WHERE THE WOOLY THINGS ARE Mary’s Blog

Being the largest of that new herd, they become dominant and protective. This protective instinct really kicks in at lambing. The llamas will eat the same forage as the sheep do.

I was so excited about the adventure ahead and so unaccustomed to sleeping outside that I was up at dawn the second morning. After bundling myself against the cold, I washed my face in the stream, barely suppressing a howl of shock as the icy water hit my skin. The thought of subjecting my teeth to the same torture was too horrible to contemplate. I stayed warm by jogging around the meadow from Doeat.top Future challenges in animal diets llama to llama, whispering greetings as I went by, until Will Gavin emerged wild-haired from his tent muttering, ”Caffeine . Caffeine.” We gathered firewood, built a campfire and stared at the coffee pot in silence until the others joined us. Horses and burros wear deep trenches in hiking trails, but llamas walk on soft footpads that have little impact on fragile wilderness terrain.

We waited to eat a late lunch back at camp around 2pm, and spent the remainder of the afternoon relaxing or napping. Around 3pm, the winds picked up and thunder boomed in the distance. Llamas are social creatures and like to be near each other. So the guides made sure they had plenty of grass for grazing and a companion or two.

Hurray – we’ve finally found an animal that likes eating brambles! I’ve been told they eat anything spikey and just to prove it they munched and nibbled hawthorn in abundance when we went for a short llama trek. We had breakfast while the campsite was still in shadow and the sun was just lighting the top peaks pink.

Just dramatic storm clouds that obstructed the stars. Tomorrow we would be breaking camp and heading to our next destination at Eldorado Lake on this unique hiking adventure. We followed the guides at a leisurely pace, taking time to appreciate the views. Dave from Colorado Springs was often spotted on the ground photographing wildflowers up close or capturing low-angled views. We took advantage of the break in weather, collectively said goodnight and headed to our tents. I wondered how I would fall asleep so early, being the night owl that I am.

Llamas deprived of llama company tend to develop neuroses, severe depression, abnormal interests in other species, and even extreme aggression directed at humans. Llamas are happiest in a herd and need at least one other llama for their mental and emotional well-being. Llamas have six, sometimes eight, razor-sharp teeth that should be sawn-off or removed by a vet. Llamas are generally clean and low maintenance, but they do require some maintenance. Here’s a quick rundown of the general questions on how to groom a llama. These parasites can be treated with medicines approved and currently used to treat cattle and sheep.

BEST MOMENT Soaking up views of the Blue Ridge Mountain foothills from the hilltop behind the inn while hanging out with Stryker and Spunky, surely the most personable llamas you’ll ever meet. And, for the record, you do not ride a llama during a llama trek. You walk beside your furry partner and appreciate his company—and enthusiastic grass eating—while strolling along Buffalo Creek and navigating the hilly countryside. It was the coldest night of the trip, partly due to dampness from the rain.

Guides pointed out the peaks of Arrow and Vestal Mountains in the distance. Fellow hikers, Barb and Phil, sitting beside Highland Mary Lake were studying a flower book to help identify some species only seen in high tundra landscapes. Larkspur, Queen’s Crown, King’s Crown, Asters, Alpine Avens, yellow Sneeze Weed, Old Man of the Mountain, and Purple Elephant Heads were some of the wildflowers blooming in the tundra. This time when we came to another rocky area, the llamas glided up without hesitation.

We wound upward through sun-dappled pine forests and golden meadows toward the clearing the Gavins had targeted for our first night’s campsite. Each of us carried only a light daypack with a camera, sweater and small water bottle. The llamas that we led like oversized dogs on leashes each carried 80 pounds of camping gear, food and clothing.

Even though llamas can jump five bar gates from a standstill, they mostly respect barriers. Pastures need managing by using one half for grazing while the second recovers. So, even if you only have two llamas, they also need a minimum of one acre.

Use them to keep foxes and wild dogs at bay for our planned ducks which they are particularly good at and maybe, you never know, get some wool from their gorgeous, woolly coats. Indeed, I see myself in a natty llama capelet as styled by the casting on couch. That’s just one of the interesting facts we found out on our recent visit to National Forest Llamas treks.

The lady with her 4-wheel drive pick-up and a guard llama are doing well. She has not lost any of her flock to coyotes now that Meka is on the job. The pasture fence is along a major highway and he keeps his flock safely away from the fence. If a perceived threat approaches (stray dog, coyote, etc.), he will position himself between the intruder and his herd.

The Huacaya has very crimpy fiber, which gives them a woolly and round appearance. Both types come in a wide variety of natural colors – 22 different ones in fact – ranging from bright white to true black with all shades of brown and gray. That night, with nothing to do but sit in our tent, Jo and Jesse fell asleep early.

My trekking partner sniffed my hair when I met him. I guess I passed his test because he started the trek by my side. GETTING THERE From Washington, D.C., take Interstate 66 west to Interstate 81 south, where you’ll finally shake the suburban sprawl. The next 110 miles are a bucolic cruise past Shenandoah Valley ranches and dairies. In Lexington, join college students for a sandwich at Blue Sky Bakery, then drive almost seven miles south on Highway 11 to Buffalo Bend Road. But if you want to explore other places, Redwood Llamas has other guided trips in the San Juan Mountains from July to mid-September.

Here are some of the ways you can help your llama in winter, to ensure that they stay happy and healthy. Their ancestor and closest wild relative, the vicuña, is currently listed as Least Concern, although they were previously listed as Vulnerable due to over-hunting. Crossbreeding the vicuña and alpaca does produce fertile offspring that has a desirable, high-quality fiber, although this does not happen in nature.

I remember wondering how much colder it would feel camping at 12,600 feet as I drifted asleep. This had been my favorite part of the day, having ample time to take in the tranquil beauty all around—especially the glistening gem of a lake nestled in the flowering meadow. And this was just the beginning of an epic journey with our woolly pals.