WOODLAND HILLS : Llamas Live Up to Their Spitting Image

Pierce College instructor Leland Shapiro provides a few instructions to prepare a newcomer for a first encounter with a llama.

“For your own safety,” he said, lowering his voice, “never look directly into a llama’s eyes. He’ll spit on you.”

The spitting problem is much discussed among students of Shapiro’s animal science class this week.

Pierce just started its new llama program, thanks to the donation of two of the animals from the Sun Valley farm of llama breeder Gwyn Poor.

The students have wasted no time in moving the project to its next phase: On Tuesday, a stud llama was brought in to breed the two females under Poor’s watchful eyes.

Shapiro said the idea is to start a small llama herd that will guard the college’s sheep and give students a chance to learn about the animals.

Shapiro said he wants animal-science students to get firsthand experience with the veterinary needs of llamas so they can some day take advantage of the burgeoning llama industry.

“This is one of the fastest growing animal enterprises in California,” Shapiro said.

Poor said there are now several thousand llamas in California, second only to Oregon in llama farming. The two-toed animals are used as sources of wool and as pets and pack animals.

Among the animals’ idiosyncrasies is a tendency to spit an acidic secretion when threatened or annoyed, Shapiro said.

One student reported she was almost victimized as class drew to a close last week. “He got really close to my face and looked right into my eyes.”

“The saliva is OK, but the green stuff . . . “ Shapiro said.

“The worst it does is smell bad,” Poor said.

Tuesday’s breeding session, attended and helped along by students, went as expected. One of the females, a gray and white llama named Goody, got skittish and spat at the male when her turn came around.

Her refusal to breed may be a good sign, Shapiro said. It may mean she is already pregnant.