2 Ways to Adopt a Llama as a Pet

If you’re looking to expand your family of four-legged friends to include some fantastic farm animals, a llama is a great pet to consider. Llamas are gentle and funny creatures, with a reputation for being dog-like and playful. While llamas require certain considerations to ensure appropriate environments, they really are awesome pets for owners equipped to provide for them.

There are two primary ways to adopt a llama as a pet: through a breeder or through a rescue. Both of these paths have pros and cons. Learn about the two ways to adopt a llama below. We’ll also answer a few frequently asked questions regarding bringing a llama home!

Adopting a Llama Through a Rescue

One way to acquire a llama to keep as a pet is to adopt through a llama rescue. Typically, these rescues have both alpacas and llamas available for adoption. Llamas in rescues are generally in good condition. It’s not quite like dog rescues, where pups have often run away or endured traumatic lives. With this in mind, you can expect to find a pretty happy llama in good condition at a llama rescue.

One of the key advantages to buying a llama through a rescue is price. While keeping a llama as a pet can be expensive, the initial cost of bringing a llama home through a rescue is lower than it would be if you were adopting through a breeder. There are a few factors that impact price, including training level, gender, location, and age, but you can anticipate prices on the lower end of the spectrum through a rescue. You will likely spend between $200-700 on a llama through a rescue, as opposed to $1,000-5,000 through a breeder.

As with any adoption process, you can expect to go through a few steps to ensure you have an appropriate environment for your pet. You may fill out some questionnaires or need to host a home visit before you can proceed with the adoption. However, if deemed a good fit with a property appropriate for a llama, you can bring your pet home quickly.

Adopting a Llama Through a Breeder

Adopting a llama through a breeder is also a great way to bring a llama home as a pet. The great advantage of using a breeder is knowing more about the llama before you bring it home. You’ll have richer documentation and a direct source to discuss the animal with. For first-time llama owners, a breeder can be a better choice because you gain more information about the specific pet you’re bringing home.

When you adopt through a breeder, you’ll want to tour multiple farms. While animals in rescues come from a wide varieties of pasts, you’ll want to find a breeder with llamas that fit your specifications. Your breeder should have thorough health records and you should be able to tour the farm and meet the animals. Take time to learn about how the animal has grown up, as that will have a big impact on their behavior as an adult. Llamas that have been reared codependently behave very poorly once they reach the age of three, so you want to be wary of llamas with clingy behavior.

Llama Adoption FAQ

Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about purchasing a llama as a pet. As always, before you bring an animal home, be sure to do thorough research and make sure you have a good environment for them to grow up in.

Do I need to adopt more than one llama?

It’s recommended that you purchase at least two llamas if you’re going to keep llamas recreationally. Llamas are extremely social animals, and leaving a llama alone is a recipe for an unhappy animal.

How much land do I need to adopt a llama?

It’s recommended that you have at least an acre of land for every two llamas that you own. You will also need to purchase some sort of shelter structure for them to hide under in case of extreme weather. Depending on where you live, this can include rain and snow.

You will also need to make sure your land is zoned for livestock. You will need approval before you can legally possess livestock, so be sure to do research on your local zoning laws.

Are llamas and alpacas the same?

Nope! Discover more about the differences between llamas and alpacas here.

Summary

A llama can be a fantastic pet. If you’re equipped for livestock and willing to purchase at least two of these beautiful creatures, llamas can make excellent friends.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Kim Foster, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons – License / Original