Llamas Are for Life Trivia Quiz

Answer: 15-25 years

Okay, fine, your llama isn't really for life, but she will live much longer than a cat or a dog, so you'd better get yourself acquainted with her. In the next 25 years, you'll have plenty of time to become the best of friends.

A few medical issues to look out for:
Your llama may be in danger of heat stress if she is obese or has a shaggy, untrimmed coat.
If her appetite is unusually low or high, she may have picked up some parasites from another animal's droppings; check her droppings.
If her appetite is low and she seems depressed, she may have an ulcer. Ulcers can kill your llama, so keep her away from stress. Llamas get stressed from overcrowding, heat, cold, and loneliness.

Answer: Grass and hay

Llamas do well with good-quality pasture and hay. An adult llama can last a few weeks on 100 pounds of hay, and good pasture can support about four llamas per acre. Rhododendrons and buttercups are actually poisonous to llamas, and can harm and in some cases even kill them. I imagine your llama may become obese rather quickly on a diet of foie gras and croissants.

Answer: Feed her treats out of a bucket while you hold it, then slowly transition to her feeding out of your hand

Once a llama feels comfortable eating out of your hand, you're on your way to total llama-trust.

Answer: In a three-sided pen with a roof

If it were a very cold night, a barn might be more appropriate. If it were a very hot night, she should just stay within the fencing. Your llama should always remain within the boundaries of a fence during the night to keep out unwanted visitors, and to prevent her from making a great escape.

Answer: Unlikely

Llamas only like to spit at other llamas, usually over food. If a llama spits at a person, it is probably because she has no other llamas around her, and thinks that you are a llama.

Answer: Yes

Shearing is very important for your llama's health; if not sheared regularly (at least once a year), a llama can die of heatstroke. It also helps your llama's hygiene.

Answer: Wash and brush her, then use shears or clippers

Before shearing, you should brush and wash your llama to make the process easier. This is also important if you plan on using the wool later. Llama fiber is great for hand-spinning: your llama can provide you with warm quilts and jackets if you know what you're doing!

Answer: Yearly

Your llama should see a veterinarian annually for vaccinations and deworming injections. If you live in a wet climate, it might be best to see a vet biannually for deworming injections.

Answer: Spaying her

If you are not an expert in llama breeding, it is much better to not breed your llama, and to prevent the possibility from ever occurring. There are too many llamas and not enough caretakers, and it is better to leave llama breeding to the experts who will assure that high-quality llamas make it to the market. Furthermore, a spayed female llama will not be tortured by hormones, will not be as temperamental, and may even become more confident and active.

As for the incorrect answers:
1) Daily shearing will make your llama quite cold.
2) Leaving a halter on for too long can cause ulcers and abscesses.
3) People over fifty pounds should never ride llamas, and children under fifty pounds need to use a pack saddle.

Answer: In order for your llama to be happy, she needs to be in the company of other llamas

Isn't that great news? You're morally obliged to obtain even more llamas! Male llamas tend to cost from $200 to $1000, and the cost of female llamas ranges from $500 to $3,500. I wish you luck building your llama empire.