# llamas **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 26, 2003, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388 "2003-04-26T21:26:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DuhCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@DuhCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DuhCow)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/1 "2003-04-26T21:26:56Z")
what is the purpose of having a pet llama? besides the llama farms, wouldn’t the only conceivable reason to have one be just to say ‘i have a llama.’ if you were an aborigine or somthing, i could see using it for wool or transportation, but what if you’re a middle class american and you have a pet llama? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/2 "2003-04-26T21:33:20Z")
I have read that some sheep farmers keep them because they make great protectors from predaters. ---
**Author:** ![DuhCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@DuhCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DuhCow)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/3 "2003-04-26T21:41:47Z")
interesting…them seem like such docile creatures, i wouldn’t have thought they had it in them to participate in violent activites. ---
**Author:** ![DuhCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@DuhCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DuhCow)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/4 "2003-04-26T21:42:52Z")
and if that’s true, what kind of predators would that include? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/5 "2003-04-26T21:54:41Z")
What is the purpose of keeping _any_ pet? Ok, cats and dogs, rabbits can be cuddled, parrots can learn to mimic speech, but some people keep pigs, sheep, goats, whatever as pets just because they like them and are interested in them as animals; I don’t see why the same could not be true of Llamas… If you have a pet Llama, would you call it Lloyd? ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/6 "2003-04-26T21:58:27Z")
[Llamas as guardians of the flock.](http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2002/07/22/story578336182.asp) > [@](#): > > ‘‘He often stands on a mound surveying the distance looking for predators,’’ she said. ‘‘If he sees, for instance, a fox he will rush over and lift up his hind legs and try stamping on it.’’ There are also [guard alpacas in Aussie.](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2159444.stm) ---
**Author:** ![DuhCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@DuhCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DuhCow)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/7 "2003-04-26T22:20:31Z")
okay…so llamas can be used for protecting sheep. but what about those people that don’t HAVE sheep? manget made a good point - there may not be a real reason people get them, but i still think they are bought for the novelty of it. wouldn’t YOU be impressed if someone said they had a pet llama? as for naming it lloyd…i don’t know, it just seems to predictable. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/8 "2003-04-26T22:34:42Z")
Llarry then? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/9 "2003-04-26T22:42:47Z")
II don’t think I’d be impressed. Interested, possibly. A friend of mine keeps ostriches; now _they_ are impressive. tasty too. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/10 "2003-04-26T22:44:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mangetout \* > \*\*Llarry then? \*\* No, Llewellyn. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/11 "2003-04-26T22:51:23Z")
Or perhaps Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerchwyrndrobwllllandysilliogogogoch ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/12 "2003-04-27T00:21:58Z")
My niece’s family had some llamas for a while. They’re big on backpack vacations, and the llamas carried the gear. I won’t quote the Ogden Nash poem here, but a good friend of mine told me what llamas eat. Llama beans. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/13 "2003-04-27T00:29:48Z")
Watch it, though. [Llamas spit.](http://www.szgdocent.org/ung/t-llama.htm) > [@](#): > > The actual contents of the spit can take various forms, namely, the grain spit, the saliva spit and the green stomach content spit. The grain spit occurs when the llama is defending its food. It will spit whatever is in its mouth and usually occurs when its eating grain. ---
**Author:** ![Swirdle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@Swirdle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swirdle)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/14 "2003-04-27T10:47:17Z")
Mangetout, I would call mine “Woolworth”. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/15 "2003-04-27T13:03:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Swirdle \* > \*\*Mangetout, > > I would call mine “Woolworth”. \*\* I’m partial to Dali. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/16 "2003-04-27T16:36:47Z")
Since the LL in Spanish is pronounce “y” should it be yama or lama?? ---
**Author:** ![Ender\_Will](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Ender\_Will](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ender_Will)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/17 "2003-04-27T16:52:31Z")
So, llamas can trample foxes, but how dangerous would one be to a person? My friend’s uncle has a llama, and I guess it has a mean temper, so when we were sitting around one night, we got to talking about what would happen in a llama-human boxing match. No, we are not actually going to box the llama (and _that_ is a funny image. A llama in headgear, with his cornerman smearing Vaseline on his cheeks, gloves on his hooves), just curious about what would happen, hypothetically. I know they can spit, and have some wicked sharp “fighting teeth” that could do some serious damage. I’m assuming that they can kick with their hind legs, mule style. Does anyone know if they can “jab” (as in, snap it out forward) with the front hooves? ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/18 "2003-04-27T17:37:37Z")
llamas are protective of flocks/herds, as has already been mentioned. llamas and alpacas are “woolbearing” animals. Llamas and alpacas can carry a fair bit of weight and are very surefooted and easy on trails, making them capable of being an excellent trekking companion where animals such as horses, mules, and donkeys leave something to be desired. There is some facinating research coming out of South America indicating that the pre-European llama and alpaca breeding campaign operated by various peoples in the Andes succeeded in producing extremely find wool for textiles. These fine-haired breeds are now extinct, the leading candidate for a reason being the European conquests.[Here](http://www.uco.es/organiza/servicios/publica/az/articulos/1992/145(extra)/pdf/wheeler_467_475.pdf) is an interesting paper. (It is a pdf file). To answer the llama boxing question, I’ve gone a few rounds with both the front _and_ hind legs and I’ve been spit on by a fair amount of them as well. When I was a Zoology undergrad, a friend and fellow pre-Vet major at the time (we’ve both since moved on to other things, or given up, take your pick) volunteered to help the Biology Departement receptionist trim the feet of her two llamas. Aleda and I were relatively seasoned large animal handlers, and it was basically a challenge to be able to perform this “simple” animal husbandry task at no cost to our friend. If we failed in our endeavor, she would just do what she had always done…called one of the two vets that Aleda and I worked for, and have them come out and tranquilize the animals in order to trim their feet. After about 3 hours of all out war with these animals…in the rain…the three of us had succeeded in trimming only the front feet, and at the cost of many scrapes and bruises. I cannot bring myself to consider it anything other than an battle won by the llamas, despite our being half successful. Fast forward a few years later, and I’m now a Large Animal Groom for the Ohio State Veterinary Hospital. One of the yearly traditions is to gather the rowdiest bunch of llamas from the OSU Farm, where they pretty much run around being rowdy (and not at all handled). These lucky animals are trailered into the Large Animal barn where they become “Llama Handling 101” for the Vet students. I never had the opportunity to actually see one of these classes, but I can extrapolate a very entertaining show based on the following experience: My coworker (Tricia) and I were transporting a heaping cart of supplies to ICU. Our path took us past the large stall where some 20 cranky llamas were being held for that day’s class. It should be mentioned that unencumbered people normally run like frightened children past this stall, mostly because the close quarters cause the llamas to be _very_ sensative to their proximity to other llams and therefor they start to spit first and ask questions later. As we pushed our sqeaking cart down the length of the barn, we were pretty much resigned to our fate of being pelted with llama spit. But then I saw my opportunity… Hanging from the nearby barn wall was one of the high pressure water hoses that we use to clean the stalls between patients. It has basically a gun-shaped nozzle with a trigger. Clint Eastwood theme music started to play in the back of my mind. Everything was in slow motion. I lunged for the nozzle and ducked behind the cart. Spit started to fly. I could hear it splat against the side of the cart with rapid thuds. With a war cry I popped up from behind the cart and unleashed my wet fury to provide cover for Tricia as she tried to push the cart while simultaneously cowering behind it. Casualties were experienced on both sides, but much of the potential carnage was avoided. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/19 "2003-04-27T18:15:12Z")
Re: Naming Llamas. How about [“Fernando”](http://us.imdb.com/Name?Lamas,+Fernando)? ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388/20 "2003-04-27T21:59:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DuhCow \* > \*\*okay…so llamas can be used for protecting sheep. but what about those people that don’t HAVE sheep? manget made a good point - there may not be a real reason people get them, but i still think they are bought for the novelty of it. wouldn’t YOU be impressed if someone said they had a pet llama? as for naming it lloyd…i don’t know, it just seems to predictable. \*\* I’ve got a friend who has a llama named “BJ” (I didn’t ask how he named it, I don’t really want to know.) He raises Shetland ponies (our firend does, not BJ) – the babies are about the size of cats when they’re first born. The llama screams, goes nuts, and will beat the living crap out of coyotes or foxes that make the mistake of getting into the paddock. If you’re new, he’ll march up to you, put his nose against your forehead and huff and puff (apparently it’s his way of sorting out your scent for future reference.) He is actually a great, goofy animal. Smarter than you’d think. And is kinda cool for a pet (even though BJ is pretty much a guard llama). BTW – Sniffs\_Markers has a private theory that llamas were produced when a very lonely osterich met a very lonely camel… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/llamas/171388.md?page=2)