This is one pet that SHOULD have been neutered...

[Catty1]

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/Oddities/070819/K081902AU.html

Pet camel kills Australian woman while apparently trying to have sex
Published: Sunday, August 19, 2007 | 1:04 AM ET
Canadian Press

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) - An Australian woman was killed by a pet camel given to her as a 60th birthday present after the animal apparently tried to have sex, police said Sunday.

The woman, whose name was not released, was killed Saturday at her family's sheep and cattle ranch near Mitchell, 600 kilometres west of the Queensland state capital Brisbane, state police Detective Senior Constable Craig Gregory said.

The 10-month-old male camel - weighing about 150 kilograms - knocked the woman to the ground, lay on top of her, then exhibited what police suspect was mating behaviour, Gregory said.

"I'd say it's probably been playing, or it may be even a sexual sort of thing," Gregory said, adding the camel almost suffocated the family's pet goat by straddling it on several occasions.

Camel expert Chris Hill said he had no doubt the camel's behaviour was sexual.

Hill, who has offered camel rides to tourists for 20 years, said young camels are not aggressive, but can be dangerous if treated as pets without discipline.
Continue Article

The fate of the camel was not known.

The woman was given the camel in March as a birthday present from her husband and daughter. "She had a love of exotic pets," Gregory said.
© The Canadian Press, 2007

[king2005]

I think they should have done more research on the animal before playing with it. Camels can have a very nasty bite & Male anything can become agressive or show sexual behaviours.. I've seen colts do it.. they were pushed off & got light taps on the side of the face to get them OFF, but I'm sure if the colts aren't taught that young, then when larger they could accidently hurt/kill their human friend.

With Axle I know Spring can be a nasty time for him, so I try to read him & leave him alone often. I did a lot of research & have had no problems with him. He is a very powerful animal, but with 8years of respect & understanding his species I have never been bitten.

Getting an animal fixed isn't always the safest for the animal.. It would be really bad for Axle, so I take a lot of precautions to ensure we're both happy & safe.

[RICHARD]

I've seen colts do it.. they were pushed off & got light taps on the side of the face to get them OFF

Is that all it takes?

[Catty1]

A 10 month old camel is a lot heavier, I would think!

[king2005]

A 10 month old camel is a lot heavier, I would think!

I believe they are.. I have no idea what 150kg means, but I think thats a LOT more then a colt..

I'm talking about a 4' colt, which prob weighs about 100lb if not less... They are still dangerious, but when trained young they, like a dog can be trained that mounting people it BAD...

I was mostly trying to say that the animal should have been trained before she tried to play with it.

[Catty1]

150 kg = 330 lbs!

Yes, what the one guy in the article said is right in line with what you said, Jess - that this sort of situation is seen when the pet has affection but NO discipline or training.

Poor lady...

[king2005]

150 kg = 330 lbs!

Yes, what the one guy in the article said is right in line with what you said, Jess - that this sort of situation is seen when the pet has affection but NO discipline or training.

Poor lady...

& poor animal, I'm sure the family is going to want it destroyed, as non of them will ever love it.. Poor thing ment no harm

[TamanduaGirl]

I was on a camel group for awhile plus worked with llamas which are in the same family and similar but camels though domesticated a long time remain a little wilder.

1st problem never(unless it means life or death for the baby) bottle feed a camelid. They imprint on what raises them. One male where I worked the mistake was made of letting it nurse off a goat that allowed. Was cute and funny, till he grew up. Always trying to mount the goats and fight with the male goats. He had to be sent to a goatless home. Many of the neutered males still mount but they mount other of their species unless imprinted.

2nd is you don't want an intact male camel unless you have experience with the species already. They are among many species that go seasonally crazy with hormones.

Camels are fairly common in AU(here a camel is more expensive than a llama because llamas are more common) and they probably didn't think to much of it. Like someone getting a cow as a 'pet' They think of sweet Bettys farm cow but it's not reality or that simple they are big and can be dangerous too.

And donkeys can be nuts too. Working with mini donkeys at one show we only had two out at a time so the rest get restless and want out. I did a noon check of waters and clean ect. and was about to go out the gate but they were shoving around wanting out. I shoed them back then started to open the gate and they rushed up and the really crazy one jumped on me. Front legs over my shoulders. I think a combo of the others crowded around me and holding the gate kept me up or it could have been very bad.

Once she was off of me I just climbed the fence instead and did so from then on till we moved on.

All big animals can be dangerous.

[Twisterdog]

I think they should have done more research on the animal before playing with it.

Agreed. Or before buying it for someone, or owning it period. I think it's pretty common knowledge that camels can be rather tempermental animals.