The Llama & Llama Facts

Llamas are members of the Camelid family that includes the well-known Dromedary and Bactrian camels of the Middle East and Asia, respectively. In the Americas there are members of the family, namely the llama, alpaca, guanaco, and the vicuna. The llama, the largest of the new world camels, was being domesticated in the highlands of Peru 4000 to 5000 years ago, placing it among the oldest domestic animals in the world. The camel family originated in the central plains area of North America and spent its first 40 million years there. Three million years ago the camels migrated to Asia and Africa and the llama-type animals dispersed to South America. At the end of the last ice age, llamas and camels became extinct in North America. In the early 1900's private collectors and zoos reintroduced the llama to North America. Llamas and alpacas are now fairly common on small farms in North America.

Llama specifics...

• Diet consists of hay, grass, a grain ration in winter that includes oats, beet pulp, and vitamins.
• Gestation period averages 350 days. 
• Baby llamas are called crias and weigh between 20 and 35 pounds at birth. 
• Mature llamas weigh between 250 and 500 pounds. 
• Llama life span is 15 to 20 plus years. 
• Llama coloration can be white, brown, black, or spotted with any of  combinations of these colors. 
• Llama and alpacas are partial ruminants with three compartments to their stomachs. They are very efficient with their food and manure produces is small bean shaped dry pellets.

Llama uses...

• Historically used as pack animals. 
• Calm, surefooted and hardy. 
• Can carry 120 pounds for up to 15 miles per day. 
• Used in state and national parks for pack trips. 
• Structure of the llamas back prohibits riding it like a horse. 
• Easy to train. 
• Can be taught to pull a two wheeled cart. 
• Wool if very fine, light, and strong, making the fiber desirable for spinning into yarn for knitting, crocheting, and weaving. The fiber can also be made into felt.

Llama behavior...

Do Llamas spit? This is the most common question the llama owner faces from visitors. The answer is YES, the llama has the capability to spit. All camels have this ability. The camelid will spit only when provoked. If any spitting is to occur in the llama barn it will be at feeding time when one llama may invade the personal space of another. Before resorting to spitting (always the last resort!) there is posturing with necks and heads extended upwards. If all else fails, there may be some spitting. For a llama to spit at a human the animal must be pushed into this behavior by feeling confined or in danger. At Fancy Creek Llamas we always answer the spitting question by pointing out that dogs have the capability of biting. Dogs, however, do not just go around biting people. They must be provoked into this behavior. Therefore, llamas do not have a built in, natural, 'spit-for-no-reason' behavior.

Llamas have a natural curiosity and want to see and sniff everything. The llama is a herd animal and needs companionship of other llamas, sheep, or alpacas. The keen eyesight of the llama keeps them ever vigilant of their surroundings. Llamas communicate with vocalizations which sound like humming, with ear and tail positions and by their posture as mentioned in the paragraph about spitting. Llamas and alpacas are not at all suitable animals for petting zoos. Camelids are very sensitive to their personal space, frankly they do not want to be petted. We tell visitors that if they want an animal they can pet, they should certainly purchase a dog, or better yet, two dogs.

Llamas are clean, quiet and peaceful animals. They are very quick to learn and are delightful companions on a trail walk or showing their versatility in the show-ring.

Llamas are livestock. At Fancy Creek Llamas we respect the nature of our llamas and do not attempt to make them into pets. We do not have a single llama on our farm that wants to be petted and that is fine with us. The llama that is too friendly, or that wants to be petted, could be a danger for bumping its 300 plus pound body into a human just because it wanted to be petted.

We work with the camelid instincts and natural behaviors by recognizing that their vision (eyesight) is the primary protection, in conjunction with the ability to run. We never close all the doors/gates in the llama barns because the nature of the llama is to always have an escape route since they are prey animals and must rely on the ability to run ...and run fast! When we do close gates to do herd health, the llamas still have the ability to see outdoors. They can see their outdoor environment and that is a comfort to them. We advise that llama owners never place camelids in box stalls, such as those enclosures for horses. The box stall goes completely against the nature of the camelid.