Instructions
Be present when the baby llamas, called crias, are born, if possible. Head off any obvious problems with the cria, such as abandonment by the mother or a birth defect.
Make sure the cria can stand up within one hour of birth. Look for defects if the cria is unable to stand.
Watch the mother and cria to make sure they interact well, including nursing on the day of the birth. Milk the mother llama if the baby doesn't nurse in the first six hours of life. Feed the cria the milk from a bottle. Allow the mother to do most other tasks related to raising the baby.
Make sure that the cria is growing properly. Supplement the baby's meals with milk from a cow or a goat if the mother's milk is not sufficient to make the baby gain weight. Supplement also if the mother nurses the cria for less than 4 months.
Separate the male crias from the rest of the herd once they reach the breeding age of 8 months. Wait until a male is 2 years old before breeding him.
Have male llamas gelded if you aren't raising them to breed.
Consider having a male's fangs removed to prevent their injuring other males during a competition for mates. Remove them again if they grow back.
How to Raise Llamas
While llamas have been popular in South America for centuries, they have been largely unknown during that time elsewhere. Llamas are becoming increasingly popular in North America as pets, breeding stock and as beasts of burden. Llama farms raise large herds; and small-time owners keep them as exotic pets. Many farms are raising these animals for their fur, also called fiber. Read on to learn more.