Berserk or Aberrant Behavior Syndrome
What Are We Talking About?

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Is This Behavior ABS, Berserk, or What?

There are some interesting “occurrences” to consider regarding whether or not your animal might be ABS. When first arriving in a new home situation, most appear perfectly fine. It can be several days or more before you notice anything unusual in their behavior. This is because it simply takes a few days or more for them to “size up” the situation. Think of the difficult teenager who has been expelled from high school. He enrolls in another high school and, thankfully, over several weeks now things seem to be going great. Just as you begin to feel relief that perhaps we have finally moved through the situation, he begins getting into trouble at the new school. It simply took a while to figure out the situation… to settle some and become somewhat comfortable in the new surroundings.

If you acquire a llama or alpaca from someone who says: “He (or she) doesn’t particularly like men,” do not take that lightly. In my experience from the many folks who contact me, that is like a code phrase for ABS! That is the phrase we were told about Madame Currie. Recently, it was reported in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that a Mr. Dale Airsman was seriously attacked receiving a bite on his bicep that went clear to the bone and a cracked sternum. They, too, had been told when they acquired this llama that “he didn’t like men.”

Typically, ABS or berserk tendencies begin to seriously manifest around the age of two – puberty. If your llama or alpaca has behaved more normally and then suddenly at the age of say, 6, begins ABS behavior, it is usually not related to improper handling as a youngster. As an example, I received a call from someone in my area who had an 8 year old llama that for no apparent reason, suddenly began to attack and bite people. He particularly went after children. His neighbor received a bite over the fence that pierced an artery in his arm and he nearly died. This was definitely serious but was this ABS as we have come to use the term? Well, it certainly deviated from the norm but why? After watching the llama closely, it seemed clear that he had been teased or in some way abused by humans over time and had simply had enough. Turns out that the school bus stopped each and every day to let off children on the road right next to his pen. His pen ran lengthwise along the road, was long and narrow and he was unable to move out of reach from the children. Each and every day he was subjected to the kids in whatever form that took. Moving him to another area made an incredible change in his behavior towards humans in a remarkably short time. His behavior could have certainly been termed ABS or even berserk in ways. However, this sudden change in behavior at his age made it highly unlikely that it came about from improper handling as youngster.

Berserk and Aberrant Behaviors Are Preventable

While I certainly do not claim to be an expert in the area of ABS or berserk llamas and alpacas, I will do my best to explain the thought behind the potential development of these behaviors. These behaviors seem to develop when a llama or alpaca has extended opportunity to bond with humans. It is learned behavior taught by humans through inappropriate interaction. It must begin at a younger age and is completely avoidable. This can occur when humans must intervene for medical reasons and tend to inappropriately interact and cuddle them. It can develop when that truly precocious baby arrives and they are just “too cute” to ignore. The result seems to be an abnormal socialization with humans – the inability to distinguish the difference between being llama or alpaca and being human. This confusion results in an inappropriate attitude and behavior towards humans. As the animal enters puberty, they become territorial. They seem to then be unable to distinguish the human from another llama or alpaca thus looking upon the human as a “rival.” This – puberty – is typically the time when serious aggressive behaviors begin to manifest. Some feel that it has to do with an animal having excessive testosterone or a heightened fear response that clouds judgment. While I do not know what or how that might be a part, it has been my ongoing experience that a llama or alpaca that has had appropriate human interaction, handling and training as a youngster will not attack humans – unprovoked – even as the result of heightened testosterone or fear.

Our Responsibilty

The most important thing we can do in service towards our llamas and alpacas is to interact, handle and treat them in the most appropriate manner possible. It is us, we humans, who have created and continue to create animals that become ABS or the rare berserk. We have a fiduciary responsibility to educate ourselves and do the best we might by those we have invited into our lives. As Joseph Stookey, professor of Animal Behavior for the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada pleads: “Take home the message that newborn orphans” of a number of species including llamas and alpacas “should never be inappropriately bottle raised” and “at the very least should be castrated before reaching sexual maturity in order to avoid a dangerous and potentially lethal future situation. Spread the word.” I take it a step further, a number of species including llamas and alpacas should, simply, never be inappropriately raised. And yes, spread the word!

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        CHANGE

How wonderful it is
that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.

Anne Frank

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