Comments on: State of the Farm Report http://www.terrapin-gardens.net/state-of-the-farm-report/ Navajo-Churro Sheep & Fiber Wed, 14 Dec 2011 22:02:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Rick http://www.terrapin-gardens.net/state-of-the-farm-report/comment-page-1/#comment-28592 Rick Sun, 02 Nov 2008 17:52:35 +0000 http://www.terrapin-gardens.net/?p=222#comment-28592 Llamas are odd animals that are <i>very</i> curious. When something approaches a llama's area it will go toward the new animal/person rather than backing away like most non-predators (and even many predators). Threats are handled usually by stamping, if the predator is smaller. They can run quickly as well. Humans are not usually considered a threat to a llama so it is unlikely that a llama will display negative social interactions. However ... "... llamas who are bottle-fed or over-socialised and over-handled as youngsters will become extremely difficult to handle when mature, when they will begin to treat humans as they treat each other, which is characterized by bouts of spitting, kicking and neck wrestling." [<a href="//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llama#Behavior" title="Wikipedia entry for llama" rel="nofollow">source</a>] Many people's only encounters with llamas are in zoos. In zoos animals are likely to be hand-fed by their keepers. In petting zoos they are likely to be hand-fed by visitors. As we saw above, overly socialized llamas <i>will</i> react by spitting and/or grunting, <i>et cetera</i>, at humans in these situations. So people who have only seen llamas in a zoo setting are likely to consider the animals mean or aggressive. We know not to hand-feed our llamas and so they do not act poorly around us. If they do spit at one of us, we react by showing that we are the more dominate animal, and they will back down. They are facinating creatures. Llamas are odd animals that are very curious. When something approaches a llama’s area it will go toward the new animal/person rather than backing away like most non-predators (and even many predators). Threats are handled usually by stamping, if the predator is smaller. They can run quickly as well. Humans are not usually considered a threat to a llama so it is unlikely that a llama will display negative social interactions. However …

“… llamas who are bottle-fed or over-socialised and over-handled as youngsters will become extremely difficult to handle when mature, when they will begin to treat humans as they treat each other, which is characterized by bouts of spitting, kicking and neck wrestling.” [source]

Many people’s only encounters with llamas are in zoos. In zoos animals are likely to be hand-fed by their keepers. In petting zoos they are likely to be hand-fed by visitors. As we saw above, overly socialized llamas will react by spitting and/or grunting, et cetera, at humans in these situations. So people who have only seen llamas in a zoo setting are likely to consider the animals mean or aggressive.

We know not to hand-feed our llamas and so they do not act poorly around us. If they do spit at one of us, we react by showing that we are the more dominate animal, and they will back down.

They are facinating creatures.

]]> By: John Tischer http://www.terrapin-gardens.net/state-of-the-farm-report/comment-page-1/#comment-27946 John Tischer Sat, 01 Nov 2008 22:46:13 +0000 http://www.terrapin-gardens.net/?p=222#comment-27946 Are llamas more friendly, once they get to know you? Are llamas more friendly, once they get to know you?

]]> By: John Tischer http://www.terrapin-gardens.net/state-of-the-farm-report/comment-page-1/#comment-24395 John Tischer Tue, 28 Oct 2008 00:06:17 +0000 http://www.terrapin-gardens.net/?p=222#comment-24395 Good ideas. Happy farming!! J.T. Good ideas. Happy farming!! J.T.

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