How to Groom Llamas

It might sound silly, but llama grooming is very important, particularly for individuals who want to show their llama companions off. It can also be a great way to bond with your llama. Here are some tips on how to groom llamas.

Instructions

    • 1

      Keep your llamas healthy. No amount of grooming can help an unhealthy llama shine. Feed your llamas a nutritious diet and provide them with proper care. This “grooming from the inside” will go a long way toward having llamas that look great on the outside.

    • 2

      Treat your llamas with love and compassion. These magnificent creatures will reward you with llama love in return, and will be more likely to cooperate when it's time to groom them. Give the llama frequent breaks if grooming seems stressful.

    • 3

      Pay attention to what type of fiber your llama has. If your llama has locks of suri fiber, you do not want to use a brush that will disturb the locks; however, you can be a bit more flexible with a silky type of fiber.

    • 4

      Pull out any large debris from the llama’s fur. Depending on the debris, you can use a pick, a wand or your hands to do this.

    • 5

      Give the llama a good blowout. Take a blower and blow just the surface of the fur in the direction that the fibers run to remove any additional small debris as well as dirt and dust. Once the fur is visibly clean, add a professional grooming product and blow a second time. Many llamas love a good blowout.

    • 6

      Prepare to bathe. If your llama has suri fiber, you will have to separate each lock one at a time. This can take quite a while. If the fur is matted, plan to spend significant time removing mats. Consider spreading the grooming process over the course of a few days. For other types of fur, brush the llama thoroughly.

    • 7

      Bathe the llama. Use a high quality shampoo followed with a high quality conditioner, making sure the products are appropriate for the type of fiber the llama has.

    • 8

      Hand-groom your llama. Squeeze out any excess water and then straighten the locks or fur with your fingers or an appropriate grooming tool. Then let the llama dry, making sure to place it in a place where getting dirty again is unlikely.

    • 9

      Consider a leave-in treatment. If you would like to keep your llama's hair looking soft and shiny, use a leave-in conditioner. If you really want your llama to shine, use a finishing spray or add a grooming ointment to the face.