🦙 All About the Llamas🦙
Fun Facts About Llamas
Contrary to popular belief, llamas are very curious, friendly, and social creatures.
Llamas make very soft wool, can grow up to 6 feet tall, and weigh up to 600 pounds.
Llamas make great farm guards! They will protect other livestock from feral dogs and coyotes. It is estimated that the cost of caring for a llama is less than that of the livestock that would otherwise be lost. This also protects the lives of natural predators as the llama merely chases them away vs other livestock protective means such as hunting and trapping.
EASY BRO!
While llamas are friendly and social creatures, when they are with their own kind, they love to neck-wrestle, spit, and kick at each other.
If a young llama is bottle-feed, over-domesticated, or over-socialized, as it matures, it will treat its human handlers as if they were other llamas by, you guessed it, spitting, kicking, and neck wrestling!
If trained and socialized at the right age, it is rare for a llama to spit at a human. They will spit at each other in their own social hierarchies to maintain the herd. However, they do care for one another and will hum to communicate with each other.
We care about llamas (and their handlers)
Here at the TNI, we work directly with local llama farmers. Bob Douglas, a retired science teacher and current llama farmer (pictured left with Moment of Victory, one of the most easy-going llamas on the farm) has been a long-time collaborator with the University of Michigan. Bob knows the ins-and-outs of each and every llama on his farm, their unique personalities and their histories, and he cares deeply for these creatures. ULAM veterinarian, Dr. Brooke Pallas carries out the immunizations and blood draws of the llamas. He uses his extensive animal care background and the consultation of a llama specialty vet to provide a painless experience for the llamas.
You can read more about Bob, llamas, and nanobodies here
A TNI Visit to the Llama Farm
Asa feeding Victor. The quickest way to a llama friendship is a handful of hay!
Mary (left) seeing who has the strongest selfie pose - Victor might be winning this time!
Members of the TNI getting a photo op with Victor, the biggest showoff on the farm.
Matthias (top left) letting Victor sniff his hand - Victor wondering "where is my hay treat?"
Sarah (top right) Victor's number one hay-snack provider. Victor quickly moves in close, excited to see his friend!
Bottom Left: Fortune's Child getting ready for her vaccine with Brooke, Bob, and Jamie.
