Berserk Syndrome

Worrying traits:

• Does your llama´s behaviour frighten you?
• Does the llama appear to be unusually aggressive?
• Does the llama kick or bite?
• Does the llama barge at human beings?
• Does the llama rear up on its hind legs (other than to just browse)?
• Has the llama knocked anybody down?

Berserk Syndrome is caused by humans and is not the fault of the animal. Llamas are intelligent and can be trained to do a number of useful things but the handling of llamas should be restricted to animals of over eighteen months of age. If baby and young llamas are over handled, cuddled or bottle-fed, the llama will learn to associate itself as being more human than llama. Young llamas should at all times be left with the herd and there should be minimal actual contact with humans. If the llama starts to unnaturally bond with humans, it loses its social skills within the herd and misplaces its fear of people, becoming ´over-friendly´. This is propagated by the owner who likes to have the attention of a small fluffy, cuddly llama…BEWARE…

Although Berserk Syndrome can manifest in females, it is predominantly a male trait, when the llama starts to develop into a mature, breeding llama. The human becomes a rival and that is when he will start to attack people. Male llamas have been known to kill humans, even those who once nurtured them.Where there are early signs of ´over-friendliness´ by a llama, discipline to stop this behaviour is strongly advised. Respect on both sides is the key; don´t let your llama be the boss.Castration is a consideration but all too often, the problem is in the llama´s brain not its testes.