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What About Our Furry Llama Friends?

Llamas! These strange and beautiful creatures can teach us a lot - like mutual respect and tolerance. They are non-aggressive, intelligent, and serene animals that have a soothing and peaceful affect on humans. Llamas respect the boundaries of all creatures, and they don’t send mixed messages: If you do something they don’t like, they simply walk away.

Llamas are camelids that originated in the Western part of North America about 10 million years ago, and migrated over the Bering Strait to Asia where they developed into the camel. Others migrated south to the Andes, where they evolved into the llamas whom we know today. Three other species of camelids - the alpaca, guanaco, and vicuna - are native to South America and are cousins to the llama. Llamas are adaptable to varying habitats, from sea level to 15,000 ft in elevation and thrive in cold temperatures and extreme weather.

Why Integrate Llamas Into Your Life?

Llamas can be used as pack animals for both work and fun, such as wilderness trips. Their wool can be used for spinning and weaving and can be made into felt to create other utilitarian and artistic objects. Llama manure can be burned as fuel or processed into organic compost. The llama herd at Llama Deara Ranch is mostly viewed as pets and assistants in family and individual education and therapy. They are especially attentive guard and herd animals and are very good at protecting their own family, as well as herds of sheep, goats, and other animals, not to mention their human friends.

How the Llama Personality Manifests

Like humans, llamas are social animals. They enjoy each other’s company and the security of the family and herd. They express their pleasure in many ways. Often in the course of a day, during their many happy hours, they will dance, which is an expression of pure joy and love of life that is awesome to behold. Just like humans, they sometimes get annoyed with one another. They express their annoyance by flattening their ears and raising their heads. If the offending llama does not get the message, a spitting match may ensue. Be alert not to get in the line of fire of a spitting llama. Llamas generally don’t spit at humans. Llama spitting is similar to the human's raising his or her voice.

Llamas are very curious creatures. You can be absorbed in a book under an apple tree only to look up and notice they have quietly come in from the pasture and encircled you! They will often stride right up to you to observe you more closely. Since they are big animals, this may be a bit unnerving at first. Just remember, llamas are non-aggressive. Talk with them and walk with them gently.

As cute and cuddly as they look, unlike dogs and cats, llamas generally do not like to be touched, let alone hugged or pet. The llamas at Llama Deara Ranch, on the other hand, look forward to interaction with humans, will walk right up to you and kiss your nose, and nuzzle your hand looking for grain! Mutual respect, as in human interactions, is a useful component in communications with llamas.

The Llamas at This Ranch

We have a varied and wondrous herd at Llama Deara Ranch, each one described in his or her splendor below. We recommend that you buy llamas in pairs, although some farm menageries may dictate otherwise. We can talk about this more in person.

Llama Deara Ranch   P.O. Box 305   Medanales, NM 87548   phone: 505 685-9416   fax: 801 905-8679   email: info@llamadeara.com
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