This weekend we went to the Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck (near New Paltz). It was huge, rambling and fun. There were so many animals other than just sheep. They had an entire petting zoo- llamas, ponies, rabbits, goats, monkeys and even a crocodile. I was happy to lead Birch up to the cages to let him touch the various animals’ noses, but my husband was more cautious. One parent asked the local rangler, "Can’t you teach the crocodile not to bite?" since the croc was in a very remote cage. We got some laughs out of that. But it made me think. Which animals would be more likely to bite at a petting zoo? I asked my friend who lives in New Paltz who owns a llama and boards several horses. He told us that horses will and have mistaken a child’s finger for a carrot before. That really surprised me. So I did some more research on the internet. Has anyone else heard that?
Here are some other animals and their biting proclivities: Deer: they only have back molars for grinding and small baby teeth along their bottom gum, so you are highly unlikely to get bitten. Llamas are more likely to spit or run away than bite children if they feel threatened. Llamas mainly have blunted bottom teeth, the exception being the older males who grow sharp fighting teeth that are usually removed or blunted or cut to keep from injuring other llamas. Rabbits will bite if provoked or if they are genetically aggressive animals.  Pigs will bite like dogs or cats: if provoked, if aggressive in nature and if not trained. Cows generally do not bite. Neither do goats generally. Goldfish DO NOT bite. **** BIG DISCLAIMER: please don’t hold me responsible for any or all of this especially if a goldfish does bite your child.

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