Deutsch
EnglishNew World Camelids
Llamas & Alpacas
Llamas and alpacas are the humpless camels of South America—alert, quick to learn, gentle and curious.
Facts
Fascinating Animals
Llamas and alpacas belong to the New World camelid family and share common ancestors with the Bactrian camel and dromedary. Spend a little time with these animals and you’ll soon see how alert and quick to learn they are—and just how captivating they can be.
With their calm, friendly nature, llamas have a soothing, balancing effect, which is why they are also used in animal-assisted therapy. In Europe, they are mainly kept as hobby and leisure animals.
Keeping
Hardy & easy to care for
Llamas have modest needs when it comes to keeping and care. In their native Andes, they live at altitudes of up to 5,000 m, so our climate poses no problem for them. They have a life expectancy of 20 to 25 years.
- Never keep them alone—always keep at least two, as llamas are highly social animals
- Keep multiple males together only in an all-male group
- Always provide free access to hay, water and minerals; feed concentrates sparingly
- Year-round pasture access and shelter (at least 4 m² for two animals, with a height of 2.20 m)
- Around 1,000 m² for two animals, plus around 100 m² for each additional animal
- A fence at least 1.60 m high is considered escape-proof
Care
Little effort, lots of joy
Llamas use communal dung piles, making mucking out much easier. They enjoy sand baths, and in summer they welcome a shallow pond or stream.
As soft-footed animals, llamas walk on cushioned soles, are sure-footed and protect the grass cover—which is why they are also used in landscape management. Their toenails should be trimmed regularly, and depending on their fleece type, they should be shorn every one to two years.
Contact
We look forward to welcoming you
Familie Gerhard & Katy Griesser · Niederthai 65 · A-6441 Umhausen
Tel. +43 5255 5932 · Mobile +43 664 225 48 26 · info@urlaub-oetztal.at