Llamas with Dreadlocks

[Paulette Kaskinen]

I recently drove off to find a llama ranch I had heard of - I didn't call first or anything, just wanted to look over the fence and see some llamas. I didn't drive up the private road (didn't want to trespass), so I only got a glimpse of the animals high up in the pasture, but there was a group of about 8 animals up close to the road, so I got out to see. They came cavorting over near the fence when they saw me, and did a little spitting at each other, but what really caught my eye was that several of them are very heavy wooled and looked like their blankets were 1 big dreadlock - amazingly matted, really. Their nails didn't look so bad, so maybe the owner is just behind on grooming -
At what point is it a health issue to leave their fleece like that? Maybe it's bothering me more than it is them - what are your thoughts?:(

[OHL]

Paulette,
It depends... If the fiber gets to a point where it is truely matted and the individual fibers are being pulled and air circulation is significantly limited, it is both uncomfortable for the animal and a risk factor for heat stress.

I have seen many different levels of "matting" from superficial cotting to 12+ years of growth and matting to the skin that has to be taken off in a solid sheet with extreme care.

In my experience dealing with rescue animals and shearing for other people - If it's more than 2 years of fiber growth, chances are there is some superficial matting going on. Typically, after 3-4 years, there is significant matting that can precipitate heat stress. After 5-6 years, the fiber felts together and begins to be uncomfortable/dangerous for the animal.

Of course, an animal's fiber length and environment makes a big difference, too. A double-coated llama will shed most of the undercoat every 2-3 years and may look matted, but actually not be. A heavy wool animal may suffer from heat stress from superficial matting after only a year.

As far as grooming - the only time we actually groom our llamas is when we show them. We shear every 1-2 years, depending on fiber coverage.

Hope that helps!

Sara

[Marty McGee Bennett]

I see these kinds of llamas all the time around here and they seem to do fine. The local group is pretty good about contacting folks and making arrangements to have animals shorn when they are looking really bad but bottom line some are uncomfortable I am sure. There are 5-6 that I see everytime I go to the airport ( a lot) and I feel so badly for them BUT there they are every year grazing, sunbathing and still unshorn and I have been seeing them now for 9 years!

[Nancy Woodward]

Ditto, Marty: I'm astonished at the apparent health of llamas we've rescued who have been unshorn and totally neglected for years. It's pretty amazing.

I have to say, those tough survivors of hard circumstances are well worth their keep, and even worth breeding--which I do--as livestock guardian llamas. They are survivors for many reasons--genetic strength, for example.

I won't sell alpacas in certain areas unless there is a guardian llama to protect them. My rescue llamas have been proven to be true survivors; and they are worth their weight in gold, out here in coyote/lion/bear country.

I could tell you stories....