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[phonyreal98]

Hey, do any of you guys know about buying a llama (or buying several, more than likely).

I've decided that after I get through school and get settled, that I want to have llamas.

Like, seriously.  Any special laws regarding llamas or do/have any of you guys had llamas before?

[Manexbi]

I don´t really know nothing about american law.
I have just fell interested with someone that want´s llamas at home...
I have been looking through the internet and find your town, Michael Jordan, James Taylor, Fred Brocks... are you sure that llamas match good with your hometown??? 

[HeRoze]

I googled -north carolina llama-
you would not be alone.
there are several farms and i'm sure you could get more info from them.  I would be surprised if you could keep them in city limits, but you never know. 

llama rescue in NC
Llama ppl in mars hill

They look like fun.  I bet they stink, though.  I didn't know there was such a thing as a Guard Llama.

[tbone62]

We never raised llamas when I was growing up, although we did have just about every other sort of animal on our farm.  My mom and stepfather even raised emus and ostriches for a while.  They are supposed to be fairly easy to raise, even-tempered, and good pets, from what I understand.  They have incredibly nice, soft fur and I love to pet them.  Some friends at church once upon a time raised them and I occasionally got to spend small amounts of time with the llamas when we had Blessing of the Pets ceremonies at church and events at the school and things like that.   

Yeah, I'd sure check into it and see what's involved.  I haven't heard many negative things about them.  Much better than ostriches and emus, I'm sure!  

[Dan Jaffe]

Ask TTF member Matt Rich. He has llamas. Maybe just one, don't remember.

[RedHotMama]

As with keeping a small horse or pony, I think you'd need quite a big paddock and some sort of shelter, and to provide supplementary feeding in the winter. Where do you think you will settle, Joey, and how would these guys fit into your work/music/hobbies/social life?

[HeRoze]

is it imprudent to have an indoor llama?

[RedHotMama]

Depends if you like your carpets! I'm not sure you can train herbivores to do it outside, can you?

[sly fox]

is it imprudent to have an indoor llama?

(my apologies to all, this is a joke, please treat it as such)

why not, I've seen photographs of the Dalai Lama inside buildings all the time.

 

(I'm in big trouble  again) 

[RedHotMama]

[Dennis K.]

Your county extension division (the agency that deals w/ farm & agriculture) will have all the specific answers you need.
Also get a coupla Alpacas.

[B0B]

Hey, do any of you guys know about buying a llama (or buying several, more than likely).

I've decided that after I get through school and get settled, that I want to have llamas.

Like, seriously.  Any special laws regarding llamas or do/have any of you guys had llamas before?

Good afternnoon,
Check out http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/

Most livestock laws refer to the area in which they can be raised and zoning. Out in the country, you're basically good to go. I actually worked with a guy whose family raised llamas out in Siler City.

Take care,
B0B

[Dave Tatro]

It's no wonder nobody ever believes me when I tell them about all the things I learn about on the trombone forum!

[gonzotheduck]

And, you could sing to it!


"Oh, well, Hello, Dalai!  Well, hello, Dalai..."

[jonathanmatos4]

Pacha: Where'd you come from, little guy?
Kuzco: No... touchy.
Pacha: Demon llama!
Kuzco: Demon llama? Where?
[Turns around and sees Misty, a real llama]
Misty: Maaah.
Kuzco: Aaah!

[evan51]

http://www.llama.org/

Hey Joey:

There are various trade and enthusiast websites you can visit. The above site is a good place to start and is loaded with information and additional links. There is a lot to learn about these guys, so take your time, visit some breeders if you can, and get the scoop on the characteristics of the different breeds in terms of temperament and physical traits.

We have many breeders and owners in our area. I'm not sure our heat and altitude make ideal conditions, but no doubt there are breeds that would do well in various climates.

Good luck! I hope you enjoy them.

[Matt Rich]

Jaffe tapped me in, so I'll chime.

Before I came off to college, I lived in NC, outside Winston-Salem, on a small "farm" with some goats, horses, cats, dogs, etc... (an parents, of course!).  Our vet moved his practice from a small building behind some other buildings behind some trees to a very open tract of land and set up some pastures in the front of the office for animals that were there - most interesting were the longhorn cattle that would show up every now and again. 

Now, my mom and I were driving past one day, and we looked at each other and said "you know what would look nice in those pastures?  Llamas."

A few weeks later, we had three llamas, two young ones and what was apparently the mother of one of them (bought from some farm out on the other side of Raleigh).  To make a long story short - from some indiscretion on our parts and the parts of the previous owners, within two years we had six llamas.  Curly (the mama), Fibo, Delight, Cooper, Wally, and Crocus.


In terms of special regulations, there aren't any in North Carolina, and I doubt there are really any anywhere.  Llamas aren't quite as exotic as they may have been 20 or 30 years ago.  There are some common-sense points to hold to, though - especially concerning enough space for them.  Obviously, it just isn't nice to your llama (or any larger livestock - horse, cattle, sheep, etc...) to keep them in a cramped paddock.  Have at least a few acres for them to roam around on (if you can find it, I'd  say at least an acre or two an animal).  Too many times I've passed cramped pastures with meager or no grass and multiple horses on.   Such a shame. 

And as for alpacas - better (=more expensive) fiber, but much more expensive animals.  If you're going the llama/alpaca farmer route for a living, investing in a breeding pair of alpacas would get you a lot farther than some llamas.  But if you're in it just for fun and to have some llamas (like we are)...  Well, they'll both spit at you if you tick them off!


Matt


Oh, another interesting tidbit about llamas that most people who don't have their own would know - llamas are very tidy animals.  They'll pick out a single spot in a pasture to use as their toilet, and stick with it.  And they're dung comes out in nicely packed pellets (just like large rabbits), so there's no unexpected surprises when you're tromping through the pasture.

-m

[BariTrom]

LLAMAS ARE AWESOME!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HbPDKHXWlLQ

[timothy42b]

 To make a long story short - from some indiscretion on our parts and the parts of the previous owners, within two years we had six llamas.  Curly (the mama), Fibo, Delight, Cooper, Wally, and Crocus.





Matt



-m

So, I assume you milked?  What was it like?