How to transport a never handled llama...

[Ann Marie]

I have just bought a llama boy!! And now I have questions I hope to have answered in this forum!

He is supposed to be the leader of our alpaca males as well as taking part in all kinds of other activities (exept breeding...). He is about 16 months old, very nice indeed though never handled - the challange of the year. As we are breeding alpacas we do not want to risk that he jumps the fence and breed (he will not be able to see the girls though, at least not during winter, as the fields are rather far away from each other) so he must be gelded before he comes. We do not plan to increase the height of the fence.
1. Is 16-17 months far too early for being gelded?

We will have about 9 hours drive with the trailer to bring him home. The owner has suggested to give a sedative (Rescue Remedy is for me, correct Julie?) in order to get him in the trailer. I know how to train a llama how to load but all the llamas we have used at Martys clinics have been halter trained - this boy is not - so perhaps a sedative is a good idea. I thought about the llamas Marty was telling about who just refused to enter the transport and I am a bit worried... The current owner has no llama who is halter trained. Our boy will be all alone during the transport which makes me feel terrible but we do not want more then one!
2. Is a sedative a good idea? If yes, should it be renewed during this long journey? I do not want him to be nervous and jump around in the trailer. I will most likely drive on my own so I want to do anything in order to reduce problems...

All good advice for a Novice Llama Owner will be deeply appreciated! I still cannot believe I am getting a llama.

Thanks in advance!

Ann Marie

[hilaryc]

Hi Ann Marie ,

It was lovely to meet you over in England.

As someone who knows not much about llamas, I will be interested in the replies. but here goes anyway

You can use rescue remedy on llamas/alpacas as well as yourself ( here is a link https://www.llamaproducts.com/index....ils&rowid=5219. Not sure how you are going to apply it though.

I think that Marty was talking about animals that had arrived at a clinic - therefore they had already been in a trailer. And often it is the second or so trip that could be a problem depending on how they were loaded the first time.
So if the llamas have never been in a trailer perhaps you are better off. Perhaps easier if they don't have a history of bad experiences loading

Depending on how much time you have before you pick him up, you could perhaps ask their owner to do a couple of things that may help. What I was thinking of was the change of surface under their feet, So , if they get fed regularly , and the owner could put a piece of non slippy board down , they may then get used , without any direction or pressure, to walking over a different surface ( And if there was a slight step up , more ideal).

Would it be also possible to load a group, and then remove the ones you don't want? That may be easier than loading just the one you want. Not sure how feasible that is with llamas.

The other thing you really need is whatever your favourite tipple is! When you go, don't have any time plan in your head. Have the attitude if it takes 2 days - no matter! Take the time it takes , so it takes less time . They will pick up on it if running to a time schedule ( I speak of this from a different species - went to pick up my 6 month old pony -never led or trailered - took my older horse with me, but with the attitude if I had to leave , no matter . Didn't take long at all).

Look at your trailer with a real eye to ensure there is nothing to harm. And perhaps making a bed of really nice hay may encourage him to pick at it when cushed down.


Good luck , and I will be interested in the answers

Cheers

Hilary

[OHL]

Ann Marie,
16-17 months is not too early to geld a llama unless he is stunted or unhealthy in some way.

I wouldn't think a sedetive should be necessary for your trip.

What may be helpul for is stress level on the trip is to bring one of your alpacas that he will be housed with - a halter-trained gelding would be ideal. As long as your trailer is safe and he can't jump out of it, I would not worry too much about him needing any sort of sedation for the trip. Llamas generally travel quite well, even if not accustomed to transport. Given the length of your drive, I'd plan to stop for 20-30min two or three times during your trip to give him a rest. You can leave hay in the trailer for him and offer him water when you stop, but don't be worried if he doesn't drink.

I'm not sure if you plan to stop for the night on your drive home, but if you have a buddy for him and hay and water, he should be just fine for an extended stop.

If you can talk with the current owner and see if they have panels to help set up a laneway to your trailer, you should be able to herd a few of her llamas onto the trailer and then herd the ones you don't need back off. If you have an alpaca in the trailer as "bait", this will be an easier task.

I agree with Hilary, plan to spend a long time there and don't get rushed or it will stress everyone (2 and 4 legged) and make the task more difficult.

Good luck and congratulations on your first llama!

Sara

[Marty McGee Bennett]

I agree with all of the above advice and am thrilled to bits to see you joining the ranks of llama owners! Wow. It will go fine. Take a couple of panels with you if you have the room they can be life savers for loading and remember to breathe. Llamas are usually very good about loading and I love the idea of loading with buddies and then off loading the ones you don't want OR you could always get more than one : )
I also like the idea of taking an alpaca gelding. OR you can take a mirror if that won't work and a mirror can be very comforting as well as help loading if you put it in the end of the trailer and load the llama toward it. Keep us posted!

[Ann Marie]

Thank you so much Hilary, Sara and Marty for all good ideas!!!!

I never thought of bringing a gelding. But if they start to fight in the trailer... There is not much time for getting acquainted before the trip. I will give it a thought though. Perhaps our big gelded suri who is the present boss in the male group could be a nice travel buddy. Or should it be a low ranked individual? A mirror is a nice idea.

The other llamas on this farm are not handled either but perhaps they would agree to have a look inside the trailer even without an alpaca. But how on earth do I stop my llama not going out again together with the others!

And Marty, I am SO glad this llama owner do not have any more llamas for sale... At the moment. I must get used to the idea that I am actually getting a llama. But it will be SO interesting and I am really looking forward to his arrival!

I promise to write more. But perhaps not until spring as I do not fancy the thought of driving so far with this boy during winter time. But if the weather stays warm another 1-2 months maybe I go for him earlier.

Ann Marie

[Marty McGee Bennett]

That story I shared was the exception there is no reason to think it will be anything like that. You will be fine no sedative will be needed I am sure.

[Marty McGee Bennett]

you herd a bunch in and then off load the ones the don't need that is pretty easy.
you can stand by the door and keep the one you are buying back and let the others out. If you take your gelding he can be halters and you can keep him from jumping out. You will sort it out I am sure. The hardest way to do it is to try and herd one animal into a trailer on his own or put a halter on an animal that is not trained and try to use that to drag him in. Don't do that!

[Ann Marie]

Now I have had my llama, Caprice, one month and it is time to give you a short report! Those of you who read Swedish can have a look at this link where you also can see at the pictures http://www.alpacka.se/djur-caprice-lamor.htm . Personally I have never seen such a beautiful llama! He looks like a guanaco but his mother is brown and his father i white so he probably is a llama...

The journey went without the slightest problem - or sedatives! All my worries for nothing! A few days before picking him up I placed the trailer in the field were all the llamas were and the owner was feeding them in the trailer during this time and they happily went in and had their food. The day of the travel the owner was just closing the trailer when Caprice was in there which was accepted it without protest.

When he 9 hours later was introduced to our alpaca boys it only took 10 minutes and then the harmony in the herd was complete again.

I never thought I could be so fascinated by a llama. He is abolutely georgeous and his personality could not be nicer. Very safe and sound. No biting or kicking. Extremely curious but careful. Never really handled but that is better than bad handled so we now have a big work in front of us! I have been with him only twice in the pen and he was very surprised that I wanted to work with him but did not really mind. Now, when the whole shearing (he was not included!) is over, I hopefully get more time to continue the training. Julie, you have to help me in September if I will not manage! I am so glad we now have a llama we can present to participants at Martys and Julies clinics in the future!

Immediately he took the job as guard llama of the alpacas. If all llamas are behaving like Caprice I do understand why they are used for guarding - a huge difference compared to our alpacas who seem to enjoy having this big guy among them. Especially the young alpacas seem to appreciate his size - and he is not fully grown yet!

He even uses the big dung pile - not the toilets out in the field!

Thank you, Marty, for introducing me to llamas! But I also think I have been very lucky finding this very special guy...

Ann Marie

[Marty McGee Bennett]

Oh goodie! Does Paul think he is pretty cool too? I knew you would love having a llama! Please let us know how things go as you begin to train him and perhaps you will teach him to carry a pack and take him for outings!

[Williams]

Oh Ann Marie -- I don't read Swedish but pictures are wonderful!! What an advertisement for "Guard Llamas".