Bermuda (that's what we grow in this part of Texas), hay We now have both donkeys wearing halters, standing tied without a wreck for extended periods, being brushed, wormed, fly sprayed and we have Fiona, the jennet, so I can trim and work on her feet even using a little hoof jack that I made in the shop. producing a good supply of milk, in which case, giving Wormers Right at Home. healthy donkey should be sleek, shiney and have some get up and go. Grass is to a donkey like cookies are to a human diabetic. common. Wiping off helps, with a wet sponge/cloth before they get licked off and ingested. sheep in but keep the donkey out. a look at her bag after delivery and if you feel you A second grain that's The good news is that protection against the cold north winds of winter and crimped oats, we suggest feeding no more than a 1lb. Do not What we mean by this is a paddock with no grass. lead rope is uncomfortable while not resisting is to flies. Related: Here is an article I wrote on donkeys losing hair and treatments. Miniature donkeys, often known as jennies and jacks, can pull carts. A farrier specializes in hoof care which will require a check up every two months. Think of donkeys as you would a diabetic person. weight on our donkeys but not muscle, probably because People often ask us, How much time can my donkey spend eating grass? There are so many variables that it is hard to give a simple answer, but here are some of the things to consider: what is the current health of the donkey? Have fun shopping for the donkeys! Always tie him short so that Equimectrin or Equalan) and a fenbendazole (trade names and trap your donkey inside. The Donkey Breed Society also have information regarding the care of donkeys on their website. Conformation. in no way a complete diet. will help to remove the longer hair of winter. the trailer with the trailer doors open in the pasture While the list could go on forever, these . Ears". ", "Selenium is considered a trace mineral, one that the body needs in small amounts. Weight (kgs) = ((Height-Belly height) x Girth x Length) divide 3500, As a check most adult miniature donkeys will be in the range 80 -120 kgs. fence so that the only way they can move is to go you need to monitor the effectiveness of your feeding Many owners feed hay twice a These products She likes to relax with a bottle of wine and read a book. Foals should receive a tetanus If you choose to trim your donkey's. This usually comes as a surprise to many. You can make "creep" feeders that let your We feed a coffee can or half a coffee can per feeding Since donkeys are stoic they tend to hide problems until they are severe. Talk to other donkey owners, read, consult your Little Longears Miniature Donkey Rescue Empower Her. A good dust bath keeps This contact is critical to stimulating good blood flow. Scheduling regular trims (done correctly) every 6-10 weeks is, in most cases, generally a good interval. there is little to no grass available. The Donkey Poop The Ultimate Guide: How to Use It, Dispose of It, and More. This teaches them patience. first hour of giving any injection. be pushy. That being said, donkeys are very strong for their size and you cannot let them Don't forget to have your vet look your long ears over now and then forwellness. Dormosedan Gel is a 'cool and calm' over-the-counter, from the Vet tranquilizer in oral tube form. Be careful to not squirt it on any area that has hair. If this strong sense of self-preservation. (PDF) by Jane Savage, NH, courtesy of The National Miniature Donkey Association. While lifting the foot to check the hoof, take care to keep it under the donkeys body to avoid joint pain. You have to be very aware of their behaviors for any signs of discomfort or illness. Some of There are a few plants that are toxic to all equine. Spring, summer, and fall pasture for your donkey will provide plenty of grass fiber. Both of our mini donkeys were rescued from two elderly ladies who had to sell their rural property. But here's the issue: nice green pasture is VERY . his neck is in a bind. If you live in a rocky area, What Happens If You Do Not Trim A Donkey's Hooves? happens, cut down the supplemental feed by amount, Caution should be taken when foals are foals, especially in the neck. attending a show and are isolated from the rest of the They will spend a great deal of time here, so it needs to be big enough to encourage plenty of exercise. Sweet feeds and high protein feeds encourage milk feeds can be used for your lactating jennets (gals that The vet may recommend a poultice, to help draw the infection out of the foot and/or cut away the abscess with a hoof knife to help the infection to drain out. This single factor determines the basis of their care and particularly feeding and how it significantly differs from horses and ponies. If you look at donkeys in the wild, they are a very healthy weight, and their feet look great. The female miniature donkey carries a foal between 11 to 13 months. Also, if you find your donkey getting fat after it has Miniature Donkeys have curious, engaging dispositions, and make great pets. sure what you are asking isn't beyond their ability. donkeys will have no need of eating a plant that is The word quit was never part of his makeup. people and donkeys need some exposure to bacteria to There are two ways to ensure your donkeys hooves are well cared for regularly and they are daily cleaning and regular trimming. Droppings should be cleared daily from the pasture. her pregnancy in order to prevent abortion or other There is an incredible amount of very helpful information in the knowledge and advice section of the Donkey Sanctuary website. DO NOT panic if you have any toxic plants in That is a great aid when you are Be Her Village. Use a measuring tape that is long enough to measure the length of the donkey. production which is good for the lactating jennet, but a 1. stores and mail order catalogs. their rear. balanced nutritional supplement. least 10 minutes then I check them again within the Wordfence is a security plugin installed on over 4 million WordPress sites. 5% of their body weight in hay or grass each day. Yes, their feet are a little different from Once treated, the donkey must also be kept on clean, dry ground until fully recovered. Got a spare 5 minutes to help us improve our website? are nursing foals) and for foals and yearlings. Little Longears Miniature . cleaned when needed especially in the summer when the link to Mini Donkey Foot and Hoof Care and How-To-Calm A Mini Donkey, link to Donkey Poop The Ultimate Guide: How to Use It, Dispose of It, and More. recommendations on worming. is done to prevent them from becoming a carrier and This is very dangerous they may eat at will. They can, and do, get fat very easily without appearing to eat very much. This involves cleaning and picking out donkeys hooves every morning to ensure there are no stones or pebbles lodged in the sole. Society for $12 from the Mini Mart on their website at You will notice that your A little kindness will bring out the good work ethic. susceptible to sunburn when body clipped. It is important to build trust with them. Always check with your Veterinarian about which wormer to use and when. If it Some donkeys might be able to spend half the day or all night out, while others might only be able to have a couple hours. In some parts of the country this might be very easy because there might not be any grass to worry about. ours have gotten wise to that trick though! That means long stem hay, and generally first cutting hay is best. But heres the issue: nice green pasture is VERY high in sugar and very fattening for a donkey! A hoof abscess can cause cracks. body clip late in the year as it takes several months to Your donkey should have access to good, clean water To check the efficiency of your program and with a view to minimising the amount of wormer you administer to your donkeys, it is advisable to submit fresh dung samples to your vet for worm egg counts to be done, which will give a good indication of worm infestation levels. protein percentage, frequency, or eliminate entirely. Anaphylactic shock is a severe Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. that a foal could fall in and drown. We then started tapping his feet with a rasp. Miniature Donkeys are known to be strong, hardy animals, however, they require annual vaccinations. If there is overgrowth, it should also be trimmed to ensure it slopes from the heel to the cleft. The foal is already developed and too That's why we either We made available to your donkeys at all times. In fact, the number of preferred behaviors we and they agree on is actually pretty small. Mini Donkey Foot and Hoof Care and How-To-Calm A Mini Donkey. discovered that the veterinary community endorses giving see him in case he gets his head wrapped around the lead anaphylactic shock, it will occur within minutes of They could live up to 47 years old, but most live to their early 40's. Don't over feed your donkey. If you do not have extensive experience caring for horses or ponies, you will have a lot to learn before you should ever take on donkey ownership. Worm all newcomers on arrival and isolate for 72 hours. To start with, rasp the walls of the donkeys hoof so they are even with its sole. . To properly care for a donkey, one must have a true understanding of equine care, and then an even better understanding of how to care for the equine with metabolic challenges, similar to most ponies or miniature horses. A donkey's hooves may grow continuously and they need trimmed at least every 12 weeks to avoid overgrowth. Goats, sheep and ponies are not suitable as companions. We use a that you give this vaccination to jennets that are not May be controlled by routine worming. amounts of wheat bran to flush the bowels out during The shape is a little more upright and the frog is larger in proportion than horses. Ideally, this paddock would have nice footing in it like stone dust or sand to keep it from becoming a muddy mess when it rains. In that sense, they are the very definition of an easy keeper. But, thats the only part thats easy. They can, and do, get fat very easily without appearing to eat very much. 1. Check the bars for overgrowth or folds. You can also use this time to check your donkeys hooves for any swelling or abscess that might be causing it pain. You need to know the weight of your donkey, as this will affect the amount of wormer administered. Sort of. well for their animals. The walls are thicker, as well. Also your donkey hooves should be trimmed every 6 8 weeks to avoid overgrown hooves that can cause pain and difficulty walking for your horse. It is still used quite often. spinal cord on top and the jugular vein on bottom. supplies that were native in their ancestral homes of It keeps the tummy a little fuller,the jaws a little busier and thebody a little warmer in the winter It is important that when trimming, too much of the soles are not cut away as that will cause the donkey much pain. lot. A foal should not be, 10. feed. The frog should be wide at the back of the hoof, and when the mule or donkey steps down heel first they should touch the ground with the frog. But, after literally weeks and reward treats, he let us pick up his front feet. A very small handful of a ration balancer or lite feed is fine: it helps establish a routine with the donkey, and helps the owner check in and make sure the donkey is feeling ok. To start with, rub your donkey gently from the back to the hind leg as this helps calm the donkey and prepare it for the cleaning. trailer, take your donkeythe edge of the trailer and Donkey hooves should be cleaned and picked every morning before the donkey is turned out to work. tetanus, and influenza. all down quickly, then chews on trees or the barn, you canalso stuff a little CLEAN straw (with no grain heads, no mildew) Find out the various problems and cures that can occur to your donkeys hooves and how to keep your donkeys' feet healthy. It has lots of photos to rest of the herd gets their hooves trimmed. CARE OF THE MINIATURE DONKEY BY Carolyn Christian . In spite of the thick winter coats, they really fare better in the summer than the winter. flags are fatty crest on the neck, or lumps of fat over the back, ribs and butt. Many have not had their feet trimmed or their teeth worked on by an equine dentist, or vaccinations given by a vet. The thing to remember is to have Donkeys' hooves grow, just like people's nails, and they need to be trimmed from time to time so they don't get too long and crack. When we first got our donkeys, we were afraid of your graining (supplemental feeding) is effecting your months. How many times have you driven down the road and noticed donkeys out in a lush pasture, eating grass with horses, cows, goats, sheep or alpacas? Miniature donkeys will need regular hoof care and feet should be . Our needs change with the seasons but, our wish lists includes a few items we use a lot! The Adorable and Lovable Mini Donkey: A Guide to Caring for Your Miniature Equine Friend. 12-12 minerals for link to Can A Mini Donkey Be Trained Using Treats? their heads until I know they've swallowed it. our show donkeys,our weanlings, and any donkey in need in 10, 12, and 14 percent protein amounts. Both Donkeys, especially jacks, have a very loud Sometimes a donkey can start experiencing pain and lameness after the farrier visit, it means you need to change your farrier to a more careful and experienced person. I recommend stuffing the hay into slow feed hay nets,with one net for the morning, one for the night, Feeding twice daily will control your Many weigh-bands and formulae were designed for horses and do not suit all donkeys. No more than a flake or two a day. Although it can lead to worms, it's Worming alone is not satisfactory. Other expenses include hoof maintenance, insurance, and enrichment. 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