General
Llamas have a shoulder height of 1-1,2 meters and can weigh 130-200 kilograms when fully grown. Alpacas are smaller and have a shoulder height of 80-90 centimeters and weigh 50-90 kilograms when fully grown. On average, llamas and alpacas live 15 to 20 years.
Llamas and alpacas are herd animals (up to 20 animals) where usually one male is dominant and has several females with young. They can be very territorial and can act as protector of the herd when kept together with sheep or goats, which can sometimes lead to aggressive behavior. When forming or changing a herd, it should always be determined who the leader is. In general, alpacas are gentler in nature than llamas.
A male animal is called a stallion or 'macho' and a female animal is called a mare or 'hembra'. The mating season can take place all year round and the mating takes place lying down and can last up to 10 minutes. The gestation period is 11 to 12 months, after which usually one young, 'cria', is born. Then the mother drinks for 5 to 6 months and the males are fertile after 2 to 3 years and the females after about a year. When breeding, it is wise to wait until the female is one and a half to two years old.
Care, housing and nutrition
Care:
Llamas and alpacas need to be sheared at least once a year, and their nails may need to be trimmed if they get too long. Their teeth grow throughout their lives and need to wear down properly, and if they don't, a vet may need to perform dental treatment.
Llamas and alpacas are not cuddly animals, even though they may look like they are. Excessive touching can cause a lot of stress. It is wise to train them from an early age to allow caring actions. For example, you can train them to put on a halter and to look at and treat their nails. However, do not cuddle them because they can kick, bite and spit if threatened. It is known that males can display very aggressive behavior if they are bottle-fed and start to see humans as their own kind.
The best way to catch them is to train them to do this in the first place. Drive the animals into a small enclosure with fences of at least 1,40 meters high. Then you can calmly approach the animals and touch them and possibly feed them. In order to hold the animal well, it is wise to put one arm around the neck with which you press the animal against you and with the other hand on the shoulder blades to prevent rearing.
You can have your llama or alpaca chipped and registered in the relevant pedigree book to make identification easier.
Housing:
Because llamas and alpacas are herd animals, they need to be kept in groups. One male with several females is an option, but then there is a chance of reproduction. A group of only females is also possible and a group of castrated males is also a possibility.
The animals need sufficient space and a pasture of 2000m2 is considered large enough for two animals. It should not be too swampy or wet, that way the nails do not wear down. That is why it is useful to have a paved area around the stable so that the nails can wear down 'naturally'. Llamas and alpacas also love to take a sand bath and take care of their fur and skin, so they will really appreciate a kind of sandbox. In very hot weather, a kind of puddle or a water sprinkler can provide cooling. In addition, shelter/shade in the form of trees or bushes is also nice.
The stable must be large enough for each animal to have at least 2m2. For llamas, the fence/gate must be at least 1,5 metres high and for alpacas 1,2 metres. It is also important for the fence to keep out any predators, so it is wise to also put the fence in the ground a bit. Barbed wire gets stuck in the fur and they only feel electric wire when they are tangled in it, so both of these are not usable. Also make sure that the animals do not get their heads stuck in the fence.
Nutrition:
Llamas and alpacas are strict herbivores and chew their food. Roughage in the form of good quality hay and grass should be available in unlimited quantities. In addition, you can feed the animals twice a day with special pellets that also provide for their vitamin and mineral needs. You can also give the animals carrots and/or beets. In addition, it is important that each animal has its own feeding place that is approximately 1 to 3 meters apart and hangs/stands at a height of approximately 1 meter for adult animals. Please note that the animals do not get too fat, they quickly get too much food. Clean and fresh drinking water must be available at all times!
It is important that there are no poisonous plants in the meadow, such as ragwort or yew.
illnesses
If a llama or alpaca itches a lot, limps, stops eating, has diarrhea, grinds its teeth or lies down a lot, something is wrong.
Llamas and alpacas can suffer from scabies (mites) which can cause itching and diarrhea due to worm infections, for example. It is therefore important to deworm the animals twice a year. Scabies is very contagious and can be transmitted to humans, so be careful in that case and consult the vet
lameness can be caused by nails that are too long or because the animal has sprained its foot or stepped on something sharp. It is important to find out the cause.
If an animal lies down a lot and grinding of teeth is there any question of colic (abdominal pain) and should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. It can be life-threatening depending on the cause. Sometimes stomach ulcers can play a role in this.
It is very important to have the animals vaccinated against the Clostridium bacteria, also known as 'the blood'. Animals that are not vaccinated and become ill because of this have a very high chance of dying.
All in all, there is still a lot of knowledge and expertise involved in keeping llamas and alpacas. As with all animals, it is important to think carefully in advance and to get information before you start keeping these animals.
For further questions or advice, please contact the veterinary practice.