Neutering Llamas
Subheader or page number
Neutering
Neutering enhances the quality of life for any domestic animal. Neutering also makes day-to-day management choices, options, and procedures much simpler. Finally, neutering greatly enhances the human/animal relationship and bond. It is unfortunate that some llamas lose the benefits of neutering for the sake of human fantasies or egotism.
The straight scoop about breeding is not a pretty picture. Although baby llamas sure are cute, they are only cute for six months to maybe a year out of their 20-30 year lifespans. It is important to understand and accept that there are far too many llamas already out there that have no hope of finding any home but the slaughterhouse. Also understand that breeding your favorite llama just once will result in permanent, negative changes to his or her personality and to your relationship with him or her. Also realize that raising a well-trained cria is not a simple matter, and that your screw-ups will live well into their twenties . . . if they can find a home that will accept them with their quirks.
Unless you have unusually oustanding llamas that excel at a given end use, the specialized knowledge to successfully breed llamas for that end-use, AND the thousands of llamas who are already out there can't fulfill the demands of that end use, neutering your llamas is the only responsible course of action to take.
Unfortunately, some people misunderstand what llamas' sex lives (or lack thereof) are really like, incorrectly anthropomorphizing that the animals enjoy being intact and yet not regularly fulfilling their strong natural drives. Quite frankly, a sexually-frustrated male llama is not an inspiring picture. Habitual, incessant pacing, senseless fighting with otherwise peaceful pasturemates, clambering on fencing, and refusal to be caught except by tricks and bribes are hardly the foundation behaviors of a rewarding relationship or a comfortable existance. Female llamas are not exempt -- their unique reproductive cycle leaves them constantly "in heat," and although less violent than their male counterparts, they experience similarly heavy stress and distraction. A true human friend sees these sexually-oriented behaviors for what they are and relieves nonbreeding llamas of sexual frustrations and anxieties through neutering.
Castration or gelding is the standard surgical procedure for neutering a male llama; spaying is surgical sterilization of a female llama. Castration is much cheaper at this time, but we highly recommend both procedures for llamas that will not be breeding, even if they have been bred in the past.
Return to Basic Care for Llamas