Banana Ears

BANANA EARS

September 5, 2013

HOW CAN YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN LLAMAS AND ALPACAS?

 That’s easy. Just look at their ears!

While alpacas have cat-like ears...

Alpaca ears

...llamas have curved ears.

Llama ears

Some say that llama ears remind them of Viking horns...

Viking (Nordic) horns

...while others liken llama ears to the Hawaiian "Mahalo" sign:

Mahalo!

But the easiest way to discern whether you’re looking at 

a llama or an alpaca

is to find the banana-shaped ears:

  

Llamas have "banana ears."

And those bananas are constantly in motion. That’s because llamas “talk” with their ears. Animal behaviorists have yet to crack the code on exactly what llamas are saying to each other at all times, but a few ear positions are translatable. For example, perfectly formed banana ears reveal that the llama is content. Ears pointed forward mean that the llama is listening to what’s in front of him. Likewise, ears turned backward (yes, they can do that) mean that the llama is listening to sounds behind him. If the sound is particularly engaging, all the llamas in a pack will stand still and point their ears in the same direction. Llamas can also use their ears like individual radars, turning one ear forward and the other backward. Plus, they can turn their ears sideways, which looks hilarious.

Llamas can move their ears in many directions.

There is one llama ear position that you should pay special attention to: 

FLAT BACK

Take note of a llama with ears in this position!

When a llama flattens his ears against his neck, he’s about to spit! Please don’t take this personally, because spitting is meant for the nearest llama, who is likely encroaching on the first llama’s personal space or is attempting to take a treat away. (Llamas don’t like to share.) "Spit happens" in a millisecond, and whatever bits of hay and saliva are in the llama’s mouth or throat is spewed forward like a shower. 

This llama from Canada is giving spitting lessons.

If you ever find yourself standing in front of a llama with
flat-back ears and head raised, 

your best defense to avoid the spit is to 

DUCK!

Llamas aren't the only spitters in their family. Their distant cousin, the camel, has developed a reputation for spitting at people, and so have alpacas. Llamas generally spit the least overall, and rarely at people--unless provoked or in an environment they don't feel safe, such as a wildlife attraction with many other animals nearby, or an interactive zoo (llamas don't like to be touched).

Even though “spitty ears” are daunting, it's fascinating to watch llamas move their ears. It looks like a dance, with the ears flexing like a ballerina stretching upward, forward, sideways and backward. Look at ShangriLlama's owners flexing their "banana ears" in their Llama Pajama costumes!

Mama & Papa Llama Wear Their Llama Pajamas

The next time you encounter a pack of llamas, watch their ears. What do you think they're saying? I hope it's a compliment about you!

Happy Trails from Mama Llama!

Llama Sunglasses

LLAMA SUNGLASSES

September 4, 2013

LLAMAS LOVE TO LIE IN THE SUN, yet they are highly sun-sensitive. So they wear sunglasses—but not Ray-Bans or Oakleys. Llama sunglasses are built into their eyes!

Bahama Llama and Pajama Llama Take a Sunbath

Technically, llama sunglasses are called iridic granules, or corpora nigra. These look like black bubbles at the intersection of the pupil (the black part of the eye) and the iris (the colored part of the eye). When llamas need their sunglasses, the bubbles above the pupil interlock (interdigitate) vertically with the bubbles below the pupil—much like vertical blinds on a window. Llamas can then focus and accept light through two openings on either end of their pupils, while the center of their pupils is completely shaded to cut out glare and bright light.

Here’s what llama sunglasses look like magnified. Some liken the shape to a skeleton key, while others say they look like the edges of "Ruffles with Ridges” potato chips.

Just in case you’re planning on staring into the eyes of the next llama you meet, please know that you can’t see iridic granules in dark-eyed llamas—and most llamas have dark eyes. Actually, llama eye colors range from black to brown to amber to orange to gray, and finally to blue. It is the blue-eyed llama that offers the best viewing of iridic granules. Gaze into the gorgeous blue eyes of ShangriLlama’s own Dalai Llama, below:

Dalai Llama Shows Off His Iridic Granules

Dalai Llama’s two blue eyes are quite rare, because blue eyes are considered a flaw in llama shows. Think of dog shows, cat shows and horse shows, which require specific characteristics to determine grand champions. In the llama world, blue eyes automatically disqualify llamas from the show ring. That’s because blue eyes with white coats are markers of the deaf gene. Have you ever heard of blue-eyed, white-coated cats? They’re often deaf. And so it is with llamas, which is the reason blue eyes are discouraged. Dalai Llama is not deaf, however, so he serves as our “demo llama.” He's very good- natured about our Llama Walk customers staring into his eyes to spy his iridic granules.

You may be wondering if llamas are the only ones in the animal kingdom with built-in sunglasses. Actually, they are not. Horses, cattle, sheep, goats and alpacas have these built-in sunglasses, too. But llamas and their cousin the alpaca have the darkest sunglasses, with six iridic granules above their iris and six below. Cattle, sheep and goats have fewer granules, while horses only have the granules above the pupil. This makes the gentle llama and his cousin the most sun-sensitive of the grazing animals. Maybe that’s why, when you look into a llama’s big eyes, you see a truly soft, friendly gaze! 

If your local zoo doesn't have a blue-eyed llama, then please consider visiting ShangriLlama to meet the Dalai Llama. You might not ever meet a more expressive llama. Truly, his big blue eyes are mesmerizing! 

Happy Trails from Mama Llama!

The Llamas of ShangriLlama

THE LLAMAS OF SHANGRILLAMA

November 11, 2012

What would you do if your child asked for 

a dog or a cat or a rabbit or a hamster?

 How about a reptile? 

 Many parents would just say yes, and buy the animal at a pet store or from a breeder, or get a free pet at a rescue league or shelter after learning about animal care online. 

But what if your child asked for a LLAMA?

Where would shop? 

How would you learn about its needs?

That’s the situation Mama Llama found herself in a few years ago (before she was Mama Llama). Her son wanted not one, not two, but six llamas—a full pack. So mom and son went to llama farms, learned about the quirky animals—and fell in love. Everything changed, including their home address in the city to a private zoo now called ShangriLlama. 

Before you think that Mama Llama is overindulgent or completely crazy, consider this:

·                    Llamas don’t bite or kick.

·                    Llamas don’t have an odor, because there’s no oil in their wool, which doesn’t shed.

·                    Llamas eat one flake of hay each day. That doesn’t cost much.

·                    Llamas conveniently poop in shared piles, not all over the yard.

·                    Llama “beans" don’t have an odor, because llamas fully process their food.

·                    Llama beans are the ideal fertilizer and mulch starter.

·                    Llamas are stunningly, fascinatingly beautiful to look at.

·                    Llamas defy gravity the way they run and play.

·                    A pack of llamas provides non-stop hilarity.

·                    Llamas like to take walks, which greatly amuses the neighbors.

Basically, llamas are the perfect pet. Yet few people know the facts about these captivating animals, which have been domesticated for more than 5,000 years! So Mama Llama decided to write a book about llamas.

But she didn’t write a boring fact book. That wouldn’t reflect the playfulness of llamas! Instead, her book whimsically reveals the facts about llamas from head to toe in rhyme (iambic tetrameter, to be exact). And the real llamas that live at ShangriLlama have been transformed into caricatures (all copyrighted), as follows:

Drama Llama is not included in the book, because he came to ShangriLlama after The Llamas of ShangriLlama was halfway written. To see this dramatic looking llama, please visit www.ShangriLlama.com.

The playful characters for the book were designed by Patrick Williams, a gifted artist with a quirky sense of humor. He was graduated from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena and now serves as director of digital arts at Orange County School of the Arts in Santa Ana, CA. His book illustrations are hilarious, especially in the subplot of llama beans hiding on every page, mimicking the storyline. Find the beans if you can!

In The Llamas of ShangriLlama, readers will learn more than 30 interesting llama facts, including:

·                    Can llamas really hum, cluck and scream?

·                    Which fruit looks like llama ears?

·                    How do llamas eat without their top front teeth?

·                    Why do llamas spit?

·                    How are llama beans made?

·                    How can llamas walk with only two toes on each foot?

 You can discover the answers in The Llamas of ShangriLlama. 

This whimsical, educational book is NOW available at www.ShangriLlama.com,
signed by the author on request. It is the first--and possibly only--children's book that teaches about llamas. Adults will enjoy it, too!

But if you're looking to meet llamas, not just read about them, 

do come visit the llamas of ShangriLlama at their private zoo. 

We've since relocated from California to the Dallas, Texas, area. Yee haw!

Happy Trails from Mama Llama!

Llama Tusks

LLAMA TUSKS

October 10, 2012 

What do these animals have in common with the llama?

Pink Elephant

Pumba (copyright Disney)

Stuffed Wild Boar

Narwhals

Musk Deer

 They all have tusks!

Did you know that male llamas grow six razor-sharp tusks by the time they are three years old? These are hooked fighting teeth used to fight predators. Llama tusks are usually filed down soon after they erupt; otherwise, a tusked llama can permanently slit the ears of other llamas or cause worse damage when they wrestle with each other. Llamas used as guardian animals or placed in wildlife attractions, however, need their tusks to fend off canines, such as coyotes and stray dogs.

ShangriLlama had been on "Llama Tusk Alert" since Dalai Llama and Barack O’Llama were 18 months old. That’s the earliest that llama tusks erupt. Since then, our llama groomer had been checking inside the mouths of these llamas during their quarterly pedicures. Magically, when Dalai Llama and Barack O’Llama became three years old, their tusks broke through their gum lines. So Mama Llama called the llama vet tech to come for a visit.

Upon examination, the vet tech revealed that Dalai Llama and Barack O’Llama had only grown tusk buds, rather than long, dangerous tusks. That's likely because both llamas had been gelded (neutered), which decreases the hormones that encourage tusk growth. So the vet tech filed down the hooked part of the tusks, using an obstetrical wire. Here's what that looks like:

Guess how long it took before both llamas were fully recovered from their five-minute tusk-filing procedure? Well, as soon as they were released from the llama chute, Dalai Llama and Barack O'Llama were eating grass and playing with the rest of the pack!

 Here’s what their tusk buds looked like before they were shaved down:

Notice the pointy teeth. Those are llama tusk buds!

 And here’s what fully grown llama tusks look like: 

Llama tusks are razor-sharp!

Neither Dalai Llama nor Barack O’Llama would agree to an after-photo to show off their tuskless mouths. Can’t say I blame them!

Happy Trails from Mama Llama!

Llama Playground Opens

LLAMA PLAYGROUND OPENS

July 6, 2012

Dalai Llama Amuses the Neighbors on His Hill

LLAMAS LOVE HILLS. They’ll stake one out and claim it for themselves—until another llama knocks them off their perch. So, of course, Mama Llama wanted her llamas to have their very own hill. But ShangriLlama's meadow is flat, and adding a hill would mar the pretty view. So Mama Llama canceled her original plan to bring in--literally--tons of dirt and then seed it with tasty grass.You can read about that crazy idea  in the blog dated November 23, 2011, called “Just A Grassy Knoll."

PLAN TWO: Instead, Mama Llama asked Papa Llama if it would be feasible to clear the thick undergrowth on the naturally hilly land at the opposite end of the llamas' meadow. More than 60 deeply rooted, poisonous plants would have to be removed in this 150-foot-long area, but the llamas would then have a mini Machu Picchu to play on!

Well, Papa Llama is a soft touch, because he approved of Mama Llama’s vision for a hilly llama playground. A mere seven months later, the project was completed. It required three landscaping crews preceded by consultations with botanists, a university toxicologist, plus use of the Smithsonian’s SnapLeaf application for I-Phone to identify which of the existing plants were poisonous to llamas. (More than 125 common plants are on the list of poisons.) Only four plant species were spared: one large Douglas Pine, one small lemon tree, two pomegranate trees, and a few bottle brush plants. Those remained to provide the llamas with shade and snacks.

The project was worth it! See the llamas perch on their new hill with ease:

Are you wondering how llamas can walk so easily on hilly land? They have magic feet! Or to be more precise, they have gripper pads on the soles of their feet that they can quickly engage and release to remain amazingly surefooted on uneven, loose and steep terrain. Mama Llama has to wear spiked golf shoes to keep from falling in the llama playground! Take a look at these magic llama toes:

The Magic Soles of Llama Feet

The Incas knew all about the magic feet of llamas. That’s why they used llamas to help create terraces for roads and irrigation on the steep hills of Machu Picchu.

Llamas Helped Terrace Machu Picchu

While on Llama Walks, Pajama Llama uses his gripper pads to create an animal adventure park ride for himself and his pack. First, he climbs a loosely packed hill, and then he rides down it as the earth crumbles beneath him. Then the next llama in line takes that ride until they've all joined in the fun. Here's what that looks like:

See pack members waiting in line,
while Pajama Llama finishes playing on a hill.

Llamas definitely love hills, and now the llamas of ShangriLlama have one in their own backyard.

Happy Trails from Mama Llama!

Cowboy Llamas

COWBOY LLAMAS

May 6, 2012

This year, the llamas received fancy summer haircuts. 

They now look like cowboys with chaps!

Dalai Llama looks like a cross between a llama and a poodle!

Look closely to find the woolly chaps on Pajama Llama's hips and shoulders.

Bahama Llama received the traditional barrel (belly) cut this year.

Como T. Llama shows off his new 'do with a-t-t-i-t-u-d-e!

Barack O'Llama looks the best in his new cowboy get-up.

Here's Drama Llama sporting a dramatic cowboy cut.

In the midst of shearing Drama Llama, we discovered his belly spots!

As a pure Argentine llama, Drama Llama will need two haircuts each year, because Argentines grow wool almost as fast as Chia Pets! This means that we’ll have plenty of fiber to give to the school children that visit ShangriLlama. We’ll also have enough for our Llama Walk customers to feel how silky-soft llama belly wool is as one of the top 20 most valuable natural fiber in the world. And this year, our groomer has offered to hand-spin Como T. Llama’s wool into skeins of yarn. Mama and Papa Llama’s daughter, Llama Girl, will knit herself a sweater from this luxurious fiber:

Can you tell which wool belongs to which llama?

In case you're wondering why llamas are shorn, check out the following two photos of Drama Llama. He's our woolliest critter, because he's half alpaca! Llamas carry, on average, six pounds of wool on their bodies. Drama Llama grows more than that! The wool MUST come off to get through hot and humid summers. Each animal experiences great relief to have that wool removed.

Drama Llama Before Shearing

Drama Llama After Shearing

 Mama Llama wishes to thank Eileen Ditsler, Llama Groomer Extraordinaire, 

who spent 5-1/2 hours giving all six llamas their cool and fancy summer cuts.
Maybe next year, we'll paint the llamas' toes???

Happy Trails from Mama Llama!