When Flaire Ferrell posted a TikTok video of his baby camel Faye seemingly greeting the world with a cheery “hey,” he had no idea the internet would fall in love. 

The Southeast Missouri camel farmer has since watched his adorable charge rack up millions of views, and with many sparking a fascination with his entire menagerie.

“So that is not really an uncommon thing for camels, it’s just a sound that they make,” Ferrell tells PEOPLE, downplaying the viral magic as just another day on the farm. But Faye’s uncanny vocalization isn’t the only trick up his camels’ sleeves — another, Georgia, has even learned to say “hi” on command.

Ferrell explains that young camels like Faye often have higher-pitched, shorter vocalizations that can sound surprisingly human, but as they grow, their voices deepen into grumbles. “That just seems to be Faye’s voice, I guess,” he says.

Camels have been Ferrell’s passion since 2014, when a classified ad for a camel changed his life at just 15 years old. “I absolutely fell in love just with the species alone, and here I am going on 11 years now of owning camels, and they’ve just become like my passion,” he shares.

Since then, Ferrell has owned nearly 60 camels, with 21 currently calling his Missouri farm home. “At the current moment, I have 21,” he says, his pride in his growing herd clear as he recounts his journey from curious teen to a now seasoned camel whisperer.

However, he admits raising camels comes with its own set of challenges, especially when it comes to parasites and finding knowledgeable veterinarians. “The challenge is finding a good vet if something goes wrong,” Ferrell says.

But the rewards far outweigh the difficulties for Ferrell, who describes his work as a “triple win situation.” “If I can make an animal’s life happy, I can make someone else’s life happy with that animal, and then lastly, I can benefit financially from it,” he explains.

Ferrell’s connection with his camels runs deep, and he credits them with saving his life. “Camels have really saved my life,” he says. Before Faye and the rest of the herd, Ferrell had a camel named Roman who was his best friend up until his unfortunate passing. 

Interacting with Faye and the rest of the herd is all about patience and affection, especially in those crucial early weeks. 

“I just go out there and give them love for the first couple months, just you know, a lot of just hanging out in the pen with them without trying to handle or work with them and get them accustomed to me,” Ferrell says.

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He’s quick to point out that the camels’ “hey” and “hi” moments are never forced or trained — they’re simply natural sounds that happen to delight anyone lucky enough to hear them. “So it’s more of a natural sound, and she was so young,” he says of Faye’s viral greeting.

Ferrell’s farm is far from just camels — he’s also cared for emus, kangaroos, donkeys, horses, cattle, chickens, pigeons and even a rescued potbelly pig. 

But it’s the camels that remain closest to his heart, and he hopes his viral moment helps dispel common misconceptions about the species. “A lot of people have a misunderstanding of camels, they think they’re mean and they spit, and most generally they’re not if they’re properly taken care of,” Ferrell says, eager to share his knowledge with new camel enthusiasts.

He’s especially proud of his dromedaries, which, unlike their two-humped cousins, don’t spit. “They love to do work with you,” he adds, describing the intelligence and emotional sensitivity that make camels such rewarding companions.

Ferrell’s ultimate hope is that people see camels for the incredible, loving animals they are — and maybe catch a little of the joy that Faye’s viral “hey” has brought to the world. He says, “I take pride in raising quality camels in the United States.”