# Shearing llamas



## steff bugielski (Nov 10, 2003)

OK I realize this should have been done in May but it is now the end of August. We will start to have nights around 40 degrees soon. They have not been sheared for about two years.

I board them here so they are not mine. The owners have a summer camp and promised to shear, in front of the kids, this summer. They did not.

At this point I feel I should leave the coat alone as it will not have time to grow.

These are not friendly and i would need at least three other people knowledgeable about large animals to help. 

I own clippers but have never used them.

The owners have contacted a number of people to shear but none are willing to come out this time of year and not for unfriendly llamas.
Please advise.


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

I would certainly not advise you to try to do it alone. I have shorn llama's before that had not been done in a while. It's not an easy job. On top of that, I had to rig a sort of squeeze gate for them since they were not the friendliest either. You could catch and lead them, but they would kick and spit once they were tied. If you want to help or observe once the owners have the needed team in place, that would be ok. I've known vets to give light sedatives on the meaner ones to help with shearing. However, this would have to be decided by the owners and their vet.

The other concern I have is that if you decided to gather the team and do it yourself, if one of the llamas was injured that the owners might come after you for compensation.


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## carellama (Nov 12, 2007)

I would not shear them now but in the spring use a sedative that you can get from your vet. 4cc Torbugesic to 1cc rompum(spelling) Dosage is 1 cc per 100 lb of body weight. It will relax them but not put them to sleep. I use this for any problem child to shear. It keeps the people safe and the animal from being stressed. I have found this better than any constraining. This way the animal will only remember happy thoughts from the sedative not the constrainment that would have to be done.


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## steff bugielski (Nov 10, 2003)

Thanks. Now I have some time to get the team together


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