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Questions From Readers

By Cathy Spalding
www.gentlespiritllamas.com
www.gentlespiritalpacas.com

Older Llama - "Wild Gal"

Question:

I’ve just discovered your web site but I haven’t found the answer to my specific problem. I bought an older llama as a guard animal for our small flock of sheep. She was a little wild but I thought it might just be because she had a cria, too. She’s done a great job of guarding the sheep. Basic health care with her is challenging because she is so wild. Catching her requires lots of help, a catch pen and is very traumatic for all of us. Giving her a CDT shot or trimming her nails is out of the question. She hasn’t been sheared ever. I would like to train her – or me – enough that we could perform necessary health checks without resorting to drugs. I’ve had lots of different advice. One said to halter her and tie her up and let her kick and struggle until she “got it out of her.” Another said that it is too late to do anything for her because she is too old. Well, we tried the first method but she struggled so hard that blood dripped from her lips. I let her go immediately and worried about her all day. Is there something else I should try?

Sincerely, Lorelei

Answer:

Hi Lorelei,

Thank you for your email and I surely appreciate the concern you share around your older gal. It has strongly been my experience that alpacas and llamas really never become “too old” to learn something new. They are highly intelligent, sensitive beings and if physically healthy, older age rarely has much to do with their abilities to think, reason and communicate. Age can and does, however, bring with it a number of behavioral possibilities as their life experiences have caused them – as it does all of us – to form opinions, beliefs and notions about all manner of things. It would appear your older gal remains quite physically strong and has some definite opinions!

It has also been my experience that they rarely “get it out of” them unless we have, perhaps, “broken their spirit.” A specific behavioral problem is often replaced by another if the particular behavior has been thwarted without addressing possibilities of an underlying cause. It is not surprising your gal struggled so very hard. As with most animals, llamas must learn about being tied. It would seem in her case that she has not had any particular training nor particularly enjoys human contact. You also mention she has a cria from which she would have likely been separated. It is not unusual that a llama with the lack of training and trust she seems to exhibit might feel to struggle to the death rather than remain in that perceived compromising position. They are prey animals and it feels very dangerous to them to feel trapped. They can go into serious fear/panic mode injuring themselves. Some have actually broken their necks.

Being wild or untamed is one thing… in her case, there may be additional life experience reasons for her behavior. Time and consistency is key to any compromise or resolution. Your behavior – always – must remain consistent and therefore, predictable… becoming a trusted knowing for her over the long term. We cannot teach our alpacas and llamas how to trust. As in most all relationships (including human) it is not normally another’s responsibility to blindly trust but rather, our responsibility to be trustworthy. As prey animals, they are very skilled in their assessment of behaviors whether within their own species or not. They must know if that puma is just passing through or actually stalking. They observe and form what they feel might be life dependent opinions and decisions about us in the same way. That your gal was tied with such unpleasant results for all of you is not the end of any future possibilities, for sure… however…. In the overall context of things, that experience has been added into her life experiences and she has surely formed some opinions around it.

While I have never seen your older gal, I wonder if there is a true need for her to be shorn and her nails trimmed right now. An experienced llama owner in your area may be able to help you in that determination. If neither of those things is debilitating or life threatening, I would not do them for now. My most serious concern would be any specific health protocols for your area. If menengial worm exists where you are, then that would present a completely different circumstance – one that, in itself – can be life threatening and must be addressed. I would strongly suggest you contact the local llama association and connect with some experienced llama owners in your area.

Regards your specific question -- “is there something else I should try?” – With the obvious caveat that I am not there and clearly have not seen your gal or your farm layout, it would seem that time and your own behavior are the two most important pieces for what may eventually make the significant difference for her. There should be a catch area or barn where she can begin to feel safe and comfortable in – where she is not particularly locked in to each time but is rather, free to come in and out as she feels to. Perhaps she can receive her hay there or offered a treat now and again. In my experience, trust and safety for her will come much more quickly if she is never again caught by a human grabbing her around the neck. As you might imagine, there is a good bit more to consider around ways you could move towards creating a much more peaceful and interacting relationship with this gal. While it is necessary that I receive compensation for spending involved time working with folks in problem solving behavioral issues, I felt strongly to offer you a bit of initial feedback. If you would want to discuss the possibilities further, please visit my Consultations page.

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