Llamas have two toe nails on each foot. Their nails constantly grow. If you live in a wet climate, or if your animals are on soft ground, their nails will need to be cut 3 or 4 times a year. This can be a chore but left unattended the nails will curl and cause serious injury. You will need a pair of straight garden clippers. Trim along the sides, and a little bit of the tip. If you trim too much you may draw blood. Ease back a little. The challenge to trimming toes is desensitizing your llama to having their foot picked up. This is where a chute comes in very handy. If you do not have access to a chute then you must put the time into desensitizing your llama. If not then every time it is trimming time you will have a wrestling match with your llama and that is not good for building trust with your llama or you just ignore trimming and eventually your llama can go lame.

Llamas are very hearty animals. They evolved in the high Andes of South America in rather sparse conditions. For most of the year, their food was short and brown so they needed to graze all day. They are browsers and will sample everything. They are also very efficient metabolizers of food. Consequently, when llamas were reintroduced to North America, one of their most common health challenges was obesity. Unrestricted high quality food may keep your llamas happy, but an overweight pack llama will not do well on the trail. The type and quantity of feed your llamas require can vary greatly depending on your llama’s body type, environment, age, and exercise program. My adult working animals receive 5 to 8 pounds of grass hay per day. They live in a mild climate with little snow. Llamas living in Montana and Wyoming probably need more. Consulting with your llama neighbors is a good guide.