Llamas Information

Archive for the ‘Living With Llamas’ Category

This popular book can be read online, downloaded as a free ebook, or purchased. It’s the story of Rosana and Kelly Hart as they learn about llamas, with facts.

You can read Living with Llamas online. (Most people will probably prefer the free downloadable PDF file I made recently. Click on the picture of the book cover in the right-hand sidebar to go to the download page. The ebook has more photos than these pages, too.) Nearly the full text of Living with Llamas […]

“Levi is running by the fence,” Sally Taylor said. “He has a large spot on his leg–that’s how you can tell him from Balzac.” Both young llamas were creamy white with dark spots, like chocolate chip ice cream. I found it hard to believe that they were only two weeks old. Their ears moved in […]

Our anticipation increased as the months passed. It was a little like being pregnant, but Levi had already been born. We read everything we could find about llamas and learned more of their history. The llama is a South American animal, part of the camel family. Like camels, they have padded, even-toed feet and split […]

There are thousands of llamas in this country now. They continue to grow in popularity as people discover their many uses: backpacking, showing, breeding, driving to cart, spinning the wool, and general enjoyment. There are several organizations devoted to llamas. The largest one, the International Llama Association, was sponsoring a conference in Sunriver, a resort […]

Kelly, his daughter Ajila, and two young llamas were heading north through the hot central valley of California. Kelly had made this trip many times before, but this time was different. Here he was with his daughter, whom he hadn’t seen for a year, and they were sharing the van with two strange animals. How […]

When the van finally came up our driveway, Kelly grinned and held up two fingers. Then I saw the two woolly heads. After hugs and hellos, we coaxed our new llamas out of the van by tugging on the lead ropes attached to their halters. The light breeze lifted their fuzzy wool, and the late […]

We were living with llamas now, and our attention was riveted on these fascinating additions to our family. Excitement alternated with wondering what we’d gotten into; what commitment not yet fully understood had been made? It was, of course, much less of a commitment than being new parents; we could always sell the llamas. But […]

Late in the summer, Kelly’s three sisters came to visit, bringing most of their children. Our eight-year-old nephew Reb spent hours catching Tumbleweed and walking him around. Reb would let Tumbleweed go, only to catch him again five minutes later. Tumble became much easier to catch. One sultry afternoon we all went on a long […]

After several weeks with Levi and Tumbleweed, we decided to become llama breeders. Our fascination with the animals, and our respect for them, was increasing as we learned more about our two. We were spending a lot of time with them, but their essential care didn’t take long. Breeding would be an enjoyable way to […]

It was several hours, mostly on freeways, to our place. Posey continued her questioning hums; I answered by telling her about Levi, Tumbleweed, and all the fine llama babies she would have. Now and then I turned around, and we rubbed noses. Posey moved around sideways until she was looking out the back window. I […]

As we came to know her, we realized what a very different personality Posey had from the males. Where they were placid, she was temperamental. Where Levi would walk right up to anything he wanted to investigate, Posey would go back and forth. Where Tumbleweed was aloof until caught, she was flighty. Where the males […]

The summer days were long and warm, but winter was already blowing a chill across our minds. Our first winter on the land had been difficult, with the winds battering our trailer as if the thin walls, built in southern California, were gauze curtains. Ice had formed at night on the dogs’ water bowl in […]

Llamas just weren’t teddy bears. They didn’t crave the human touch the way many dogs and cats did. Aside from touching noses, llamas touched each other rarely. When they did, it was in fighting or breeding, or it was a mother with a baby. They jostled at the feeding station, but snuggling up was not […]

Humming, clicking, snorting and the alarm call were the sounds we had come to recognize. A hum could range from an inquisitive high-pitched squeal to a low grunt. If we separated our two males, Tumbleweed would call to Levi in almost a bleat. “What’s going on? Where are you?” were perfectly contained in the sound. […]