Miss Z (8/2/02) was a three-year-old female when we bought her in the summer of 2005. She is a difficult llama to handle, but getting better. She is extremely head shy. I think she has a history of being held by her ears. She also reacts to haltering as if she thought the halter was a dangerous object. I think she associates haltering with transport to another sale or another auction, or some other negative experience. She is getting calmer. She now permits touching on the body and neck as long as no motion is made toward her head. Once haltered, she leads beautifully and behaves as if she has proper training and experience.

She has the widest range of food preferences of any of our llamas. Almost any human food is eagerly accepted. She especially likes bananas, strawberries, bread, etc. She knows we keep such treats in the kitchen, and will come in for them. However, we don't encourage her to come in the house very often because she is so easily spooked.

Miss Z has a thing for dogs. Any canines that come too near get kicked. It does not seem to be personal, just an attitude. I suspect she has had a dog experience somewhere in the past. When we acquired in new puppy (Maya) who is training to be a guard dog, Miss Z picked on the puppy. Now that Maya weighs 50+ pounds, Miss Z has a problem. She is guarded by a dog who loves all the llamas but her!

She is the least trusting of our llamas, but trust is something that grows with time and loving care. Miss Z is getting better at communicating her thoughts. She watches your face intently with a “read my mind” attitude. I think she will acquire the pantomime ability practiced by some of the other females. She certainly knows how to “vote” with her feet. Miss Z is trying to form a political coalition with Nova, and supports Nova when Nova is chasing or wrestling another llama (usually Apu or Glacier).

She seemed pleased when we added a room on to the feed shed so she, like all the other llamas, have a feeding space and feed bowl designated only for her. Her feeding stall has a large window (a glass patio door mounted sideways). At feeding time she will run around the back of the barn and watch the progress through her window. As the feed buckets approach her stall, she rushes back around to be fed.

Miss Z kushes on an old futon.

Miss Z enjoys hiking at Pedernales Falls with Sharon.