Tips on llama shearing?

Dollys mama

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Summer has hit so I want to know what are the best shears to shear a llama with? This is my first summer with a llama, most places say that dog clippers and sheep shears are good for llamas. Also, whats the best way to set up your shearing area to make it easy to shear? I'd really like anyones help, oh, and do you have any other tips on shearing them?
 

elevan

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I second the chute! I'm gonna build one...after my first attempt at llama "shearing" using a pair of scissors and getting kicked in the calf muscle and kneed in the groin (good thing I'm a girl)!
 

Chirpy

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Having been involved with shearing llamas for many years I highly recommend Heinigers. They seem to hold up the longest and do the best job over the long haul.

Oster also makes good shearers; I've used them to -- in my opinion they are not as good as Heinigers but if you have just a few llamas they would work fine.

I've never used the Andis brand nor know of anyone that does but they are a well-known company and it sounds like ksalvagno likes them. Whatever you do chose... get a brand that someone has had personal experience with and be prepared to spend some money for a good clippers. Going cheap will frustrate you and your llamas - get the best you can afford to begin with.

Even with the calmest llamas - having a chute is a huge help. If you can make or afford the real deal -- get it. If you can't afford a 'real' chute you can possibly do what I've done in the past... use three horse panels. I make a "T" with one across the top and the other two forming the vertical part of the "T" and making the chute. I just tied them together with binder twine... it was a temporary chute and a little difficult to get the shears into between the bars (I actually used old panels and pulled a couple of the horizontal bars off to make it easier) but it was better than nothing for me. I would pull the ends of the two panels apart to lead the llama up to the top/cross panel. Tie her in with a quick release knot and then move the two side panels toward each other to 'hold' her in place - so to speak. I've had a couple of llamas that would kush or rear as soon as the clippers turned on so I tied saddle cinches over their shoulders and under the front of their bellys to keep them from doing those things.

The biggest concern with any animal in a chute is that if they freak... you need to be able to instantly release them so they don't break their neck or break a leg, etc. Thus why I always use a quick release knot whenever tying an animal to anything. With one pull of the end of the lead rope they are free. I used quick release knots on the saddle cinches also.
 

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