Does your insurance cover llama visits?

October 20, 2009 12:21 PM

We have known almost since we first got him that Rojo was "different" from many other llamas we have been around. Rojo is a therapy llama.

Based on the philosophy of cospecies healing, Llama Assisted Therapy is a form of Animal Assisted Therapy used to facilitate and stimulate the sensory process.

Besides Rojo, other llamas ascending to therapeutic fame are Pisco and Charlie.

Finally, Rojo the llama walks the runway.

posted by Lutoslawski (55 comments total)

Me and my llama
Me and my llama
Going to the dentist today
posted by Astro Zombie at 12:25 PM on October 20, 2009 [4 favorites]

Llamas only have teeth on the bottom in the front, the top is just a rubbery pallet.

This makes it difficult, but not impossible, to eat pizza.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 12:26 PM on October 20, 2009 [11 favorites]

The Seattle Times just had a big feature about unusual service animals.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 12:28 PM on October 20, 2009

EAT YOUR FOOD YOU STUPID LLAMA!

Wow! That was theraputic!
posted by clearly at 12:29 PM on October 20, 2009

Those pictures, btw, pretty much all awesome.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 12:31 PM on October 20, 2009

This makes it difficult, but not impossible, to eat pizza.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 12:26 PM on October 20 [+] [!]

e-camelid-sterical!
posted by lalochezia at 12:32 PM on October 20, 2009

Rojo is available for corporate events? I'm forwarding this to my HR rep RIGHT NOW.
posted by palomar at 12:41 PM on October 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

The one-l lama, he's a priest
The two-l llama, he's a beast
And I will bet a silk pyjama
There isn't any three-l lllama.
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 12:41 PM on October 20, 2009 [3 favorites]

lama
posted by Zambrano at 12:44 PM on October 20, 2009

Aww. Some of those made me a little teary for some reason.

Damn, you llama! Leave my cold, cynical heart alone!
posted by JoanArkham at 12:48 PM on October 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

Limahl
posted by total warfare frown at 12:48 PM on October 20, 2009

A++ FPP.
posted by The Straightener at 12:49 PM on October 20, 2009

Rojo even looks dignified as a pirate. The photo album is priceless.
posted by rainbaby at 12:56 PM on October 20, 2009

Rojo is an ambassador for llamakind.

I admit it, while in the Andes, I revenge spat at several llamas. Rojo, you have made me regret that spiteful act.
posted by pick_the_flowers at 1:02 PM on October 20, 2009 [4 favorites]

Me and my llama
Me and my llama
Going to the dentist today

For some reason, I know that song by heart!

I also adore llamas, so thank you for this!!!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:06 PM on October 20, 2009

I didn't need any proof that llamas are awesome, but there you have it. Llamas are officially awesome.
posted by msali at 1:13 PM on October 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

Aren't Llamas the most ill tempered mammal on the planet?

Anyway waiting for this post to the Blue...

We had known almost since we first got him that Edgar was "different" from many other alligators we have been around. Edgar was a therapy alligator. Then he deathrolled a cancer patient. Now he's a handbg.

posted by PenDevil at 1:18 PM on October 20, 2009 [3 favorites]

Cool Papa Bell: "The Seattle Times just had a big feature about unusual service animals."

Of particular note in that article: the claim that someone brought a service-tarantula onto an airplane. I am guessing it would have to have been a seizure detecting spider? Unless it was a mental health promoting "therapy animal", but I find the idea of being emotionally consoled by a spider kind of silly.
posted by idiopath at 1:20 PM on October 20, 2009

Now I have seen a llama dressed as a pirate. My life is complete.
posted by elizardbits at 1:20 PM on October 20, 2009

The best part is that they don't seem to notice that Rojo the Llama is always totally high.
posted by The Straightener at 1:21 PM on October 20, 2009 [6 favorites]

I am guessing it would have to have been a seizure detecting spider?

Apparently there has been a huge amount of abuse in the "service animal" label. Perhaps I read about it here on Metafilter, my memory is foggy. At any rate, sounds more like a stunt rather than a real service spider.
posted by GuyZero at 1:24 PM on October 20, 2009

The best part is that they don't seem to notice that Rojo the Llama is always totally high.

Now I have seen a llama dressed as a pirate. My life is complete.

Oh my god. What I wouldn't give to share a joint with Rojo the Llama in his pirate costume. I can't really imagine anything better.
posted by Lutoslawski at 1:28 PM on October 20, 2009 [4 favorites]

I wonder if Rojo came from Llama-Fresh Farms Ltd?
posted by Greg_Ace at 1:32 PM on October 20, 2009

That llama has more outfits than I do.

Llamas only have teeth on the bottom in the front, the top is just a rubbery pallet.
Sure, because Rojo, like most domesticated male llamas, had his fangs (and/or nuts) removed.
posted by jamaro at 1:37 PM on October 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

unusual service animals

There is a lady in that article who claims to have a service cat.

Service. Cat.

Cats are just waiting for us to die so they can eat us. This cat is no different.
posted by uncleozzy at 1:39 PM on October 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

IANALL
posted by blue_beetle at 1:46 PM on October 20, 2009 [3 favorites]

14 North Chilean Guanacos
(closely related to the llama)
posted by shakespeherian at 2:10 PM on October 20, 2009

The best part is that they don't seem to notice that Rojo the Llama is always totally high.

I think it seems that way because llamas are used to higher altitudes, and all this heavy air can really get them down. Some llamas lash out in anger, pining for the fjords mountains, while others take it all and just abide.
posted by filthy light thief at 2:30 PM on October 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

We have known almost since we first got him that Rojo was "different" from many other llamas

I read this, and thought, "man, that's a really cliché start for a story about a gay llama."
posted by ArgentCorvid at 2:30 PM on October 20, 2009 [4 favorites]

idiopath: "I find the idea of being emotionally consoled by a spider kind of silly."

Your favorite companion animal sucks.
posted by Joe Beese at 2:38 PM on October 20, 2009

Save the drama for your llama.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 3:26 PM on October 20, 2009

I hear there's a llama in Tibet that's rather highly regarded... what was her name?

I've been called a 'service animal' myself...IN BED!

Also: RAMA-LLAMA-DING-DONG!!
posted by evilmidnightbomberwhatbombsatmidnight at 3:27 PM on October 20, 2009

Apparently there has been a huge amount of abuse in the "service animal" label. Perhaps I read about it here on Metafilter, my memory is foggy. At any rate, sounds more like a stunt rather than a real service spider.

That sounds familiar to me, too. Maybe this NPR story about service animals?
posted by dammitjim at 3:43 PM on October 20, 2009

Wait, I think it was this much longer NYT Magazine article that I initially read...
posted by dammitjim at 3:45 PM on October 20, 2009

The one-l lama, he's a priest
The two-l llama, he's a beast
And I will bet a silk pyjama
There isn't any three-l lllama

A three-l llama is a fire.

Thanks, I'll be here all week.
posted by Benny Andajetz at 3:53 PM on October 20, 2009 [8 favorites]

He's really the jolliest-looking llama I've ever seen. Most of them look haughty and seem to have matching temperaments.

And he's so clean and fluffy!!
posted by Lou Stuells at 3:55 PM on October 20, 2009

Interact with a friendly llama in the privacy of your own home!
posted by elizardbits at 4:20 PM on October 20, 2009 [3 favorites]

I live just north of Vancouver where Rojo lives, and his farm is but one of many, many llama farms here. Not to mention all the people who aren't actual llama breeders but have a few anyway. They're everywhere. My mother owns four llamas, there are llamas down the street from us, it's easy to find some driving down any random country road.

Aren't Llamas the most ill tempered mammal on the planet?

Not even close. If you piss them off enough they're spit at you, which makes them pretty useless for anything practical (i.e. for anything other than standing there and looking fluffy) but when left alone they're super curious and friendly. Most of them don't like being touched as much as Rojo seems to, but if you don't try and man-handle them they'll come up and sniff your hand or your face, and they'll follow you around as you go about your business. They're pretty amusing.
posted by Caduceus at 4:24 PM on October 20, 2009

A three-l llama is a fire.

only up here in New England!
posted by jessamyn at 5:15 PM on October 20, 2009

Llamas are officially awesome.

Taste good, too. [/not joking]
posted by signal at 5:20 PM on October 20, 2009

Wacky animal pictures usually aren't my thing, but the photo gallery is absolutely priceless.
posted by codacorolla at 5:41 PM on October 20, 2009

I'm gonna ride my llama
from Peru to Texarkana
I wanna ride him good
in my old neighborhood

I never really liked that song.
posted by Sailormom at 5:56 PM on October 20, 2009

I honestly and non-ironically love this llama's hat.
posted by subbes at 6:12 PM on October 20, 2009

Previously: Why it's a bad idea to be huggy-kissy with llamas.
posted by onlyconnect at 6:17 PM on October 20, 2009

Heh. I am the biggest sap. The photos made me cry.
posted by gaspode at 6:26 PM on October 20, 2009

I laughed at this picture, because he looks like ALF.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 6:27 PM on October 20, 2009 [2 favorites]

One llama is funky but
alone I'm just not sold.
Partner Rojo with a duck!
doorknob ankle cold
posted by Popular Ethics at 7:36 PM on October 20, 2009 [3 favorites]

I am completely in love with this idea. I can't stop saying "llama therapy" to myself. Llama therapy!!!

Interact with a friendly llama in the privacy of your own home!

Also, this is the hardest I've laughed in at least a month. Excellent.
posted by vytae at 8:21 PM on October 20, 2009

And that's how you GET TO LLAMA SCHOOL!!
posted by tzikeh at 9:23 PM on October 20, 2009 [1 favorite]

Just like Paris Hilton, Rojo the therapy llama has almost exactly the same expression in every photo. When Paris was too hung-over to appear in her TV show, The Simple Life, a stunt llama would be used in her stead for precisely this reason.
posted by Sparx at 10:23 PM on October 20, 2009

Llamas only have teeth on the bottom in the front, the top is just a rubbery pallet.

Everybody knows Llamas have a beak for eating honey!
posted by Pendragon at 3:20 AM on October 21, 2009

This appears to be the perfect opportunity to mention the Maine Llama Drill Team. [video]
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:46 AM on October 21, 2009

llama caddies
posted by kliuless at 11:49 AM on October 21, 2009

Every time the mister and I drive past llamas I chant "llama llama llama" and the mister makes spitting noises. I have no recollection how or why we started doing this.

I can't believe I'm admitting this.
posted by deborah at 6:59 PM on October 21, 2009

Deborah, its all right. My wife and I, due to an in joke from our early dating days, express affection for each other by making the sound (but not the moisture) of llama spit.

Also, this is probably the best thing that will ever be posted at Metafilter.
posted by Joey Michaels at 5:43 PM on October 22, 2009 [1 favorite]