Llama yes or no?

[Stacykins]

My aunt just sent this to me. She keeps llamas and alpacas, but this caught her attention, since I keep goats.

"Elderly man who has an 11 year old (more or less) female guard llama that he would like to rehome. He is single, lives alone, and is having health problems. The llama is currently in with his goats and he said she makes an excellent guard. He lives just west of Menomonie off of Highway 29. She is registered (he is looking for her papers) and he recalls her lineage is of Chilean descent."

What is your opinion? I personally am a bit wary because of the age, I'd hate to get attached and then have her pass due to age. How long do llamas live on average? I'd also need to get much more hay, since a llama eats more than my small goats. I can get hay, it just won't be cheap.

 

[Four Winds Ranch]

Personally, I think it wouldn't be worth it.
But, this is just my opinion, and I am sure all llamas are different!
I have tried putting one llama with my sheep, and they never really bonded. The llama was young but perfered to be on her own through out the entire 5 years I had her. Which resulted in absolutely no guarding even when the coyotes attacked she would be standing at the other end of the field watching.
A few years after I got rid of her, I was given 2 more female llamas (1 and 4 yr old) which were raised and lived with goats. I have had them for about 2 years now and I still don't have much for guarding activity going on! They keep to themselves unless it is feeding time.
I find that 1 llama eats about as much as a horse too, so if your hay is pricey I wouldn't go for it! Is up to you though! Lots of people swear by llamas! I have heard that llamas live into their twenties!

 

[goatboy1973]

I tried the donkey as a guardian animal and it was so noisy and was questionable as to whether it would guard any goats. I tried 2 different Pyrnees and could not keep them fenced in. They knew how to climb gates. Then I tried the llama. I traded a local breeder a couple of yearling Kiko does and a commercial Spanish buckling for an intact male llama about 3 yrs. old. I have had no probs out of him. He chased a yearling bull belonging to the neighbor who broke into the goat pasture until the poor bull nearly collapsed with exhaustion and finally found where he entered and ran for the hills. This llama is a beast and he eats the same food as the goats and the same hay so no special feed.

 

[nelson castro]

I have read that these creatures are intelligent animals that make outstanding pets and companions. They have their own individual personality and they are curious, gentle, cooperative, quiet, and patient. Also they are highly social animals and need the companionship of another llama or other grazing livestock.