down in the rear)will lay down and get back up repeatedlywill seek to escape by leaping forward, pulling back, rearing or may try to crawl under or through an openingwill stomp their feet and/or kick.will hold tail over the back, clamp it to the body or arch it up and over the backwill stare fixedlywill spitwill refuse food or consume food rapidly w/o chewingwill throw head around (Sometimes this is in a distinctive pattern called “orbiting” in which the camelid looks straight up and then whirls the head around in a circle. This is common in high‐strung animals. You may observe this behavior in the pasture when there is no human interaction. These animals also commonly pace along a fence line and orbit at the same time.)
The behaviors of humans in proximity will directly affect the behavior of the patient. It is necessary to overstate the importance of modeling calm behavior as you work with animals. If the handler is holding their breath, out of balance, or agitated, the animal notices, and this will cause the animal to be more anxious. Standing in a relaxed way, breathing normally (if not deeply), and standing with shoulders canted away from the animal communicates a relaxed, non‐threatening disposition (Figure 2.2).
Most humans are heavy handed. It is typical for a handler to put 3–5 pounds of unconscious pressure on a lead or on the animal as he or she works. This weight is uncomfortable and frightening to the animal. The handler should be responsible for the weight of their own arms and they should think about helping the animal to remain in balance instead of holding it and forcing it to rely on the human for balance (Figures 2.3 and 2.4).
Containment Vs. Restraint
Frequently owners and veterinarians are skeptical that it is possible for camelids to accept many common procedures without some form of restraint; consequently, they do not give the animal a chance to try (a necessary requirement prior to acceptance). Most camelids will accept routine procedures without restraint if they are given the opportunity [1].
Figure 2.1 (a) Illustration of the stance of a relaxed alpaca. (b) Illustration depicting the stance of a threatened or frightened alpaca.
Figure 2.2 This handler is standing in a pen with an alpaca in a non‐threatening manner. She is outside arm's length standing with her shoulders canted away from the animal. Her shoulders are relaxed.
Figure 2.3 Handler is holding steadily as the llama pulls. This technique will cause the animal to feel frightened because he cannot get away.
Figure 2.4 Neutral Rope. There is no tension in the lead rope and the llama remains in balance. This technique allows the animal to feel in control of his own body and therefore remain calm.
Restraint is the act of holding the animal against his will, creating a loss of freedom for the patient. Restraint in camelid patients usually involves tying the animal up or forcing the animal against an immovable object, eliminating the animal's ability to move. Unlike horses, camelids are often small enough to physically restrain with just the strength of an individual handler, making this form of restraint tempting. However, due to their anatomy, physical restraint on a per body weight basis is more difficult and can be dangerous for the animal and handler.
Camelids have a long neck which makes their center of mass forward on their body. Camelids carry approximately 67% of their body weight over the front legs.[2] (L. Johnson, personal communication 2020). The animals are light in the back and more muscular in the front. The long neck also makes restraining by only immobilizing the head dangerous and difficult because the long neck offers the opportunity for significant body movement even if the animal is held securely by the head. These animals are incredibly agile, and a long neck offers advantages for escape and evasion. Handlers are easily injured by an animal throwing his head around.
Llamas and alpacas are naturally head shy. These animals know instinctively how much leverage is afforded when their head is controlled and will do their best to avoid having their heads handled or restrained (Figure 2.5). However, the animals do not dislike having their heads touched; they respond well to massage and other touching techniques provided they are not restrained and feel safe with their handler. Their fear is nested in restraint and unfortunately, many humans tend to use the neck and head to hold the animals against their will.
Figure 2.5 Drawing illustrating how the long neck of South American camelids allows for a great deal of leverage to be generated when a handler controls an animal by the head. Because the animals are wary of humans, they are wary of this control of the head.
It is possible to balance the head instead of restraining it for examination and treatment purposes. This technique takes practice but is a skill worth cultivating for veterinarians, owners, and alpaca handlers. By learning balancing techniques and the use of containment, a handler can achieve procedures more quickly and safely. A catch pen and containment go a long way toward making human proximity and touching less frightening.
Restraining camelids by the ears or the tail is unpleasant and results in an animal that becomes protective of these areas making him difficult later when it comes to medical handling, haltering and routine procedures like toenail trimming.
As an example, injections often begin when the animal is tied up, pushed against a wall, tied in a chute, or held still by a team of humans. The restraint is applied before the procedure has begun, and the animal becomes excited and fights the restraint prior to the procedure. The handlers react by using more restraint, and the animal fights harder. All this fighting occurs before the needle touches the skin, so the injection is not the issue. The restraint provokes the fight. From the animal's perspective, most herd management procedures pale in comparison to the ordeal of being physically subdued by humans.
Containment involves enclosing or keeping the animal within certain limits. Camelids respond more positively to containment rather than restraint. Containment is a limitation of space within which the animal is allowed full freedom to move. Camelids are less likely to panic and struggle when contained compared to when they are restrained.
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