Full disclosure, I freaking love Llamas. There’s something about these creatures that elicit both a giggle and a great big awwww from me all at the same time. I count them as one of my favourite animals, and if I’m really honest, attempting to fulfil a life goal of hugging a llama was the real reason I once travelled all the way to Peru.
That life goal didn’t quite go according to plan and whilst Peru was incredibly awesome, getting up close to a llama proved to be more difficult. The first one ran out right in front of me on the Inca Trail hike, then straight down the side of a mountain; followed by the Peruvian farmers he had escaped from. The second was happy to pose for photos looking majestic on top of some Inca Ruins, but wasn’t so pleased when I got closer for a ‘llama selfie’, and the day I visited Machu Picchu, it was so hot the poor things were all lying motionless under the shade of a tree and looking a bit sad. It seemed a little rude to bother them.
Fortunately, when something doesn’t work out, life has a way of creating another opportunity for you, and this is when I found out about Dayboro Cottages and Llama Walks. Being only an hour drive from my hometown of Brisbane, it also meant no expensive plane ticket was required – winning!
There is no doubt that new owner, Annika Evans, loves llamas too. She has recently become the new owner of Dayboro Cottages and Llama Walks and is now the proud llama mother to the herd of 12 llamas that live on the property.
Over the last six months Annika has been training the llamas to be hand feed and running llama walks for visitors, so when my friend Sonya and I found out about this, we called her and asked where do we sign up?
We booked a llama feeding and this is what happened
We arrived and the llamas were already gathering at the gate. Some were looking at us with curiosity, the others were eyeing off the food in Annika’s hands. Annika explained that once we get inside the gate they are going to very interested in the food so before we go in she gives us a run down on what to expect and introduces us to all the llamas.
Emery is front and centre, he’s the pellet fiend, says Annika. She has been feeding the llamas pellets out of bowl and he has taken quite a fondness to them. The others are still coming around to the idea, however she also has some hay and gathers leaves from a nearby tree so we have options.
D’Artagnan, the sweetie, and Loki, the funny one are also at the front, along with Thor. Romeo and Apache are the regal and good looking ones, then Barney, who at 19 years old is the grandpa of the llama herd and is usually found hanging out with his best mate Toledo.
At the back of the herd are Midnight and Zorro, in llama years they are teenage boys and at times can be very naughty. Sanchez and Pancho are also up the back looking on, these two round out the teenage boy gang.
Annika opens the gate and we go in, she hands me the bowl of pellets and Emery tucks right in.
Llama Fun Facts
Llamas hum
The first thing I notice is that the llamas are making a low humming noise. I find it a little amusing but it turns out its how they communicate with each other.
“Llamas are very social so when they hum it’s like they are saying ‘Hey, how are you? What are you doing over there?” explains Annika.
I wonder out loud if they are asking each other what these strange girls with big cameras are doing in their paddock, but Sonya disagrees, she thinks they are discussing who’s going to the llama party later tonight.
Llamas are capable of guarding livestock
Llamas are very gentle by nature but they can also be very protective and loyal. They are sometimes bought onto farms as Guard Llamas to protect sheep, goats, and chickens and are capable of kicking or killing foxes and coyotes.
Emery tries to eat my camera
Ok so that heading was probably a little dramatic, but once the pellets were gone and Annika had finished sharing her extensive llama knowledge, she kindly let us hang back and take some photos of the llamas. This was about the time Emery decided he was ready for his close up and by close up, he meant trying to sniff or lick my camera lens and when I moved it away from him, bending his head down to sniff my shirt. No matter which way I went he followed, but this is better described in photos…
It turns out Emery could smell the pellets on me, he wanted more so all of a sudden I was his favourite human. I ended up having to distract him with some leaves and branches instead. D’Artagnan and Loki followed us, gobbling up the leaves too, and then just like that the hungry little llamas had had enough and wandered away.
Final llama fun fact: All of the llamas at Dayboro Cottages and Llama Walks are boys
This is because llamas breed all year round. There is no breading season so if you add a female llama to the mix you’ll get baby llamas pretty quickly. “We might get some female llamas later”, says Annika, but “I’m not ready for baby llamas just yet.”
#LlamaGoals
By the time we were done I’d fed a llama, patted a llama, and gotten the #llamaselfie. I’m not really sure if llamas actually like to be hugged so what more can I say.
I have achieved my llama goals.
Have your own llama goals?
If you love llamas or are just curious to know more about them, I really recommend this experience. You can do a llama feeding, a llama walk , or stay in one of the cottages on the llama farm for the full llama experience, for more information, visit the Dayboro Cottages and Llama Walks website.