Companionship for Llamas
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Mental and emotional needs
Companionship
Llamas need at least one other llama for their mental and emotional well-being. Although prospective owners on a limited budget may be suspicious that this is a way to sell two llamas instead of just one, this is unfortunately not true. Llamas who are deprived of llama company predictably develop neroses, from barely detectible but serious depression to obvious distress, and from abnormal interests in other species to severe aggression directed at "intruders," including humans. Fortunately, it is possible to obtain a llamower-quality companion for your single llama at very little initial cost. One option is to adopt one or more rescued llamas from an organization such as Llama RescueNet.
Most llamas are only truly happy with other llamas. Females in particular have a strong natural need to be part of a group. The best herd size for a group of llamas is usually four to six animals, although certain individuals can make or break the group peace no matter what the group size. Most llamas adapt well to being one of a pair, although human ineptitude can easily result in two llamas who will never go anywhere alone.
If the herd size gets too large, two groups may form. With adequate space, this may not be a problem, but if pastures are crowded, the amount of squabbling and even fighting often increase.
Adult intact male llamas are often a constant irritant in an otherwise well-adjusted herd. Males who are continually stirring up trouble are excellent candidates for castration; those males who are getting along have the best chance of producing the most managable and enjoyable offspring. Ultimately, mature breeding stud llamas have no ability to appreciate llama companionship other than that of "their" females (who cannot be copastured with studs without incurring certain risks). Intact males are also most prone to developing uncontrollable aggressive behavior when kept alone. Former studs do return to desiring llama companionship after castration, and also gradually lose their antagonistic tendencies.
Some llamas are highly territorial and want to protect certain creatures in their territory and expel all others. These llamas are happiest when employed as livestock guards, and they may be disruptive and unhappy in an all-llama herd.
* * * Important * * *
In other species, males can be castrated and kept with females. Unfortunately, this just isn't possible with llamas. Males castrated prior to 12-15 months and prior to any sexual experience can usually be kept safely with females. However, ALL late geldings (castrated after 15 months or after sexual experience) have already developed sexual interest that will be aimed at any female herdmates, even if the geldings were never allowed any sexual experience prior to castration. Not uncommonly, that sexual interest is foisted on gelded and intact herdmates as well.
Initial symptoms that a gelding is penetrating a female herdmate are obvious to the knowledgeable llama observer: the female is grouchy, irritable and defensive most of the time, suddenly "schmoozy" for a few days, then back to grouchy . . . and the cycle repeats. Depending on her coat type and condition, the female may also develop a "twiggy" tail, worn fiber on her back, and even sores or patches of missing skin. Although some of this may seem immaterial, the long-term effects are extensive reproductive tract scarring, infection, infertility, illness, and eventually untimely death for the female(s). They evolved to have intercourse only a dozen or so times in their lives -- not around 120 times in a single year.
A sexually-active gelding is at some risk as well -- he may damage his penis if hair from the female wraps around it and cuts or strangulates it. (All conscientious llama breeders take steps to ensure that the female's tail hair is safely confined before allowing a valuable stud to have access to her.) In "the wild," this damage ensures that no one male will dominate the gene pool. In domestication, it may mean the eventual loss of your animal's life if infection sets in or if the functional urinary tract is damaged.
Another risk to pasturing one or more geldings with one or more females is that some geldings' territorial instincts are triggered by the living arrangement. Such a gelding will fight being taken from "his property," will "act berserk" if the female is ever removed, and may attack anyone he perceives might harm or compromise his access to "his" female. Once these instincts are triggered, the only sure cure is removal of the territorial gelding to a different, single-sex farm.
If you are not sure how or are not able to determine whether a particular gelding is safe to keep with females, the safest policy is to decide whether you prefer geldings or females, and then buy only the one or the other. If it's too late for to follow that advice, always keep your females and your geldings in separate pastures and enclosures.
DO NOT be tricked into buying female-gelding combinations unless all geldings in question were both castrated by 15 months and have been proven completely safe with and disinterested in the seller's most prized, open breeding females!!!
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