By Shari Templeton, Ridge Mist Llama & Alpaca Supplies
Perhaps the scariest and saddest
attitude or practice we encounter, on an all too regular basis, is that of
well-intentioned llama owners who believe they are properly fitting halters
when they are not and the common practice of ignoring overgrown nails. The
serious neglect of proper care for nails and noses is not reserved for the new
owners or those transferring their livestock practice from one breed to
another. Many long time llama owners and breeders fail to attend to these
incredibly important aspects of camelid life.
When to Halter Train
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Fitting a Halter
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Halters should
never be left on for extended periods of time. The only exception to this may be
while traveling, at a show, or at an event. In these cases, it may be in the
best interest to leave a halter on for the safety of the animal should there be
an accident or an escape where an animal would need to be moved quickly or
caught. At these times, it may also be necessary to give them a hair more than
the two to three finger rule of space to encourage them to relax enough to chew
their cud comfortably.
Nail Trimming
Nail needs vary tremendously from
animal to animal, and from farm to farm, depending on the individual animal's
nail growth rates and depending on the types of surfaces the animal typically
walks over. All too often, we have visited farms where nails are beginning to
curl under, impeding the entire process of picking up a llama's foot to work on
it because the owner lacks the knowledge of how to trim the nails. The clear
implication is that if the owner is a breeder, animals will be sold without
training the buyer in basic foot care and a new generation of neglect is begun!
We were
originally taught how to trim nails by a veterinarian from the Baltimore Zoo
while at a GALA conference years ago. The best advice we received was in how to
plant one human leg between the two llama legs (whether front or rear) while
facing the rear of the lama. This leg serves several purposes: it lets the llama
know who is in charge, it is less stressful to the llama due to the added
support of his/her body while on three legs, and it positions the owner closely
so that the foot is easily accessible. The front leg can be grasped comfortably
and folded so that the foot is face up. Nail clippers then lie on the pad of
the foot while clipper tips face the rear of the animal. First, snip off either
side of the nail, then snip off the tip in two to three swipes. Lastly, we snip
off a tad extra from the very tip. The finished nails should be even with the
pad. Don't panic at the sight of blood. The quick tends to grow downward and it
is not uncommon to catch a bit of the quick. If bleeding does not stop shortly,
more attention may be required. When trimming the rear legs, be sure to tuck
the leg (hock joint) strongly into your own body while firmly grasping the
lower portion (fetlock joint) for trimming; our animal will relax sooner with a
firm immobilization of his/her leg. Most animals have a preferred side; start
there.
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