living with animals
By savypat
@savypat (20216)
United States
May 12, 2012 1:19pm CST
For many of my friend who do not know, life has changed a great deal here on the ranch. My daughter has had major back surgury, they replaced a vertabra and my Hubby is showing his age, 77, he just can't do what he use to do. The work here is heavy and everlasting. But no matter what we still have 14 llamas who need to be sheared and have their feet clipped. This means I have to hire someone to do this
job. So I did and she comes next week, she shears by hand and in order to do this she tyes the animal to the fence with a couple of belly bands along with the usual halter. We have always sheared with electric clippers and put our animals in a
shoot which restricts their movement. This they are use to this and are really happy to get their heavy coats removed. I don't know how our animals are going to take to the belly straps, It may be a real fight and maybe even some flight araound here.
Maybe Hubby will get some pictures. More info next week.
1 person likes this
8 responses
@babystar1 (4233)
• United States
14 May 12
I sure hope your llamas do ok, We dont have llamas here where we live. We just have cows, chickens, pigs.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
12 May 12
That's too bad that you can't have the shearing done like they are used to. Animals don't generally like new experiences like that! I hope you'll be with them to comfort them and keep them calm.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160949)
• United States
14 May 12
I hope that they adapt well to this new method. I know it is hard to have things change, but they do. You are still doing what is good for the llamas and taking care of yourselves as well.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (223776)
• Chile
12 May 12
Hi friend,
Taking care of 14 llamas must be a full time and hard job. In my country there are places where they use llama wool to make sweaters. They are very warm and so is alpaca wool. But alpacas need more altitude, I think. When I went to Arica, in the north of Chile, I went on a day tour to the altiplano. There I saw llamas (first) then alpacas, then guanacos and finally the beatiful and shy vicuñas at 4.000 meters over sea level. It was an awesome experience.
@buenavida (9984)
• Sweden
17 May 12
That sounds interesting - we can only see llamas in the zoo..
I hope you post some pictures so that we can see how you do that shearing.
It would be nice to knit something from llama wool for winter.. 
I hope you post some pictures so that we can see how you do that shearing.
It would be nice to knit something from llama wool for winter.. @Lmfisher666 (820)
• United States
15 Jun 12
Sounds like a lot of work. I hope that things work out with the hired help. Can't you just tell them to do it your way, being that you are paying them?
