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Name This Animal

Not A Llama But What?

11 years ago

I spotted this animal at Wildlife World near Phoenix. Pretty sure it's a camelid of some sort, but doesn't match my ideas of a llama. Unfortunately, it doesn't closely match my notions of an alpaca, guanaco, or vicuna either. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

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Comments (8)

User
11 years ago
Very dirty llama or alpaca ... if you washed it and fluff-dried it it would look like the cute fluffy ones.

Alpacas are a lot smaller than alpacas - sheep-sized things.
gvgoebel
Original Author
11 years ago
I was thinking it was a longhair alpaca, as opposed to a wooly alpaca -- but their hair is longer. Possibly this one was shorn and was growing back out. It doesn't look much like a llama to me.
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I no longer raise llamas and I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than me will chime in and offer better advice but - llamas work best when kept in groups of other llamas. Sometimes they bond with sheep or goats but sometimes they don't. Some of them are friendly with humans while others tend to stay outside of arm's reach. This is an animal that as adults it doesn't ever touch another llama unless it has to. They aren't into the mutual grooming stuff like horses or goats, they are more like sheep in that they stand a few feet away from each other most of the time. They are so cuddly looking that a lot of people snuggle them (easy to do with young llamas). Then they keep encouraging the llama to "show me love" as it grows up. This can lead to big problems when it hits full adult size and sees you as an equal or potential mate (!). They solve social problems with other llamas with a lot of chest butting and face spitting (which should really be called vomit since that is what it is!). Tame them down too much and they will do all of these nasty things with you too. Then they're deemed a corrupted animal, a problem, a danger... none of this would happen if people would simply keep herd animals in herds with the same type of animal. Unfortunately there are plenty of single llamas out there needing homes.
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zzackey
11 years ago
I think it's an alpaca. we went to an alpaca show a few years ago near here. They let us pet them. They are very shy. The fur was extremely dense and soft. They had alot of items for sale made out of their wool. Socks, sweaters, etc. Very expensive items. We thought of raising them, but they are very sensitive to infections and parasites. It was too complicated to be bothered.
gvgoebel
Original Author
11 years ago
Yeah, that's my best bet. There are, as best I can figure, wooly alpacas -- which are easy to spot, they look like a cross between a llama and a french poodle -- and longhair alpacas, which are relatively unusual.
mlundhvonleithner
11 years ago
a backtrian camal
chicky2a11
11 years ago
what a beautiful alpaca. -I always wnted one when kids wrre small cause they follow children like a dog would. But the breeder would not sell me just one. He claimed they are herding animals and a lone would die young they need to be in herd or paired up. my town would not allow me to get two.
padfoot4768
11 years ago
its an alpaca
lisaw2015 (ME)
11 years ago
Yes, it's an Alpaca, they are considerably larger than sheep.

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