Has anybody ever backpacked with a llama?

I'll second the bit about dogs.I was hiking with my lad and his cousins once and we went through a field of sheep that had a couple of llamas in to protect them.They went crazy when they saw my dog and chased her right around the field,my dog bowled three other hikers out of the way to get over a stile before the llamas caught her.This was the first time my nephews had been hiking and one was so scared he was crying.......I found it funny afterwards but not at the time !!!!!!!!!
 
So I guess the concensus is that my Llama is gona kick the s**t out of everything we come across.freekin sweet!!
I guess I named him right then when I named him Tommy after Tommy Vercetti from GTA vice city.They sorta look alike.
 
savagesicslayer said:
So I guess the concensus is that my Llama is gona kick the s**t out of everything we come across...
Click to expand...

Reading to them helps alleviate their aggression towards other animals. They prefer the Book of Llamantations, written by the prophet Jeremiah. It's in the Old Testament of the Bible, between Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
 
About 20 years ago I used llamas when I worked for the USFS. I spent 12 weeks straight in the Payette and Nez Perce National Forests in Idaho. The first six weeks I humped everything in a backpack, the second six weeks we moved to a new ranger station and used llamas.

They carried approx. 75 pounds apiece. You don't need to be an experienced animal handler to pack them or control them. I had about 1/2 hour training and that was it. Unlike horses/mules, you don't need to pack food for them. They are browsers, not grazers. In other words, just like goats, they will eat dead leaves, bark, etc. No need to reach a meadow for grazing each day. If you carry a little grain that will just make them happy. Dominance matters with them. Not that you have to be very dominant, but if you upset their pecking order amongst themselves you can set off a spitting fight amongst them. If you bring grain, feed the dominant one first and let the dominant one lead on the trail. If you can't figure it out, they will figure it out for you.

Not much else to tell. They are pretty simple to use.
 
Has anybody ever backpacked with a llama?
I only got about 10 yards, he was too darn heavy to carry any further.
Made him walk on his own the rest of the way, he b*tched and moaned the whole time about how the rocks hurt his feet, and he spit a lot.

Actually I think they are tops for pack animals in rough mountainous terrain.
They can go places even human feet have trouble with.

More and more people are raising them here in Maryland, and if bred correctly and trained correctly, they are not difficult to deal with.

signed,

Al Pakka
:)
 
We have over a dozen llama breeders in our county. They report large loses to dogs -- killed and severely injured.

The closest place in about 3 miles away. The owners have three Old English Sheep Dogs to protect their flock since they lost four in one night to two dogs.

Chuck Norris has apparently failed to train these critters.
 
SkunkWerx, you should try an alpaca; they are considerably smaller and lighter than "normal" llamas.

Llama are kind of neat, but my wife had a bad experience with one at a petting zoo when she was small ("spit" all over her... "spit" being euphemism for vomit), so she doesn't get near them now. I see them in fields around here, and I suppose they're being used as guard llamas.
 
DRM said:
They are a high-maintenance animal. You’ll need the following:

Llama-nade – that’s all they will drink.

If you need to transport them, they’ll only ride in a stretch llama-sine, or on the back of a Llama-ha motorcycle.

They are not morning animals – make sure you pack an allama clock to awaken them.

They perform best when you’re vacationing in the Ballama Islands.​
Click to expand...

Wow! A good freind of mine went camping in the Andes and had almost the same comments. He also llamented their choice in music - Time-Life's Timeless Cantatas for Llamas with Lyrics which they insist on playing repeatedly.......



:D
J
 
Oh man...this means that I'll only be able to cary my Fallkniven knives while backpacking with my llama.Why? Because they're Llamaanated VG 10.
 
Lladies and gentlemen, it is llamentable the direction this thread has gone, in spite of the llevity it has lleveled. I have studiouslly avoided posting in it for this very reason. That and my llack of experience with llamas. And llack of vocabullary containing a certain syllable. Llest we forget, llamas were the llegitimate reason for the post in the first place. Llately, the posting has turned, and I am lleary of where it is lleading. I did llearn about llama spit with my friend Llary back in the llate 1960's when he lleaned toward one at the zoo and spit a peanut at it. It wasn't the brightest thing Llarry ever did. But it was hillarious. I coulldn't stop llaughing at him!

Codger :D

PS- Llama guard hair is waterproof and makes really good dry fllies for trout fishing!
 
You're welcome SSS. By the way, is it true that in Australia, they use pack marsupallamas?

Codger
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top