While I was in the middle of my Fozzy Bear panic, my phone rang. I don’t know why I answered it with an out-of-state area code, but something told me I had to. Well, the only way to make things more complicated for my week’s absence was if the llama shearer decided to come shear Llenny while I was gone.
Llenny
Yep. He said he’d be there Friday morning. Thank goodness for my son and nephew and mom. They got him shut in Thursday evening. He was ready when they showed up to shear him.
Is it me or do those goats look like, “What the heck happened to you, and I hope I’m not next.”
I wasn’t expecting to have his wool removed so close to his skin. It would be fine if I had been able to get it done a couple of months ago, but he’s in danger of sunburn right now. Next year, I’ll have to contact the shearer in February to make sure the llama gets sheared earlier in the year.
Luckily, Llenny’s been smart enough to stay in the barn during the hottest part of the day and let me feed him some hay. It won’t take too long for him to get used to it and grow a layer of wool to protect him. He’s also a lot cooler for our 106* F (41.1* C) heat index today.
I have a bag of wool that I’m going to try to have processed into roving (I have no idea what that means, but I’ve been talking to a friend who spins). Also, thanks to Mom for taking pictures while I was gone.
Teresa
Eden Hills 
Your mom took some great pictures! Llenny appears to have been very cooperative for his shearing experience. He looks great – a good weight under all that fluff! I can’t wait to hear more about what the mill thinks about his fleece and what they might recommend for blending with it. It really looks beautiful in the pictures. I remember that sunburn problem on my sheep in Iowa, even early in the season! Smart llama to stay in the barn!
The guys shearing said he was pretty good. Mom and Caleb said he wasn’t very cooperative at first. I really hope it doesn’t take too long for his skin to get less sensitive.
This is a great post! How many people can show us a llama being sheared? (thanks Mom!) Some of that wool would also be great put on a wreath form, and hung out for the birds in the winter. It looks like he co-operated nicely! ??
There was a pile (I assume from his legs and tail trim) that was on the ground. It got rained on before I could pick it up. Maybe the birds will still want it.
Poor Llenny ! Of course she stays in the barn, she must feel so naked ! I hope the goats are not laughing at him !
I’m sure it’s just like a guy who shaves their head. That sun seems awfully hot. He did come out for a few minutes this morning for a good roll in the dust. The goats are very accepting about what a llama (or person) wears. They’re awesome that way.
I probably should do this to my dog, but since I have the option of letting her lie inside in the air conditioning with me, I don’t. ;_) Llenny looks pretty good without his clothes on.
I wish Stella would let me shear her. As a Great Pyrenees, she really suffers in the heat.
I llove Llenny
Me too. Even naked.
Teresa, I am so glad you got him shorn, I have been worrying about him. Ours were sheared once a year in May usually, so they could grow a coat back by fall. We donated our bags of wool to a young man who spins here locally, and he was glad to get them.
I will definitely make contact for next year’s shearing earlier. Of course, I think I e-mailed them the day I brought him home. They are busy. Glad he got done before this real heat hit.
Oh my, Llenny looks like a different critter. I am glad he will be cooler in the hot weather! Enjoy your day and the new week ahead!
He doesn’t even seem to be phased by the heat today! Glad he got done.
He is so cur with or without his coat
🙂
Llenny is in his birthday suit now… poor guy. Hope his fur grows back quickly.
Not too quickly. It’s horribly hot here.
Your mom took some great photos. Llenny looks good. His wool is such a pretty color.
I’m excited to see how it looks when it’s finished being turned into roving. I’m amazed at how great Mom’s pictures turned out.
sure looks different but more comfortable!
Way better not to have all that wool when it’s this hot.
My daughter said it looked like the goats were thinking “Who are you and what did you do with Llenny?” Those are really great pictures! Tell your mom we like them! Llenny seems short! I wondered why they didn’t trim his and tail….?
They did trim his tail up some. The legs and tail aren’t used for fiber because they are more coarse. The tail also helps with swishing flies away. I did actually show mom all the nice comments!
You can dust him with a little bit of flour, it will act as a sunscreen and it’s natural and cheap. We dust our white goats when we have to clip them for fair because they burn easily.
Thank you! He’s started going out to pasture, but he doesn’t stay a long time yet. Will that work for me too?
He certainly looks very different!
Very different. It certainly takes some getting used to.
Don’t know how I missed this; but I’m so glad I got to see Llennys’ before & after. Polly took great pictures! He’s so beautiful wooley & shaved! Wow, that ideal with flour sounds awesome.
I haven’t tried the flour because he’s doing better, but I’ll certainly keep it in mind for next year. I was impressed with Mom’s pictures.
What a difference! Llenny was so fluffy!
He was all fluff!
One more question: Is Llenny as big as Djali was? In these pictures while the shearing is being done, he looks rather short. Of course it’s difficult to tell just from a picture. I’ve seen more alpacas than I have llamas, too, and they are smaller. He certainly is beautiful!
Llenny is quite a bit shorter than Djali was. I was surprised at how small he is when I first saw him. He’s keeping the coyotes away though, so I’m thrilled with him!
That’s great! Just what you wanted! And it doesn’t hurt that he’s absolutely beautiful!