When To Hold 'Em and When Best To Fold 'Em
Alpaca and Llama Spitting Behavior

By Cathy Spalding
www.gentlespiritllamas.com
www.gentlespiritalpacas.com

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Spitting would seem to be among the higher levels of aggression exhibited within the normal alpaca and llama behavioral range. Humans often miss-understand or altogether miss the behaviors leading up to a true stomach contents spit. An alpaca or llama can easily manipulate our human fear of receiving spit by simply snapping ears back and very slightly raising the nose. “Oh no… they are going to spit!” As if by magnetic repulsion, we move back hoping for the moment to pass.

Spit is not something to be given – nor received – lightly. It is serious business. The alpaca or llama who would spit does not seem to enjoy the doing of it any more than those who would be on the receiving end. Animals not directly involved in the exchange will tend to avoid anything with spit on it and some might even hang their own lower lip. It is as nasty to the alpacas and llamas as it appears to be for humans.

After a good stomach contents spit, an alpaca or llama will open their mouth to “air out.” This stance is commonly called “bad mouthing.” They appear miserable with bits of greenish stomach contents dripping from their mouth. The lower lip hangs loosely and the ears are usually hanging at half-mast. Nostrils can flare and there may be mouth and/or irregular breathing. While the lower lip hangs limply downward, the eyes may appear somewhat dull and distant showing some disconnect with their surroundings. There are often signs of tension and tightening in the facial muscles with a skin wrinkle appearing directly below the eye. In this offensive and rather disgusting state, they are normally left quite to themselves by the rest of the herd.

It is not unusual to see an alpaca or llama that has just hurled a good stomach contents spit wander about his environment looking for anything that might help rid their mouth of this disdainful mess. In search of a “breath mint,” they may chew on the bark of a tree or wooden fence rail, leaves, sticks or head directly for any available fir bow. Some have even been seen picking up and mouthing rocks. In this state, it is not typical that they will seek out their usual hay or grain or even drink water.

There are different levels of spit. Alpacas and llamas may spit out a large volume of air complete with saliva. Spit may be composed of whatever was in the mouth at the time of the incident such as grass, hay, grain or cud. These spits can be somewhat spontaneous in the midst of an argument or in the form of making a statement. These spits will also happen with little to no warning.

The highest level of spit aggression – serious and vile – is the stomach contents spit. The contents of this spit are actually called up from the stomach. Alpacas and llamas normally go through a series of behavioral warnings prior to actually spitting stomach contents. Truth be, they would hope to avoid giving this type of spit as much as any recipient would hope to avoid receiving it. The ears snap back, the nose rises and if the “offender” does not respond appropriately, the nose goes higher and the ears move to the pinned position. If the “offender” still does not respond appropriately, you will see a significant lump travel upward along the neck. Sometimes that goopy lump is halted and held in the mouth for just one more warning. Often, however, it is not halted and the lump is forcefully spewed forth in the direction of the “offender.”

Alpacas and llamas are unable to retrieve and spit fresh stomach contents in one continuous action unless the nose is raised high which in turn allows the ears to be pinned back (cued) nearly in line with the neck. This physical posturing effectively diminishes any dramatic curves – particularly at the throat -- thus facilitating a fairly straight path from the stomach, up the esophagus and out the mouth. Thinking of this physical positioning in human terms, if we were about to regurgitate and did not stretch out our neck, what would happen?

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