Lonesome llama in Adams set to get a friend

Yahoo

08-02-2025

Feb. 7—ADAMS — Ranger the lonely llama will be getting a friend.
"I'm going to be renting a llama until my beloved dies," said Melissa M. Eisenhauer, who several weeks ago began running a classified advertisement in the Watertown Daily Times seeking a companion for Ranger, 21, who is nearing the end of a llama lifespan. Eisenhauer wants Ranger's final days to include the companionship of his own kind.
Ranger's best friend and constant companion, his "brother" Bob, died a few years ago. Eisenhauer and her husband, Scott A. Eisenhauer, sought a companion for Ranger because llamas are social creatures and are healthiest and happiest when they are with other llamas or something llama-like. The Eisenhauers said if they couldn't find a neutered male llama for Ranger, a female pony would also do.
Ranger shared a storied life with Bob after they were rescued from a kill pen in Washington state in 2009. The Eisenhauers moved to the north country about seven years ago. Scott is the son of Wesley and Donna Eisenhauer, Watertown. He's a 1981 graduate of Immaculate Heart High School, Watertown, and a 1985 graduate of West Point Military Academy — commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Army infantry. He served 23 years, commanding troops from platoon to battalion level.
Llama Bob is buried on the Eisenhauer's County Route 66 farm.
Ranger nearly found a new buddy in October 2023 when his owners traveled to just south of Geneva, near Seneca Lake, where they picked up an alpaca. The Eisenhauers named the animal Forest. It took about four weeks of integration before they let him out in pasture with Ranger. But Forest died a year later.
Shortly after a Watertown Daily Times story was published last month on Ranger's situation, Melissa reached out to the Summer Hill Llama Farm in Lodi, Seneca County. The llamas at the farm are pure-bred and have won scores of awards at the New York State Fair and at various shows.
Now, Finnegan, a llama that is nearly 2 years old, awaits a break in the weather so he can join Ranger in Adams. Melissa signed a lease agreement with Summer Hill Farm owner Rachel Diamond. Among the terms in the lease: "The llama is to remain at the lease's property until lessee's llama passes or it is deemed he is no longer needed. At that time, the llama is to be returned to the owner in healthy condition."
The lease fee is $1,000.
Diamond said she raises 50 llamas on her farm.
"I've placed llamas where someone had to replace one or something, but this one is a little unique and we think we're going to be able to help Melissa out, and her llama won't be lonely anymore," she said.
Diamond described the gelded Finnegan, or Finn as he is known to those close to him, as "a typical llama."
"He's kind of, 'I just want to stand out here and be left alone and not do anything,' which is exactly what she is looking for."
Diamond said she can understand the concern for Ranger.
"Lamas can live to be in their 20s, but they are very much herd animals. In this situation where he's been with an animal for a while and lost it, that can exacerbate a situation. Ranger, being by himself, isn't good, hence the reason we're trying to get this guy up there."
The weather between Adams and Lodi — about 115 miles apart — has delayed the transfer of Finnegan to the Eisenhauer farm.
"We're trying to get it worked out so we can get him up there as soon as we can," Diamond said.
Melissa's advertisement promised a "fantastic life awaits" for any buddy of Ranger, while the "best hay and grain awaits" with a huge barn and pasture.
Summer Hill Farm, Diamond said, had a recent run of male llamas being born.
"At one point, it was 13 llamas in a row. So, we have a pretty good-sized group of boys out there all under the age of two."
Diamond uses her llamas for breeding stock and uses their fiber, which can be made into a variety of items such as clothing and blankets. "I also sell llamas as therapy animals and to people who want pets, companions and guards."
The guard llamas must be kept on her farm until at least they reach their second year. "They kind of have to grow up in a herd dynamic to learn how to be a llama."
Diamond grew up on a dairy farm and raised horses for a long time, but following a bad car crash that caused an issue with her back, she's unable to ride horses.
"It was never going to be my thing to do llamas," she said. "I had never even thought about llamas."
She explained how she fell into raising them.
"My son met a woman at the state fair one year and when we went to visit her, she gave him four llamas. But that turned out to be eight because all of them were pregnant."
The following spring, she said that her son told her he didn't want to care for llamas anymore.
"So, the llamas became mine," Diamond said. It's just been a learning curve. They're so unique. Llamas are really cool animals; relaxing and soothing."
Her llama farm borders the Finger Lakes National Forest.
"Now that I'm — quote, retired — my goal is to try to set up a scenario where people are able to come and go out and hike through the woods with a llama."
That's where Finnegan could end up, following his bittersweet current assignment.