Re: Llamas

Someone asked me to post a bit about llamas and packing with them.

Yes, they spit. Horses kick or bite, mules too. Dogs bite. Cats scratch...... My llamas do not spit at people (unless you really deserve it). They spit at each other over food or personal space.

A well conditioned pack llama weighs about 300 pounds. They can carry one third of their weight. They are very efficient with their food. My 6 llamas eat an amount that would starve a horse. They love, or at least mine love, to go packing. I notice them looking at the views, the trees, and the flowers (probably to eat). They are very alert and if you watch what they're looking at you'll see things you would have missed.

They are very smart and can remember a trail they hiked a year ago. Training is easy. If you can get across to them what you want, they'll usually do it. My two best packers are "bomb proof." Nothing on the trail scares them. They usually follow you with a slack lead rope. If they are exhausted, they'll lay down and won't budge. I wouldn't either.

A horse has a metal shoe with a 1500 pound animal on top if it. Each step lands toe first and lifts up a bit of dirt. That dirt gets washed away later and causes trail erosion. The llama, at 300 pounds, has a soft pad on the bottom of his foot. it's kind of like a dogs paw pad. Studies have shown that a fully loaded pack llama does slightly more damage than a hiker.

Gear isn't that expensive. A quality pack (Flaming Star makes the best) for a day hike is about $350. A set of long distance packs is about $500. All you need then is a halter and a lead rope and you're all set.

Horses..... well..... they are not the brightest things around. When they see a llama for the first time they often freak out. That's not a good thing on a trail. I've had a big tough stallion spook, and I've had a mare that thought my llama was cute and wanted to breed with him right there. That's why we can't hike with llamas on certain trails in Yosemite; the pack horses are not properly trained and spook when encountering llamas. To solve the problem all they need to do is place a llama in a pen near the horses food source. Eventually the horse will have to eat and in the process gets used to llamas. It's that easy.

Llamas need to be housed with other llamas, or some kind of companion. You can get a pair of geldings for $500 or so.

One of these days I'll post a short story I wrote about a hike I was on a few years ago.

If you have any questions, just ask.

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Dave
Horses..... well..... they are not the brightest things around.

That's not what Chick-on says....
Hmmm. Nevermind.

Huh?

Horses are round?

Even eye know sun is brightest.

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Dave
Someone asked me to post a bit about llamas and packing with them.

A well conditioned pack llama weighs about 300 pounds. They can carry one third of their weight. They are very efficient with their food. My 6 llamas eat an amount that would starve a horse.

If you have any questions, just ask.

I believe that some of the things that Mike really wanted to know were:
'Will they will eat chicken?'
'Can you force them?'
'How about if they are starving?'



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/05/2010 11:37PM by szalkowski.

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szalkowski
I believe that some of the things that Mike really wanted to know were:
'Will they will eat chicken?'

No, but they seem to really enjoy using them as soccer balls.

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'Can you force them?'
'How about if they are starving?'

No, they only eat plants.

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Dave
... [llamas] seem to really enjoy using [chickens] as soccer balls.

Probably an unattainable career goal for the "feathered nuisance" (credit Catalonian Burro for the descriptive moniker).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/06/2010 12:33PM by szalkowski.

Burro Boy iz gonna pay for dat one.
(he gonna be like one of doze llamas and refuse to go ... and eye gonna half two
kick him in the you know what)

Davey,
Where's doze Old Dude Recipes?

(p.s. thanks for the llama educations)

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No comment, just video...

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Catalonian Burro

Shot on goal: high
(Needs more practice.)

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Catalonian Burro
No comment, just video...

Note to who-mans out der - only ting he
menshuns is he feed da chick-ons!
(litte he know I already ate before his lazie butt got up)

It's good to be da king

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chick-on
Burro Boy iz gonna pay for dat one.
(he gonna be like one of doze llamas and refuse to go ... and eye gonna half two
kick him in the you know what)

That wouldn't bother my pack llamas. They don't have any you know whats.

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Davey,
Where's doze Old Dude Recipes?

(p.s. thanks for the llama educations)

I have a recipe for mince meat from the 1850's, would that do?

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Dave
I have a recipe for mince meat from the 1850's, would that do?

Davey ,
Me no kicky llamas... just dat Burro Boy.

I already got Old Dude Mince Meat Recipe.
It's a one step recipe:
Take one Old Dude and take him on a hike.
Let simmer 6+ hours. No brakes. Don't
let stand too long.

I'd show u peekture... but Old Dude prob. try molestelation me gin.

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