Ear Fear

Page 2

SPIT MATCH!

This female, Merry, is quite serious in her statement to another llama. So serious in fact that she would appear just moments from backing it up with a hearty spit of fresh stomach contents. She shows great emotion through clear and bright eyes making direct eye contact with the object of her displeasure. Her eyes seem to warn that she is not happy – quite angry in fact – about whatever is going on and her feelings best be taken seriously. Notice the combination of indicators which all come together for this expression of anger or upset. The head is tilted upward – nose in the air. Her ears are pinned -- laid back almost flat along her neck. Her neck has stiffened and is held nearly vertically straight. She appears squarely balanced over herself. Her eyes are bright and clear making direct contact with the offender in the delivery of her message. Her nostrils are flared and her lower lip is tensed and pulled under. Some of these behavioral cues could indicate something quite different were they not in concert with the others. Many humans feel concern that an alpaca or llama may spit when the ears fall back or are snapped back in combination with a seeming unhappy facial expression. Though a situation where the ears are snapped back could certainly progress to the point of pinning and spitting, it is interesting to note that alpacas and llamas can only spit saliva, cud or whatever happens to be in the mouth in that stance. Stomach contents can be brought up for cud chewing in this position but it does not have clear volley from the stomach out of the mouth without a much more extreme tilt of the head. Taking another look at this female, notice the position of her head as it connects with her neck. She has made a rather straight path for the clear flight of stomach contents.

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