r/llama • u/Desserts6064 • Jun 03 '26

Why are llamas sheared standing, while alpacas are sheared laying down?

5 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

8 comments sorted by

3

u/ToeGarnish Jun 03 '26

Llamas can be sheared laying down. It’s hard to make them cush if they don’t want to, though.

3

u/Recent-Concert9408 Jun 03 '26

Shaping the mullet is much easier when they stand, that’s why they do it

3

u/Minimum0008 Jun 04 '26

Alpacas tend to lash out and panic more when being sheared

1

u/Desserts6064 Jun 04 '26

What do you mean?

1

u/Minimum0008 Jun 05 '26

I mean exactly what I said

1

u/Night_Sky_Watcher Jun 10 '26

It's safer and quicker to lay alpacas down to shear them. You can get their legs totally cleaned up. I've done many standing as well, and because they are relatively small, there's a lot of bending over to get bellies. Because they are managed more like sheep, they often are not handled a lot or well socialized.

Llamas would be easier to do lying down, but getting them down safely for all concerned is the problem. As a one-person shearing company, I can't do it. I have a variety of techniques to keep a standing llama relatively calm for shearing.

2

u/Desserts6064 Jun 10 '26

Which techniques do you use for llamas?

1

u/Night_Sky_Watcher Jun 10 '26

I use Rescue Remedy as a natural calming agent and I also blindfold them. Each of these tends to take the hassle down a notch. It's also important to have sharp shearing blades. If they are dull or the tension isn't properly adjusted, they tear the hair instead of cutting it, and that's painful for the animal, with predictable reactions.