Lamas

The Incas saw the benefits in keeping the ancestor of the lama as a pet for the same mentioned reasons as stated above. The Incas domesticated the ancestor, the guanaco, from which both the lama and the alpaca came to be. The lama is a species of South-American camel without the bumps and is smaller in size. The head looks a tad bit like that of a sheep. The alpaca is a domestic species of lama too and equal in almost every aspect to the lama as described above. The alpaca is just a bit smaller and lighter, and it's wool is even finer than that of the lama. Below I have put some additional information

Lama (Lama guanicoe glama)

Gestation	10 to 12 months
Adult weight	70 to 140 kilos
Full length	140 cm.
Tail length	18 cm.
Shoulder height	130 cm.
Full height	160 cm.
Lifespan	20 years
Food	Grasses, herbs and mosses (the lama can survive on very little food and water for a significant amount of time)
Coat color	Brown/white/black, the coat can be multicolored spotted, other times it has just one color.
Group life	It is best to keep them in groups of about 12 lamas. Instictively males watch out over the group of females (1 per group).
Space	They need now and then the space to graze and run if possible. Lamas can run fast, a large fence is advised.
Strangers	They can attack strangers/imposters (be it animal or human) and are very alert.
Shaving	Only the females are shaved for wool because the males are used as beasts of burden and therefor need their coat to avoid stressdamages to the skin.
Spit	Lamas do spit when agitated, keep in mind that lamas are pretty whimsical.
Oxygen	The lama is for those living at high altitude in the Andes very important as a beast of burden. The lama by day can walk long distances. This it can do because it's lungs have a large capacity in proportion to it's size, and the blood can absorb much more oxygen then most other animals can, which is an adaptation to it's high altitude living.

Offered by Michel.