Regarding the Emotional Needs of Llamas

By Chela Grey, Stillpointe Sanctuary

Reprinted from LANA News, Issue 109, Winter 2010

Over the many years I have been blessed to work and live with llamas, it has become more and more obvious to me that these creatures have very real emotional lives and are capable of feelings and a certain reasoning power. For those of you who are already poo-pooing this line of thought, please read on. You may not agree, but you may learn a way to look at the animals in a different light. I’m not out to convince anyone that what I say is "right"; I am only putting forth some interesting observations that may lead to spirited discussion and good thought exercise… and just maybe, better treatment of all animals.

Here are some anecdotes that support my contention that llamas are feeling, caring, thinking animals who form true "families" with many of the hierarchical rules contained in human families: Recently, I placed two female llamas (a mother and daughter) as a team of sheep guards, believing from their behavior with their herd that they would be perfect for the task. The fact that I was quite mistaken about them being good candidates for guard duty is fodder for another article/discussion, so I'll stay with the emotional side of things for this one. Not even an hour after we had left them, I got a call from the new owners that the mother llama had jumped the fence and was running around the neighborhood, an approximately two-square mile area, with access to deep woods on two sides and several well-traveled roads in the vicinity. After an exhaustive three-hour search, culminating with a call from an observant neighbor and a slow "chase" ending in blackberry bushes, the llama lady was haltered and led back to her trailer, where her daughter was awaiting the trip back to their original home.

Upon returning to their herd, they were greeted by all the other herd members with the high pitched "keening" sound we often hear between moms and crias and among herd members who have been separated from one another for periods of time ranging from half an hour to weeks or months. A note about these two girls: they have been on the same farm from the time the mom was two years old and the daughter from the day she was born. The herd has remained almost completely intact, with only one animal being sold away and two dying.

Another anecdote involving this same pair and a friend of the daughter: one of the other females born on this farm suffered from megaesophagus and had to be euthanized. She and the daughter were best buddies, so when I took the ill girl to the hospital, I took her buddy along for companionship. The buddy stood right next to her friend, watching her every move and exchanging hums with her during the exams. When the x-rays showed beyond a doubt how far down this girl had come and the decision was made to let her go over the Rainbow Bridge, I took the two of them to a stall so that we could all have some time together. They seemed to communicate on a profound level, staying very close together and looking at one another. The vet came in and gave the initial tranquilizer; the companion girl watched this, and when the other girl relaxed and kushed, and I held her head in my lap, the companion gave one last sniff at her, turned her back and kushed right next to her back. She did not watch the vet do the final injection and did not look back when we left the stall. When we arrived back at their farm, it was quite dark. As we opened the trailer door, the mother came running out of the dark, making that same keening sound and was greeted in kind by her daughter. They ran off together into the dark pasture. No other llama came to meet us.

A final example: The task of picking up a young male llama from his birth farm, where he was with his mother and four other llamas, fell to me, as I had, for two years, managed the farm and knew the animals. The youngster (10 months old) was to be given to another farm. When we arrived, it was obvious that the mother and son were very attached to one another and were, in fact, being kept together in one small pasture. After haltering the mom, the son was haltered, and we led them both to the trailer. An aside—no one had handled the llamas since I had left approximately two years prior, and I was the only one who could halter them. The mom was actually glad to see me, as she had always been. We enticed the son into the trailer by putting mom in first (dirty trick); then removed her. As we drove away, mom was running up and down the fence humming and keening. The son was doing the same inside the trailer. When I went back to the farm approximately three months later to do toenails and shots on the mom and the other llamas, the mom all but attacked me. She spit, kicked and crowded me, refused to be haltered, and just generally raised a terrific fuss. She had never done that with me before and has not done it since. She was, in my opinion, very angry with me for taking her boy away. We have since made our peace, but our relationship is not the same.

Gaining an Insight into Alpaca Herd Activity

By Cathy Spalding

Historically, alpacas have never been a wild species. To date, no rogue herd of wild alpacas is known to exist anywhere in the world. It is thought that over the many years, alpaca behavior has adapted itself to a domesticated life with humans.

It is important to gain a basic understanding of the general dynamics of alpaca herd activity, as well as the dynamics specific to any one particular group of alpacas. This understanding can make it much easier to recognize the more subtle cues that may be cause for pause and further investigation. Without it, we have little to no solid foundation upon which to base an assessment. There are many generalities that could be noted as the more common behaviors in any random group of alpacas. There might also be behaviors specific to a particular group. Each group naturally consists of individual alpacas with individual personalities and traits. This unique, and often random, mix can also create behaviors that are specific to a particular herd or grouping.

Most alpacas are very herd oriented. They normally prefer the company of other alpacas as opposed to that of another species. In a mixed herd of suri and huacaya, it is not unusual to find the suri alpacas moving or sleeping together as a group and the huacaya alpacas together as a separate group. While they definitely do well together in a mixed group, it appears they may clearly see a difference. Social interaction is ongoing between individual alpacas and entire groups. Group security and support can even allow for a compromised alpaca to appear "normal."

A single herd or herd groups (as shown) have an intricate social structure. Alpacas have social as well as health and welfare needs. Through observation of body language and various behavioral cues, you may be able to note pieces of the social order in a particular herd. There may be specific family groups, ones who are good friends, some that do not get along well, leaders, followers, guards and even “baby sitters." Mothers teach their babies a great deal about appropriate alpaca behavior, as well as warn them of potential dangers-- including possible humans. Some mothers are very attentive and constantly keep track of their cria. Others are much more casual in their attention and care. The herd will take an active role in raising and disciplining young alpacas. Growing youngsters often receive a quick spit from elders as they learn boundaries and appropriate behavior. Sometimes specific family lines hold a higher or lower place in the herd.

Anytime dynamics in the social structure are changed, there is a period of adjustment and reorganization. Many alpacas will visibly mourn the death of a fellow alpaca and certainly that of their own offspring. Exchanging herd members through buying and selling can be stressful for a herd. It can create momentary difficulties and shifts. Is it possible we have just sold the guard in a particular group and another must step into that role? Have we sold another's close companion? A new alpaca coming into a herd will often struggle for a time as it tries to gain acceptance, make new friends and find its own place within this "new" herd social structure. While it would not seem possible to eliminate these disruptions, it is important to notice any obvious difficulties and to mitigate them where possible. There have been instances wherein a new addition to the herd is not readily accepted, resulting in ill health and even death.

Possibilities For Concern

To consider what may not be usual, we must first have a basic understanding of what is the ongoing norm within a particular group of alpacas. It is important to know the animals, both as a herd and as individuals. What are the usual groupings? Are some close pasture mates while others may not get along well? Are some at one feeding station and never at another? Is anyone a loner? What is the seeming social structure? Who seems to rule the pastures and who might seem to cling to that last rung? What is the usual activity for the alpaca holding those positions and what is the usual activity for those in that range in between?

With a general understanding of the dynamics within any specific herd or group of alpacas, it becomes much more obvious when something may require further investigation. Is one who is not normally a loner now off by himself? Is the herd queen suddenly seen to be weaker, receiving spit from much more neutral herd members and backing away? When moving the herd, is one who is normally out front or in the middle of the group now one of the stragglers? Is the entire herd up and about grazing in the morning sun while one remains kushed in a shelter? A more subtle question: Is the entire herd up grazing and only one is kushed right there amidst the grazing group?

This group of alpacas is grazing in the morning sun with only one member kushed. It is a gorgeous day and the herd has moved all together, out to the pasture. Seeing this positioning from a distance, it might be easy to assume this lone kushed alpaca is simply resting...enjoying the warmth of the sun. She is right there amidst the group. Though her neck is a bit forward and not as upright as would be the norm, she is kushed upright and her ears appear to be resting at half-mast. Might she just be enjoying a lazy summer morning?

In this instance, the strong behavioral cue that something may not he right is that she would be kushed at all when the remainder of the herd is up grazing. This cue is supported by the subtler cue that she is holding her head and neck more forward than the norm. Taking a closer look will help determine whether she is fine or whether there might be a potential problem. As a side note, I have received many calls and letters from alpaca owners around the world who have become aware and acted on this very cue. More often than not, they have discovered a problem. They have expressed sincere appreciation that notice of this specific behavioral cue made it possible to discover an issue in the earlier stages, thus potentially life saving.

Upon closer inspection, this little gal may not be well. Her head and neck are held farther forward than normal for the usual upright kushed position. Her body is somewhat hunched with her legs appearing uncomfortably hugged in beneath her. Notice the outline of her face. The lower lip is clearly pulled back, indicating a tensing of muscles in the face. While shadows make it difficult to tell in the photo, the obvious tensing of facial muscles, indicated by her lower lip, would have likely caused drooping of the eyelids.

An often-repeated phrase throughout the alpaca community is, “Alpacas are very stoic. It seems that by the time they truly show they are ill, they are really ill." As keen observers of alpaca behavior -- the subtle behavioral cues expressed as individuals, as well as in relationship to a herd group -- we add an important dimension to our skills as herd managers, handlers and trainers.

The behavioral cue of only one alpaca kushed while all the other herd members are grazing is quite subtle, yet very significant. Does what we observe or think we observe mean that it is? Perhaps. And then again, perhaps not. What is of serious importance is that we have noticed something and acted upon it. In addition to the notice of specific cues or indicators, it is important to consider the positioning and surrounding circumstances in which any cue is noted. Behavioral cues can mean different things with different animals at different times in combination with different accompanying cues.

About the Author

Cathy Spalding and her family live in Olympia, WA where they enjoy their herd of 18 llamas and alpacas. With over 20 years experience, Cathy has a wealth of expertise in camelid behavior and training. She has written numerous articles, produced publications including the camelid behavioral textbook on CD-ROM, "Llama Talk" and "Alpaca Talk."

Thinking the Way Animals Do

By Temple Grandin, Ph.D.From International Camelid Quarterly Volume 5, Number 4, December 2006

Unique insights from a person with a singular understanding.

As a person with autism, it is easy for me to understand how animals think because my thinking processes are like an animal's. Autism is a neurological disorder that some people are born with. Scientists who study autism believe that the disorder is caused by immature development of certain brain circuits, and over-development of other brain circuits. Autism is a complex disorder that ranges in severity from a mild form (such as mine), to a very serious handicap where the child never learns to talk. The movie Rain Man depicts a man with a fairly severe form of the disorder.

I have no language-based thoughts at all. My thoughts are in pictures, like videotapes in my mind. When I recall something from my memory, I see only pictures. I used to think everybody thought this way until I started talking to people on how they thought. I learned that there is a whole continuum of thinking styles, from totally visual thinkers like me to the totally verbal thinkers. Artists, engineers, and good animal trainers are often highly visual thinkers, and accountants, bankers, and people who trade in futures markets tend to be highly verbal thinkers with few pictures in their minds.

Most people use a combination of both verbal and visual skills. Several years ago, I devised a little test to find out what style of thinking people use: Access your memory on church steeples. Most people will see a picture of a generic "generalized" steeple. I only see specific steeples; there is no generalized one. Images of steeples flash through my mind like clicking quickly through a series of slides or pictures on a computer screen. On the other hand, highly verbal thinkers may "see" the words "church steeple" or will "see" just a simple stick-figure steeple.

A radio station person I talked to once said that she had no pictures at all in her mind. She thought in emotions and words. I have observed that highly verbal people in abstract professions, such as trading stocks or in sales, often have difficulty understanding animals. Since they only think in words, it is difficult for them to imagine that an animal can think. I have found that really good animal trainers will see more detailed steeple pictures. It is clear to me that visual thinking skills are essential to horse training, but often the visual thinkers do not have the ability to verbalize and explain to other people what they "see."

Associative Thinking

A horse trainer once said to me, "Animals don't think, they just make associations." I responded to that by saying "If making associations is not thinking, then I would have to conclude that I do not think." People with autism and animals both think by making visual associations. These associations are like snapshots of events and tend to be very specific. For example, a horse might fear bearded men when it sees one in the barn, but bearded men might be tolerated in a riding arena. In this situation, the horse may only fear bearded men in the barn because he may have had a bad past experience in the barn with a bearded man.

Animals also tend to make place-specific associations. This means that if a horse has bad prior experiences in a barn with skylights, he may fear all barns with skylights, but will be fine in barns with solid roofs. This is why it is so important that an animal's first association with something new is a good experience.

Years ago, a scientist named N. Miller found that if a rat was shocked the first time it entered a new passageway in a maze, it would never enter that passageway again. The same may be true for horses. For example, if a horse falls down in a trailer the first time he loads, he may fear all trailers. However, if he falls down in a two-horse, side-by-side trailer the 25th time he is loaded, he may make a more specific association. Instead of associating all trailers with a painful or frightening experience, he is more likely to fear side-by-side trailers, or fear a certain person associated with the "bad" trailer. He has learned from previous experience that trailers are safe, so he is unlikely to form a generalized trailer fear.

Fear Is the Main Emotion

Fear is the main emotion in autism, and it is also the main emotion in prey animals such as horses and cattle. Things that scare horses and cattle also scare children with autism. Any little thing that looks out of place, such as a piece of paper blowing in the wind, may cause fear. Objects that make sudden movements are the most fear provoking. In the wild, sudden movement is feared because predators make sudden movements.

Both animals and people with autism are also fearful of high-pitched noises. I still have problems with high-pitched noise. A back-up alarm on a garbage truck will cause my heart to race if it awakens me at night. The rumble of thunder has little effect. Prey species animals, such as cattle and horses, have sensitive ears, and loud noise may hurt their ears. When I was a child, the sound of the school bell ringing was like a dentist drill in my ear. A loudspeaker system at a horse show may possibly have a similar effect on horses.

People with autism have emotions, but they are simpler and more like the emotions of a vigilant prey species animal. Fear is the main emotion in a prey species animal because it motivates the animal to flee from predators. Neuroscientists have mapped the fear circuits in an animal’s brain. When an animal forms a fear memory, it is located in the amygdala, which is in the lower, primitive part of the brain. J.E. LeDoux and M. Davis have discovered that fear memories cannot be erased from the brain. This is why it is so important to prevent the formation of fear memories associated with riding, trailering, etc.

For a horse that has previously been fearful of trailers to overcome his fear, the higher brain centers in the cortex have to send a fear suppression signal to the amygdala. This is called the cortical over-ride, which is a signal that will block the fear memory, but does not delete it. If the animal becomes anxious, the old fear memory may pop back up because the cortex stops sending the fear suppression signal.

Fear-based behaviors are complex. Fear can cause a horse to flee or fight. For example, many times when a horse kicks or bites, it is due to fear instead of aggression. In a fear-provoking situation where a horse is prevented from flight, he learns to fight. Dog trainers have learned that punishing a fear-based behavior makes it worse. When a horse rears, kicks or misbehaves during training, it may make the trainer feel angry. The trainer may mistakenly think that the horse is angry. But the horse is much more likely to be scared. Therefore, it is important for the trainer to be calm. An angry trainer would be scary to the horse. There are some situations where a horse may be truly aggressive towards people, but rearing, kicking, running off, etc., during handling or riding is much more likely to be fear-based.

Effects of Genetics

In all animals, both genetic factors and experience determine how an individual will behave in a fear-provoking situation. Fearfulness is a stable characteristic of personality and temperament in animals. Animals with high-strung, nervous temperament are generally more fearful and form stronger fear memories than animals with calm, placid temperament. For example, research on pigs conducted by Ted Friend and his students at Texas A&M University showed that some pigs will habituate to a forced non-painful procedure and others will become more and more fearful.

Pigs were put in a tank where they had to swim for a short time. This task was initially frightening to all of the pigs and caused their adrenaline level to go up. Adrenaline is secreted in both people and animals when they are scared.

Over a series of swimming trials, some pigs habituated and were no longer scared, but others remained fearful throughout the trials. In the pigs that did not habituate, adrenaline stayed elevated, which showed the pigs were still afraid.

It is likely that horses would respond to different training methods in a similar manner. Horses with calm, placid dispositions are more likely to habituate to rough methods of handling and training compared to flighty, excitable animals. The high-strung, spirited horse may be ruined by rough training methods because he becomes so fearful that he fails to learn, or habituate.

On the other hand, an animal with a calm, non-reactive nervous system will probably habituate to a series of non-painful forced training procedures, whereas a flighty, high-strung, nervous animal may never habituate. Horses who are constantly swishing their tails when there are no flies present and have their heads up are usually fearful horses. In the wild, horses put their heads up to look for danger.

Effects of Novelty

As a creature of flight, how a horse reacts to novel or unusual situations or new places can be used to access his true temperament. French scientist Robert Dantzer found that sudden novelty shoved into an animal's face can be very stressful. A horse with a high-strung, fearful nature may be calm and well mannered when ridden at home. However, his true temperament has been masked because he feels relaxed and safe in a familiar environment. When he is confronted with the new sights and sounds at a horse show, he may blow up.

It is the more high-strung and fearful horses who have the most difficulty in novel situations. At the show there are many unusual sights and sounds, such as balloons and loud address systems, which are never seen or heard at home. An animal with a nervous temperament is calm when in a familiar environment - he has learned it is safe - but is more likely to panic when suddenly confronted with new things.

The paradoxical thing about novelty is that it can be extremely attractive to an animal when he can voluntarily approach it. A piece of paper lying in the pasture may be approached by a curious horse, but that same piece of paper lying on the riding trail may make the horse shy. People working with horses and other animals need to think more about how the animals perceive the situations we put them in.

The Relationship Between Training Methods and Temperament

Animals with a nervous, excitable temperament are more fearful than animals with a calm, placid temperament. Flighty, excitable, sensitive animals such as antelopes or Arabian horses are more fearful of new experiences than calm, placid animals such as Hereford cattle or Suffolk sheep. If an excitable animal is frightened during training, it is more likely to develop a fear memory, which can interfere with future training. An animal may become so afraid of something such as a trailer or a squeeze chute that it may be extremely difficult to train the animal to enter it willingly.

It is extremely important that an animal's first experience with something new, such as a horse trailer or a squeeze chute, be as pleasant as possible. A pleasant first experience will help prevent the formation of a fear memory. This is especially important with nervous, excitable animals.

Animals with a calm, placid temperament will habituate if they are repeatedly made to enter a NON-PAINFUL restraint device. Their cortisol (stress hormone) levels will decline after repeated trials of non-painful restraint.

However, the flighty, excitable animal may never habituate. It may become increasingly fearful and more stressed with successive trials. Fear is a very strong stressor.

Horses with a calm, placid temperament can be broken to ride by somewhat forceful methods where they are tied up and have rags and other objects placed on them. The calm, placid animal will habituate as long as no part of the procedure is painful. Animals with a calm temperament learn that what they are being asked to do does not hurt, and gradually get over their initial fear. Animals DO NOT habituate to painful procedures.

The same training method may ruin a sensitive, high-strung animal by causing permanent fear memories. Instead of habituating, the animal becomes increasingly more fearful. The situation becomes so scary for the animal, it can not overcome its fear.

In flighty, excitable animals, many problems that occur during training are due to fear. In calm, placid animals, fear can also interfere with training, but it is less likely to be the sole cause of a training problem.

All animals are fearful of novel situations. Recognizing fear, working calmly and persistently, and never allowing an animal to become so scared that it panics and hurts itself and/or others is the responsibility of everyone who trains animals on any level.

About the Author

Temple Grandin is an associate professor of animal science at Colorado State University. She is the author of the books Thinking in Pictures and Animals in Translation. Television appearances include 20/20, CBS This Morning, and 48 Hours. Dr. Grandin has autism, and her experiences have helped her to understand animal behavior. She teaches a course in livestock handling at the university and consults on the design of livestock handling facilities. Dr. Grandin does not accept e-mail correspondence but may be contacted via: CherylMiller@ColoState.edu. 

Reducing Animal Stress: Thinking the Way Animals Do

By Judith M. Powell, Farming, August 2006

The end of the growing season means that the time has arrived to move livestock from pasture to marketing. Animals that have enjoyed the freedom of self-sufficient grazing over a long, pleasant season are inclined to not respond easily to producers who face the task of moving them. Since they haven't been bothered by people much, livestock are not hep on the idea of getting pushed along into a corral or truck. Wanting as little stress as possible and a safe delivery to market destination, producers approach handling calmly and gently, yet the moving and loading often turns out to be not so fun for either party.

Dr. Temple Grandin, Colorado State Associate professor of animal science, specializes in animal thinking and in visualizing the way that animals do. Grandin suggests that there are simple things producers should do that will make a tremendous difference in the handling experience. Her insight comes from spending decades watching animal behavior and in dissecting the situations that humans put animals though. Her focus study over 30 years provides valuable payoff to producers interested in minimizing animal and human stress. She has achieved a true specialty in understanding how loading beef, pigs, sheep, goats, and horses respond to situations humans create.

Grandin urges producers to look for signals that their animals see by "taking an animal's view of the world." Take your blinders off, she challenges, and start to think sensory - based, like you're an animal. Start by paying careful attention to the little details that seem unimportant to the handler, but are so important to the animals.

"Vision is a dominant trait of all grazing animals," Grandin explains, and an important key to self-protection. Handlers should be watchful and be aware.

She advises producers to be thoughtful about when to work animals. Pick a day that is overcast and avoid the shadows caused by a sunny day, she says, and look for sharp differences in contrasting light and shadows. "Scan your setups. Don't expect animals to move into chutes or buildings with blasts of sunlight pouring into their eyes from gaps in sidewalls. If you have separations where sunlight gets in, cover them and get rid of them. Don't expect animals to walk from shadows into a doorway filled with bright sun. Don't load at sunset or early morning, and don't ask animals to look directly into the sun. Rather, work in the middle of the day. Position chutes so that cattle are headed toward a neutral light at the end - a door opened with quiet natural light the animals will head toward," she says. Working at night is also a good idea, Grandin suggests. When the lights are on, animals are attracted to the building when they see light at an end point, and they'll move in toward the light.

Grandin suggests that chutes be designed so that there is never a dead end. "An animal must be able to see a place ahead to go toward, and the handler needs to move them quietly through. Watch their eyes and ears. Calm animals point their eyes and ears at something that concerns them. You want ears pointed forward and not back and down. Flat-backed ears signal scared or aggressive animals," she warns. In explaining what she terms "the startle response," Grandin is clear in saying not to threaten or challenge. “Keep a safe distance and don't try to dominate by staring directly into their gaze. Turn your head away and give them a break."

"Horses and cattle have poor depth perception," Grandin explains. Give the leaders time to put their head down to examine what's in their path, like a puddle. "A reflection on the ground looks like a shadow, and a shadow looks like a hole in the ground, so let them take the time to look, especially the leader," she says.

Because cattle, pigs and sheep are herd animals, isolation of a single individual should be avoided, she suggests. "Allow the livestock to follow the leader and do not rush them. If they bunch up, handlers should concentrate on moving the leaders instead of pushing from the rear. Use animals’ natural behavior to exert influence over the group," she explains.

Pay attention to what is around your chutes and buildings when you work the animals, and don't load them on gusty days. "Stuff blowing around is the worst distraction. Look around for things that move in the wind," she advises, like flags and flapping coats, and remove them. Don't move cattle near a highway where cars and trucks are going by, and keep the area quiet. "No dogs. And no bikes," she points out. "No bikes when you're loading. Did you ever wonder why your animals seem calm and trained at home, and then you take them to the fair and you can't do anything with them? Get them used to things they'll be faced with beforehand. Decorate the pasture with the stuff they'll see at the fair - balloons, loud music, people passing by, kids on bikes. Let them sniff and walk past this stuff when they're not confined and can flee, and have the kids ride by them on bikes," she says.

Grandin has designed livestock handling facilities across the nation and in Canada, Europe, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries. Her work appears in over 300 scientific journals and livestock periodicals. Her published research examines cattle temperament, environmental enrichment for pigs, reducing dark cutters and bruises in cattle, bull fertility, animal training procedures and effective stunning methods for cattle and pigs in meat plants. Her books include "Livestock Handling and Transport," "Genetics and the Behavior of Domestic Animals," and "Animals in Translation," a New York Times best seller. Grandin describes how she processes information and learns visually as a person with autism, in her book "Thinking in Pictures." "When I put myself in a cow's place, I really have to be that cow and not a person in a cow costume," she writes. "A great deal of my success in working with animals comes from the simple fact that I see all kinds of connections between their behaviors and certain autistic behaviors. Being autistic has helped me to understand how they feel."

Excerpts from her research, as well as handling tips and chute and facility designs, are available at her web site, http://www.grandin.com/.

Camelidynamics, Computers and Camelids

By Marty McGee Bennett
Reprinted from the Llama Living Newsletter, December 2008

Like it or not, I spend as much or more of my time at a computer these days as I do working with camelids. Based on many conversations, I believe I am not alone. Computers are a fact of life, or vocabulary is peppered with new words that didn't exist even twenty years ago. People often come to camelids from disparate walks of life, many with no previous livestock experience, but with a wealth of life experience – much of it on the computer. In my work, teaching, training, and handling techniques, I often think in and use metaphors and analogies as a way of helping people relate to the concepts I am teaching.

I began to think about how the problems and solutions we encounter on our computer screens hit the handling nail right on the head (metaphor intended)! Who hasn't been caught in "screen saver" mode with mouth hanging open and eyes a bit glazed? How many boomers are feeling like the sum total of their life experience is leaving their brain/hard drive a bit dull and in need of "defragging?"

While struggling with a computer issue the other day, I made the decision that I was not going to fix the problem and could live with a "work around." Later that day, I was having lunch with a friend and alpaca breeder. We were discussing a male alpaca she owns — we will call him "Oscar." Oscar has been to several sessions of Camelidynamics Camelid Camp. Camelids come to camp for four days with their name clearly marked on their undies and their favorite snack. The human students work with the assembled animals and amazing transformations take place with both four and two-legged. The last day is "parent's day" and the owners arrive in the afternoon to pick up their animals, learn about what we have been working on, and how to continue where we leave off.

While Oscar has made progress in many areas, his basic issue of extreme halter resistance persists. It occurred to me that a "work around" was not only practical, but also the best and safest course of action. Tackling a problem like this head on (pun intended) with repetition is akin to picking a scab or, to use the computer metaphor, is just exactly like the endless loops we find ourselves in when the same warning window appears each time we execute the same set of commands. It is no more logical to assume that an animal will magically change with rote repetition than to think that a computer will fix itself just because we are frustrated and want it to. Just as with a computer, if you don't like what you get when you hit a key, don't keep hitting that key.

The more we humans insist on getting a halter on by wrestling and fighting, the more we unwittingly teach the alpaca to resist more effectively. Oscar is an animal that is determined that he will not wear a halter unless he has no other choice. He is a big male, is very strong and agile, and is extremely frightened. My guess is that he is a victim of a particularly unpleasant early haltering experience — perhaps innocently forced into a halter that didn't fit with a disastrous first leading experience or tied. A young animal in a halter that doesn't fit, that panics on a lead, is tied to a static object, or can easily pull the halter off of the nose bone. In this case, the halter can compress the cartilage and partially or fully block the airway. When animals can't breathe, they panic and struggle, ironically needing even more of what they can't get – AIR. When this happens accidentally, it is unfortunate, however the deliberate training practice of haltering weanling alpacas or llamas and tying them to a fence to let them "sort it out" is not a safe training shortcut in my opinion. The downside risk is creating what I call a "drowning victim."

Drowning victims are petrified of "THE HALTER" and will hurt themselves and anyone that tries to make them wear one and, just like Oscar, they are often very reasonable with other aspects of management. Once haltered, Oscar is a dream to lead, easy to trim toenails and, surprisingly, once in balance, he will accept touch all over his face, nose, and mouth. Issues that involve haltering or surprise movements around his head will cause this fellow to react suddenly and violently and he has connected more than once with the head of a person working with him.

We can't simply decide to never touch this animal again — it is time to accept a work around! (options below)

• To put a halter on and leave it on. In some cases, the best way to do this may be with a sedative. Once haltered, we must periodically check the safety and comfort of the halter and make sure that the pasture is as safe as it can be...no hooks or wires left sticking out, etc. This is not a perfect solution, but it is a good option for an animal that must be shown or transported and a halter is not optional.
• Use a different way of managing that doesn't involve a halter. As it turns out, this is a perfectly fine solution for Oscar.

I firmly believe that this and many issues can benefit from a "work around." For example, when alpacas or llamas become absolutely unreasonable and determined that they will not allow a human to touch their legs, I teach people to trim toenails while the animal is standing on them. Simply use the nippers to trim off the overgrown part of the toenail without picking the foot up at all. Trimming toenails on the ground is a compromise to be sure, but a perfectly fine "work around" and a perfectly acceptable alternative to a knock down drag out fight.

Using a sedative when doing things that animals cannot tolerate without high levels of restraint is another "work around" that is absolutely reasonable and can be far safer in the long run. In order for a camelid to let go of "looped behaviors" we must figure out a way to get the job done without doing things that reinforce the behaviors we wish to eliminate.

In the case of Oscar (and many more drowning victims that I have had the opportunity to work with), he is easy to lead and very cooperative. My suggestion for this fellow is to manage him using containment. Oscar can be led using a long lead rope attached to a collar placed as high on his neck as possible. This provides a reasonable amount of leverage and control. He can also be wormed, receive injections, and be shorn without using a halter. If he is to be used for breeding, the female can be brought to him or the owners can use a laneway to herd him to a neutral breeding pen or use a combination of a lead rope attached to the top of the neck, offering a reasonable amount of leverage and laneways to get him where he needs to go.

There are other computer metaphors that can help us understand our decidedly animate companions.

SYSTEM FREEZES: Ask an animal for too much too soon or to do too many things at one time, and we overload the system (think high strung weanling at a huge show) and it freezes. It is more efficient and safer to do periodic maintenance and ask for less… but when the system freezes there is nothing to be done but shut down and begin again.

Backing up to much easier tasks with an animal can help to re-boot. When working with animals that are very resistant to having their toenails trimmed, I will often ask the animal to pick up and IMMEDIATELY put the foot down. I repeat this 15-20 times per foot before asking the animal to allow me to hold the foot up for even a second or two. Repetition of this SUCCESSFUL behavior will build lost confidence in the handler and reboot the behavior.

FIXES: When attempting to diagnose a problem, it may be better to address one thing at a time instead of the more scattershot approach we often take to problem solving. Trying too many files at the same time may result in a system crash or if you do manage to fix the problem, you won't know which fix or combination of fixes did the trick.

USER ERROR: Computer problems are just about always a result of user error, but we humans love to swear at and blame the machine. The same thing is true of our relationship with our animals… handler error is the cause of 99.9% of the difficulties we have with our wooly buddies and, just like a computer, animals don't lose any sleep over our decision that isn't their fault! The sooner we realize that we bear the responsibility, the sooner we can set about figuring out the solution.

GARBAGE IN / GARBAGE OUT: As wonderful as a computer is, the quality of the output is only as good as the input. Handle your animals well and you train them to do good things, handle your animals badly and you train them to do bad things. Using methods that are unkind and disrespectful seldom result in a truly good solution.

INCOMPATIBILITY: Load a Mac program on a PC or try to use a program that is too big for the capacity of the RAM, and incompatibility becomes a problem. Some animals and some owners are just not a good fit and there is no shame in making that decision. One person's bane can be another's blessing. Some animals do better in a large herd, others in a small herd. Some camelids are not cut out for the show ring regardless of how lovely they look. Some males are too aggressive to live in company, while others are too easy going to be good breeders. Some females are not good mothers. Some animals are not appropriate for new owners. Recognizing and then accepting that you have an incompatibility issue can give you peace of mind.

That just about exhausts my list of computer comparisons. I think I will say so long, happy handling, and go outside on this beautiful day to spend some quality time with my llamas and alpacas!

Did you read the Camelid Companion and think, "Finally, THIS is how I want to handle my llamas or alpacas!" Did you come to a clinic and get really excited about the techniques, but then lose touch with the ideas and your commitment to them after you got home? Have you had problems with an animal and wanted the counsel from someone that understands the way YOU want to do things? Do you want to learn more about kind, efficient, respectful, and fun handling? Do you want to teach others the Camelidynamics approach? Consider the Camelidynamics Guild! For more information about Marty McGee Bennett and Camelidynamics visit www.camelidynamics.com.

When to Hold 'Em and When Best to Fold 'Em

By Cathy Spalding, Lamalink, August 2008

Fig. 1

Spitting would seem to be among the higher levels of aggression exhibited within the normal alpaca and llama behavioral range. Humans often misunderstand or altogether miss the behaviors leading up to a true stomach contents spit. An alpaca or llama can easily manipulate our human fear of receiving spit by simply snapping ears back and very slightly raising the nose. "Oh no...they are going to spit!" As if by magnetic repulsion, we move hack hoping for the moment to pass.

Spit is not something to be given – nor received – lightly. It is serious business. The alpaca or llama who would spit does not seem to enjoy the doing of it any more than those who would be on the receiving end. Animals not directly involved in the exchange will tend to avoid anything with spit on it, and some might even hang their own lower lip. It is as nasty to the alpacas and llamas as it appears to be for humans.

After a good stomach contents spit, alpacas or llamas will open their mouths to "air out." This stance is commonly called "bad mouthing." They appear miserable with bits of greenish stomach contents dripping from their mouth. The lower lip hangs loosely at half-mast. Nostrils can flare and there may be mouth and/or irregular breathing. While the lower lip hangs limply downward, the eyes may appear somewhat dull and distant, showing some disconnect with their surroundings. There are often signs of tension and tightening in the facial muscles with a skin wrinkle appearing directly below the eye. In this offensive and rather disgusting state, they are normally left quite to themselves by the rest of the herd.

It is not unusual to see an alpaca or llama that has just hurled a good stomach contents spit wander about his environment looking for anything that might help rid his mouth of this disdainful mess. In search of a "breath mint," he may chew on the bark of a tree or wooden fence rail, leaves, sticks, or head directly for any available fir bow. Some have even been seen picking up and mouthing rocks. In this state, it is not typical that they will seek out their usual hay or grain or even drink water.

There are different levels of spit. Alpacas and llamas may spit out a large volume of air complete with saliva. Spit may be composed of whatever was in the mouth at the time of the incident such as grass, hay, grain or cud. These spits can be somewhat spontaneous in the midst of an argument or in the form of making a statement. These spits will also happen with little to no warning.

The highest level of spit aggression--serious and vile--is the stomach contents spit. The contents of this spit are actually called up from the stomach. Alpacas and llamas normally go through a series of behavioral warnings prior to actually spitting stomach contents. Truth be, they would hope to avoid giving this type of spit as much as any recipient would hope to avoid receiving it. The ears snap back, the nose rises and if the "offender" does not respond appropriately, the nose goes higher and the ears move to the pinned position. If the "offender" still does not respond appropriately, you will see a significant lump travel upward along the neck. Sometimes that goopy lump is halted and held in the mouth for just one more warning. Often, however, it is not halted and the lump is forcefully spewed forth in the direction of the "offender."

Alpacas and llamas are unable to retrieve and spit fresh stomach contents in one continuous action unless the nose is raised high, which in turn, allows the ears to be pinned back (cued) nearly in line with the neck. This physical posturing effectively diminishes any dramatic curves--particularly at the throat--thus facilitating a fairly straight path from the stomach, up the esophagus and out the mouth. Thinking of this physical positioning in human terms, if we were about to regurgitate and did not stretch out our neck, what would happen?

Fig. 2

The photo above (Fig. 1) captures just how miserable an alpaca can feel immediately following a stomach contents spit. Llamas feel just as miserable. The lower lip is drooping, the ears can hang at half-mast and the nostrils are somewhat flared. Notice the look in the eye and the sagging eyelids. There is an appearance of disconnect to the surroundings as this alpaca seems to focus on how she is feeling at the moment.

In these two photos (Fig. 2), a male alpaca has chosen a leaf as a sort of "breath mint" after a stomach contents spit. In the first photo, he has just secured the leaf. He still looks miserable. His lower lip is drooping, his nostrils are flared, his ears hang at half-mast and his eyes are dulled with eyelids sagging. He appears a bit withdrawn and disconnected from his surroundings.

In the second photo of this same alpaca a short time later, notice that he is beginning to perk up. Still in recovery, he continues to hold the leaf in his mouth. However, he is feeling much better. His lower lip is beginning to return to a more proper positioning and his ears have come forward. His nostrils do not appear flared. His eyes and overall body stance now appear more interested and connected with his surroundings.

Fig. 3

We can learn a great deal by closely observing a potentially serious stomach contents spit situation with our animals.

The white alpaca (Fig. 3) is quite serious in her statements to the fawn alpaca. So serious, in fact, that she would appear just moments from backing it up with a hearty spit of stomach contents. Notice her body language and the combination of cues coming together for this expression of anger or upset. The neck is out-stretched, the nose is up, and the ears are nearly pinned. While not looking straight on at her opponent, she is looking more directly than the recipient. She is not quite yet lined up physically in a balanced body position for a good stomach contents spit. She is, however, surely warning that it is a definite possibility.

Notice the recipient of her aggression. She is well aware of the situation, but for the moment, has decided to lower her head and look away. Her eyes are drooped and she shows signs of muscle tension in her face. Her body is out of balance. Her combined behavioral stances come together to give her a softer and more subordinate look.

Fig. 4

Moments later, the situation has escalated (Fig. 4). The white alpaca has shifted herself to a near front on position and balanced herself squarely on all fours. She has brought her neck up, pinning her ears and straightening her esophagus. She has not yet spit, but is at the ready, needing only to perhaps lift her nose slightly higher. It would appear the recipient would still hope to avoid an all out confrontation. While moving closer into a defensive spit position by raising her nose, she remains off balance. In fact, she has not even moved her feet. While she has raised her nose, her neck remains lowered in a more submissive position and she does not make eye contact with her aggressor. Even so, she has escalated and lost some of her softer, more subordinate look. While certainly aware of the situation, the other alpacas are not getting involved.

It is interesting to consider the so often-heard advice: "Don't look them in the eye." Alpacas and llamas look at one another constantly. We look at them… they look back... nothing happens. In understanding alpaca and llama behavior, perhaps we can take our cue for the instance when it is likely not appropriate for us to look them in the eye. The recipient in this potential spit match is surely providing the cues for us. When an alpaca or llama is moving into a stomach contents spit posturing, it seems wise to soften our body, perhaps turn sideways to them and, in this particular instance, it seems clear... "Don't look them in the eye!”

Haltering the Untouched Llama

By Gary Kaufman, Roads End Llamas, Reprinted from the SELR Newsletter, Vol. 2 Issue 3, June 2008

One of the hardest processes I have to deal with is trying to define any given llama's spatial 'comfort zone' during any training session. If you have the ability to, create a large space, round, square, or any shape you can create fine. It's not the shape that's important at this time, just working within a space.

Time is your friend, and llama time and people time are not the same thing. The other thing that is surprisingly critical is that you keep breathing and BE CASUAL. These guys live and die by understanding the nature of body language, and anything that is interpreted as threatening will be. If you move around in your regular life briskly during tasks, keep that same pace when with him; if you are a 'slow mover' then move slow when you are with him during training. Be consistent.

So... llama is in big space with YOU in the center. Angled facing towards his head, just behind his ribcage off his flank and he should walk forward or angle away from where you are standing. Keep distance and don't chase, just 'move him out' with your body. Angled facing towards his head a bit but more off his front shoulders and with the right space between you and him, he should stop moving. Do it all slowly and from a reasonable distance. The minute he stops moving, start watching his feet, say a command ["AND STAND"] BEFORE he shifts his weight or moves a foot, then take a half step backwards, turn around and walk away. Remember the distance that was between the two of you, go get a cup of coffee and give him a very small amount of something he likes to eat in a bowl. Come back after your coffee, but BEFORE he starts stressing about being confined, and do it one more time. See if that space of his standing can shrink a bit. If it doesn't, oh well, if it does COOL. Walk away, feed him a bit more and call it a day, unless you think he is ready for more. Each time, shrink that space until you think you are close enough to touch him. When you can reach out and touch him, that is literally all you do; reach out touch him with a quick stroke and walk away. I wouldn't do it all in one day by any stretch of the imagination, but I've seen it done in under an hour with some pretty wild guys. At some point during the process, he will eventually turn into you when you turn your back and start walking away. That is a good sign. You are building a relationship of trust and leadership.

When you get to the point where he is willing to let you be within a 10 foot area, you could certainly shrink the space a bit and keep on going. The objective is to make him a willing partner in the process of being touched and handled. Then you deal with the halter.

Time, time, time and being consistent are going to be the allies in your partnership. I'm not sure I would even make this an everyday thing, but every time you have the opportunity to just "touch him" take it. You aren't trying to do any-thing. Just walk by, reach out and brush some part of his body without even stop-ping to breath.

It's hard to explain verbally, but if you ever watch horse training shows, you can apply this to that process. When you watch, listen or attend a Cathy Spalding clinic, John Mallon clinic, or Marty McGee-Bennett clinic, the single common thread you will find in all of them, although they all call it different stuff, is your positioning and placing yourself in a location of control of the space, AND using your body to assist the animal in understanding what you want him to do. That is decidedly different from what you DON'T want them to do. I suggest that you check out your local llama association. They have a lending library for members I assume, but will also probably be able to assist you with someone who is a member and might live nearby.

Basic Training From Nose to Toes!

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

On our own farm, halter training a young llama occurs in stages. First we fit them to a halter in the confines of a small area-- typically when they are three to five months old and while mom is eating her daily grain ration. We repeat this step three times in a week period. Each time the llama wears the halter for just 5 to 15 minutes, and no attempt is made to attach a lead. We believe llamas have the least difficultly in accepting a lead rope if they are walked with mom (and mom only) at an age in which they are still emotionally dependent on mom. Ideally, two handlers should be involved so that the cria has a personal trainer. The first walks consist of a trip around the lawn alongside the security of mom. Once the cria begins the social separation from mom, stage three begins. We will walk the cria/weanling with an older sibling or another cria/weanling now, exposing them to short stints slightly off the confines of the farm as they know it, e.g., a short walk on a road, into a nearby unfenced pasture, along a wooded trail.

Fitting a Halter

A well-fitting halter is vital to both the safety and comfort of your animal. Halters should be strong yet flexible so as not to cause abrasions on the nose, chin, or behind the cars. A properly fit halter (fig. 1) is one in which the noseband is high on the nose and somewhat close to the eyes without risking the movement into the eye if a quick pull occurs. Two to three fingers should fit comfortably between the chin of the animal and the bottom of the chinstrap... no more, no less. The headpiece should be high and just below the ears. It should not slide down the neck at all. Avoid the extremes: a halter that is too tight restricts the ruminant's ability to chew cud while a halter that is too loose is a disaster waiting to happen. A loose halter may slide down into the danger zone of a llama's nose, i.e., that area of the nose that is only supported by cartilage and not bone (fig. 2), resulting in llama panic and suffocation. If a training session is long or difficult, the fit of the halter should be checked periodically, as it is possible for adjustable halters to slip in a struggle.

While x-style halters may work for trained llamas, they should not be used while training a lama. Should the animal pull, the noseband tightens and could result in panic. During training, any tension felt in the halter should be felt on the back of the head (on the headpiece strap).

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.