worked with
Animal spits and kushes inappropriately when being worked with
Animal is averse to routine, non‐painful procedures such as shearing, trimming toenails, giving injections, doing ultrasound exams, or any other medical procedure
Llamas and alpacas are semi‐obligate nasal breathers. They do not naturally breathe through the mouth unless there is no alternative. Camelids are either grazing or ruminating a significant percentage of the time; mouth breathing increases the likelihood of aspiration in these animals. Camelids have a SHORT nasal bone and soft cartilage for most of the length of the nose; the nasal bone on most adult camelids extends only about one inch rostral to the eyes. Downward and rostral pressure on the halter is likely to cause the halter to slip over the soft nasal cartilage where it will cause the cartilage to collapse and compromise the airway. Any indication that the halter can slip forward, off the nasal bone, and onto the soft cartilage where it may compromise airflow is likely to induce panic.
A tight noseband that encircles the mouth will limit the animal's ability to chew freely, a necessary requirement for eating and proper rumination. Since they are either grazing or ruminating a sizable percentage of the time, the animals are also chewing a sizable percentage of the time. Animals not able to do this may be prone to other issues such as malnutrition and weight loss.
Many llama and alpaca halters are not proportioned so that the halter can fit safely and comfortably. The noseband is often not big enough to permit it to slide all the way back on the sturdiest part of the nasal bone, which means it can compress the soft nasal cartilage. Even if the noseband is large enough, often there is not enough take up provided by the crown piece to keep the noseband in the proper place, allowing it to slip rostrally (Figures 2.46 and 2.47).
With the crown piece snug, there should still be slack in the noseband! Fitting the noseband means taking up extra slack, it does not mean tightening it around the nose. One or two fingers should fit inside the noseband of a fitted halter. A noseband that compresses the skin covering the bottom mandible or impedes the animal's ability to chew is uncomfortably tight.
Figure 2.46 The camelid skull clearly shows there is not much bone forward of the eye for a halter to rest on.
Figure 2.47 When the noseband is not on bone, it can easily compress the cartilage and compromise the airway.
The author has designed a halter that is proportioned to solve these problems. It may be better to work without a halter than to work with an ill‐fitting one. If the noseband can be pulled forward more than 3/4″, it would be advisable to tighten the crown piece. It is better to have the crown piece temporarily a bit snug than to risk the noseband sliding off the nasal bone. Box 2.5 outlines the steps involved to fit a halter on a llama or alpaca.
Llamas and alpacas have small heads and young camelids have even smaller heads; be precise! (Figures 2.48–2.51). You must pay attention every time you put a halter on! Most haltering mishaps happen when we are just putting a halter on for “a few minutes” to do something quickly.
As a rule, take the halter off whenever you can and, if possible, do not ask an animal to wear a halter overnight. It is more comfortable for them to go without a halter. This is particularly important for animals that are otherwise sick. Llamas and alpacas housed at a veterinary hospital should not be left wearing a halter. A device called the handler helper can be left on safely and comfortably in situations when a novice must catch an animal easily (Figure 2.52).
Box 2.5 Step‐by‐Step Fitting of a Halter
1 Start with a halter that is properly proportioned and has the option to adjust the size of the noseband. Open up the noseband to one of the two largest holes.
2 Put the halter on.
3 Tighten the crown piece as much as you can.
4 Put your fingers on each side of the noseband and tug forward. If you can pull the noseband to the very edge or off the nasal bone, you must tighten up the crown piece or get a smaller halter.
5 Check to make sure that the halter throat piece is not pushing against the trachea or esophagus. If it is, this indicates the halter is too big.
6 After the crown piece adjustment, you may tighten the noseband. The noseband should never more than just gently touch all the way around the nose without pressing or restricting the animal's ability to move his mouth and jaw. Provided the crown piece holds the halter in place well up on the nasal bone, the adjustment of the noseband is less crucial for purposes of handling.
7 Check the crown piece about 10 minutes after you put the halter on or just before attaching a lead rope and leaving the catch pen. Nylon stretches by approximately 33%. As the nylon stretches and the fiber compresses, you could end up with a dangerous amount of slack in the crown piece.
Figure 2.48 This halter fits properly; the nose band is adequately sized to fit well up on the nose band and still provides room for the animal to open its mouth.
Figure 2.49 This alpaca is wearing a halter that is too far forward on the nose. In addition, there is not enough room in the nose band to allow it to sit further back and it is restricting movement of the jaw.
Figure 2.50 This llama is wearing a halter that looks like it fits but, in fact, it is sitting just at the edge of the nose bone and the crown piece is not snug enough to keep it from slipping forward and off the bone. Additionally, the nose band is too small to allow for chewing.
Understanding Male Behavior in Camelids
Camelids
