would love any tips you might have in his care...Ill post a picture of Raymond later..thanks


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

He needs to be a minimum of 18 months old to geld. If he is good condition he doesn't have to have grain but it won't hurt to get a little. Copper is like for sheep.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Thanks Karen...: ) Good to know about copper...with him being young, I guess alittle grain wouldnt hurt while he is growing... Also, I will talk with our nieghbor to see if he knows how old he is..
Here is a pic of Raymond....


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)




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## NubianFan (Jun 3, 2013)

aww he is cute!


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## goatlady1314 (Oct 24, 2013)

Very cute, I want one!!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Hubby says just something else to feed lol..better be sure he earns his keep lol


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## Emzi00 (May 3, 2013)

He's a looker!


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

The only thing I can tell you is they kick lol.....I have 2 alpacas and totally didn't expect them to kick lol. Congrats on your guy if llamas are like alpacas they are really funny to watch and listen to their noises.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Oh Ive been kicked my our young donkey, got me on just above the knee...left a good size bruise and him on time out!! lol...


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Llamas tend to be calmer than alpacas. But they don't kick unless they feel threatened. He certainly could potentially be a guard llama. Time will tell on that one.

Alpacas are much more kicky if they can't see. Huge huge huge pet peeve of mine is an alpaca whose topknot covers their eyes. How would you feel if you could only see straight ahead out of a small area and you are prey. Trim their topknot until you can see their eyes from all sides. My birthing customers knew I would trim their alpacas topknots. I think some of them purposely brought them over with overgrown topknots so I would trim them. I trimmed so many that I got very good at making them show worthy trims.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

We ran our llamas out on the pasture with the horses. They got whatever the horses got and did just fine. They don't really seem to take much...


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I think my girl is just mean. I spent a half hour with old fashion hand shears and got all that off. But they I still like both they do nothing wrong and I threaten my goats all the time that I'm gonna trade them all in for alpacas.
Carmen how long did it take for your horses to except the llamas??? Lol we have 12 horses and my filly is the only one who doesn't see them and freak. I even penned them side by side and my made jumped the fence and wouldn't come back lol.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

It only took a couple days. It was pretty amusing watching new horses meet the llamas


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Oh you lucky duck Cathy ! He is soooo handsome  Congrats !
I LOVE his name too , lolol


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## Karen (Jun 22, 2010)

What a cutie! Congratulations on the new "'nother mouth to feed!"  Thanks for posting the picture so we could all see him!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

My donkeys are freaked out by him...they have to walk past his pen to go to pasture...they all stayed in thier pen today, refused to go past..I finally Got Thelma and Rosalee to walk past, but the others said NO WAY lol..I went in and got Raymonds smell all over me then went back in with the donkeys...they were sniffing me like a dog lol..poor girls..I hope to get them to go to pasture tomorrow..lol..


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

:ROFL: that's too funny. What a bunch of babies.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

He's adorable!


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Oh that is funny ! I could just see the donkeys not wanting to take a chance passing that strange alien know as a " Raymond". :ROFL:


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

what a cutie!!! congrats!!!!


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## nlhayesp (Nov 20, 2013)

Llamas do not do well in heat. Plan on a full body clip in the spring, including everything; neck, legs, etc. They can get relief from heat with a baby pool, or hose off his feet and belly. Provide shade. We have ceiling fans in our barn when it's hot. Or a fan blowing air through the gate. DO NOT baby him, or treat him like a puppy! Look up "berserk llama syndrome" and you will learn why. Get him used to being touched all over, especially his legs and feet so he will be a more willing participant in hoof trimming. He gets the same vaccines as goats and sheep, only 4cc, not two. I would grain him. He is growing and needs the extra nutrition. Halter break him asap, and he will be a lot easier to manage as well. We built a llama chute for ours that is quite useful.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Careful with clipping him. We clipped ours...had a black one like Raymond and a white and brown spotted...our black one SUNBURNED. Badly. I honestly thought she was going to die. Play with him. Our spotted one we could throw a horse saddle on and ride.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Thanks for the tips...: ) I have a friend whose mom weaved fiber and she herself knites with it..so a good hair cut is coming htis summer...Im hopeing by then he will be ready to run the pasture with the donkeys and sheep...plenty of graze and shade out there...we always pen everyone up at night...I like to sleep without worrying lol


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Your llama will keep most predators away. They are amazingly adept at killing coyotes. I knew a guy who kept his sheep on pasture 24/7 with a llama. Never lost one to coyotes even during lambing


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

The nieghbor who gave us Raymond has three Llamas running with his sheep..they do a good job...My biggest worry is ruining Raymond lol...we tend to make pets out of everything, and teaching my kids that Raymond needs to be a Llama will be fun lol..


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I hear ya everything here are pets too even the whole herd of cows but its nice to know that nothing has a mean bone and you can some what trust them with the kids. I think llamas have a smell to them as well that other animals are not fond of. I remember a few years ago our cows got out on one of our rentals and we were going along then all of the sudden the cows acted off and the horses started to snort. We went on a little more and this llama came running down and cows and horses went running. Its kinda funny to think of now but not at the time lol.


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