Spitting image

This is an all-you-(n)ever-needed-to-know-about-spitting blip. We met this handsome chap at the Lloc de Menorca animal park, a really nice open-air animal reserve and protection and breeding program, where you can mingle with the animals. This llama was very excited at the sight of #2 son and spat spectacularly and accurately right in his face from 3 metres away. I didn't see it as I was inspecting a cute family of prairie dogs at the time, but heard the spitting sound and #2 daughter's raucous laughter. I joined them and found #2S wiping his sunglasses in disgust and #2D rolling on the ground and crying with mirth.

To my shame again (see yesterday's blip), #2S drew on his Liverpool roots and spat back at the animal, which then went into a frenzy of retribution, chasing him along the other side of the fence and trying to line up another shot. Other visitors came and went but the creature only had eyes for #2S, and watched in fury as we departed. I can only assume he was incensed by the "Mr Happy" t-shirt he was wearing (#2S, not the llama).

Here are some fascinating facts about spitting (yes, I do seem to have too much time on my hands):

Spitting or expectoration is the act of forcibly ejecting saliva or other substances from the mouth. It is usually considered rude and a social taboo in many parts of the world. It is possible to transmit infectious diseases in this way.

Spitting upon another person, especially onto the face, is a universal sign of anger, hatred or contempt. It can represent a "symbolical regurgitation" or an act of contamination. It can also be a device to bring good luck or ward off bad.

* Amongst the Fremen of Arrakis in Frank Herbert's Dune series, spitting is an act of showing one's appreciation and respect. Since the desert of Arrakis provides only a small amount of water to live from, giving away fluid is a special sign of honor.

* Spitting (or "gobbing") was a common practise among English punks in the 1970s. When the punk bands played live, it was seen as part of the punk ritual to spit on them.

* The Maasai people in Africa spit upon one another as a greeting and farewell. This was satirized in the movie Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls.

* A camel or llama may spit if it is annoyed.

* In law, spitting may be considered an assault and battery.

* Spitting within a few days after removal of a tooth can disrupt the recovery process as the spitting action can change the pressure inside the mouth and disturb scabs/clots in the wound.

* Baseball player Frenchy Bordagaray was once suspended for spitting on an umpire. He remarked that the punishment was "more than I expectorated."

"When correctly reared spitting at a human is a rare thing. Llamas are very social herd animals, however, and do sometimes spit at each other as a way of disciplining lower-ranked llamas in the herd. A llama's social rank in a herd is never static. They can always move up or down in the social ladder by picking small fights. This is usually done between males to see who becomes alpha. Their fights are visually dramatic with spitting, ramming each other with their chests, neck wrestling and kicking, mainly to knock the other off balance. The females are usually only seen spitting as a means of controlling other herd members.
One may determine how agitated the llama is by the materials in the spit. The more irritated the llama is, the further back into each of the three stomach compartments it will try to draw materials from for its spit."

Well done if you've read to the end of this blip. I hope the considerable information imparted on the subject will come in useful one day.