What to feed mini donkeys who are underweight?
- Hay
- Straw
- Minerals and Vitamins
- Short chop chaff products
- High Fibre Pellets
- Fruits and Vegetables
- Dried Sugar Beet Pulp
- Don’t forget – Your donkey needs plenty of fresh water!
How do you care for a miniature donkey?
- CARE OF THE MINIATURE DONKEY. The following are some tips and procedures we use at Quarter Moon Ranch to care for our donkeys. ...
- WATER. Your donkey should have access to good, clean water 24 hours a day at all times. ...
- HAY. ...
- SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING. ...
- MINERALS. ...
- WORMING. ...
- VACCINATIONS. ...
- HOOF CARE. ...
- TOXIC PLANTS. ...
- GENERAL CARE. ...
What treats can I give my donkeys?
Treats
- Basic treats like carrots, apples, peppermints, bananas, watermelon, oranges, pears, grapes, celery, strawberries, and pumpkin are all safe for donkeys. ...
- Donkeys like sweet flavors, like raspberry. ...
- You can add fruit to a bucket of water to make it more challenging to grab—think bobbing for apples, but with donkeys!
What do you feed miniature donkeys?
🌟1. All donkeys, no matter the size, still get mixed grass hay in the winter free choice and they still get lots of forage from the land in the summer. BUT, standard and especially miniature donkeys need to be fed in slow feeder hay bags. For more on those check here:
What is the best feed for miniature donkeys?
What to feed your donkeysStraw. We recommend feeding donkeys quality barley straw as it is high in fibre and low in sugar, and closely resembles the food that a donkey would eat in the wild. ... Hay. ... Silage. ... High fibre pellets. ... Short chop chaff products. ... Dried sugar beet pulp. ... Succulents. ... Minerals and vitamins.More items...
What should you not feed donkeys?
Avoid dusty or mouldy feeds. Access to an equine salt or mineral lick is advisable (avoid mineral licks designed for other types of livestock as they may contain inappropriate mineral levels).
How much should you feed mini donkeys?
For miniature donkeys, all you would need to feed is 10 g (1/3 oz) per day. The buckets are much smaller and have a longer shelf life, so there would be no concern about the product going stale.
What do you need for a mini donkey?
Miniature donkeys require good quality hay and fresh, clean water. Their primary food is grass, but they also graze other shrubs and desert plants. If only poor quality hay is available, it should be supplemented with a commercial feed. Because donkeys are prone to weight gain, their feed should be closely monitored.
Can mini donkeys eat sweet feed?
You should never feed Longears (donkeys, or mules) any pre-mixed sweet feeds, or products high in alfalfa. Equines in general should never be turned out in a pasture with Fescue grass.
What is toxic to donkeys?
Non-medicated cow, goat, and bird foods are not good for your donkeys, and medicated feeds can be fatal! Medicated food for many other animals at sanctuaries contain Rumensin or Bovatec and other ionophores (antibiotics) to control disease. However, ionophores are EXTREMELY toxic to equines.
Are Timothy pellets good for donkeys?
Donkeys and mules that are not doing any work should be able to meet all of their nutrient requirements from good grass hay (such as timothy or orchard grass offered from Standlee Premium Western Forage) fed at a rate of 1.5% of body weight and a low-intake ration balancer pellet.
Should donkeys be stabled at night?
Most donkeys normally need to drink more water in winter than in Summer as they are consuming more dried food. We recommend miniatures are stabled at night, especially in winter. Additionally for security purposes a stable with security lights is the safest place for such friendly animals all year round after dark.
How many pounds of hay does a mini donkey need?
Allow for the weight of your bucket and make sure each donkey is getting 1 ½ to 2 pounds of hay per feeding. We find that the 2 pounds per feeding is perfect for our donkeys. If your donkeys are grazing on pasture make sure to allow for this in your daily food allotment and reduce your amount of hay.
Are mini donkeys hard to care for?
Miniature donkeys are not hard to take care of, nor do they require as much commercial grain as other barnyard animals. They get many nutrients from grazing, but they also need high-quality hay and crimped oats. You can also feed your mini lots of fresh fruits and veggies—they are bottomless pits sometimes!
What is the best bedding for donkeys?
Barley strawBarley straw is the preferred bedding for healthy donkeys. Barley straw is lower in feed value than oat straw, but higher than wheat straw. It is comfortable for the donkeys to lie on and drains reasonably well.
Can mini donkeys live alone?
Donkeys are definitely not well-suited to living alone. A donkey without any buddies will quickly get sad, depressed, and lonely. They form incredibly strong bonds with their pals, so we strongly recommend keeping bonded pairs together for life. Donkeys can also bond with horses.
Can donkey eat oranges?
5. Oranges. This vitamin C-rich fruit is another safe and delicious treat for your donkeys. Rich both in fiber and water, oranges are very healthy for donkeys to eat.
What should donkey eat?
The donkeys graze, eat forbs and shrubs and the bark of trees. They normally should be allowed to graze for six to seven hours a day on free range. A donkey is a monogastric herbivore thus it eats roughages and utilizes cellulose and hemicellulose efficiently.
Can donkeys eat rolled oats?
Youngsters under the age of two and older donkeys that are more than 20-years-old have been found to do well on rolled oats or a 50 per cent rolled oat and 50 per cent rolled barley mix. Adult donkeys over the age of two years do well on good quality, clean whole oats.
Can donkeys eat bread?
What do donkeys eat & drink – can I feed them? Donkeys usually eat barley straw, hay, grass (pasture) and various other things like bread, molasses & sugar beet which are mixed in with their feed, as well as carrots, apples, pears, turnip & swede.
What do donkeys eat?
Your first care question might be," What do they eat and how much do they eat?". Miniature Donkeys are grazers. So, they will be eating your pasture grass. Coastal Bermuda seems to be the best , but there are many other native grasses in your area of the country ,that will be a good food supply.
How far is San Antonio from the mini donkey farm?
San Antonio is three hours South of our mini farm. ... Houston is five hours South East. Odessa Midland about 3 and a half hours West of our miniature donkey farm ...El Paso is West from our miniature donkey farm.
Where is the mini donkey farm in Texas?
Stephenville , Texas where our mini donkey farm is located , is a short drive from cities like Weatherford, Granbury, Mineral Wells, Glen Rose, Cleburne, Brownwood , and Hico. Our miniature donkey farm is about an hour to an hour and a half South West of Ft. Worth and Dallas.
How much protein should I feed my horse?
If you think you fall into that category limit the amount of horse and mule feed you give as treat and be sure it is a lower protein mix---10 % to 12%. If you cannot find that low of protein do not to feed over 14%.
Can donkeys eat cereal?
Donkeys, on the other hand, don’t need this kind of supplementation. In fact, cereal grains should never be fed to a donkey; a donkey’s increased metabolism of energy and protein makes cereal grains completely off-limits.
Can donkeys get laminitis?
It also means that if a donkey is let loose in a lush pasture, he’s more likely to put on too much weight. (And yes, overweight donkeys can develop laminitis.) Ideally, a donkey’s year-round diet should include more mature hay than grass, to help keep his condition in check.
Is a donkey a pet?
Donkeys are growing in popularity as pets, even here in Kentucky, home of the Horse Capital of the World! Because donkeys look so similar to ponies, their owners may think Hallway Feeds is a good option to ensure they get all the nutrition they need. However, donkeys and ponies are very different—with different digestive systems, ...
Is a donkey a browser?
For example, ponies are grazers, and they can meet a lot of their nutritional needs out in the pasture. Donkeys, however, are both grazers and browsers.
Can a donkey have a ration balancer?
A product like Hallway Feeds Pure & Simple Balancer can support a healthy digestive tract and has the protein, vitamins, and minerals that many equines need to ensure overall health. Note , though, that a donkey would be fed a balancer at a much lower rate than a pony. Consult your vet for appropriate advice.
What do donkeys eat?
High fibre requirement. Donkeys require a diet high in fibre and low in protein, sugars, starch/carbohydrates and calories. The donkey diet should consist of mainly good quality barley straw or oat straw (barley straw is best) and carefully restricted access to grass. Donkeys may require supplemental hay if they are not maintaining good body ...
How do donkeys survive?
Donkeys have evolved over thousands of years to live in semi-arid environments where the nutritional quality of the food available is very poor. They have adapted to eat fibrous plant material in small quantities throughout the day. This is known as trickle feeding and helps to keep the donkey’s digestive system healthy and to keep ...
What is trickle feeding?
This is known as trickle feeding and helps to keep the donkey’s digestive system healthy and to keep the donkey occupied. Please note that, while donkeys are a member of the Equidae or horse family, they are a different species to horses and therefore have different needs.
How to keep donkeys indoors?
Donkeys kept indoors require a floor-level feed bin or corner-floor feeder placed so that feed cannot get soiled. Hay nets are not recommended as it is better for donkeys to eat from the floor and empty hay nets can be a hazard. Place enough straw in the feeder so that they can browse through it. There will be no waste as the remainder can be used for bedding. If possible, position the feeder so that the donkey’s feet are not on the bedding while they are eating, so they have a chance to dry out. It is recommended to allow ‘paddock’ time to exercise and for environmental enrichment.#N#Donkeys should always have access to a clean water supply and they may be quite fussy about what they drink. A securely supported bucket or a self-filling trough should be constantly available and should be cleaned out daily after the stable has been mucked out to avoid a build up of dust or dirt in the water.
Why do donkeys need veterinary attention?
These donkeys will require veterinary attention to address the dental issues and special dietary attention to ensure they receive adequate nutrition. They may require supplementary feeding with high fibre products that are more easily eaten e.g. short-chop high fibre products to reduce the need to chew.
Do donkeys need special diets?
Elderly donkeys. Please note that elderly donkeys may require special dietary attention. Dental disease and/or other health problems may mean that older donkeys have trouble chewing long strands of straw/hay and therefore they may require supplementary feeding to provide an alternative fibre source.
Do donkeys need water?
Donkeys should always have access to a clean water supply and they may be quite fussy about what they drink. A securely supported bucket or a self-filling trough should be constantly available and should be cleaned out daily after the stable has been mucked out to avoid a build up of dust or dirt in the water.
What is graining in donkeys?
The key is to observe how your graining (supplemental feeding) is effecting your donkey's body condition. There are several types of supplemental feeds. One grain that is used frequently is crimped oats (must be “crimped" oats not whole oats). Crimped oats is usually 10% protein with some crude fat.
How to teach a donkey to load in a trailer?
If you want to teach your donkey to load easily in a trailer, take your donkey the edge of the trailer and keep constant pressure on the lead rope. He will resist, but will give an inch or so at a time in order to relieve the pressure. When he does, keep the pressure on and just BE PATIENT.
Why do donkeys stand tied?
Our donkeys have learned how to stand tied and be quiet because we tie them all to post when the farrier comes. When hooves are trimmed, they are left there while the rest of the herd gets their hooves trimmed. This teaches them patience. Some get to where they just go to sleep tied to the fence.
What happens if you give your baby too much feed?
If given too much supplemental feed after delivery, her bag may become too large and the baby may not be able to keep up with production. In some cases, that can create mastitis which causes inflammation and an infection of the udder and must be treated with antibiotics.
What is the third type of supplemental feed?
The third type of supplemental feed comes in various brand names, but are commonly referred to as a total or balanced nutritional supplement. Products such as Strategy, Omaline 100, 200, and 300 are examples of this feed. All are by Purina.
When do donkeys get rhinopneumonitis?
Pregnant jennies receive a rhinopneumonitis injection (commonly Rhino-Pneumabort K) in the 5th, 7th, and 9th months of pregnancy to prevent abortion. Our show donkeys are given a Rhino-flu booster 3 weeks prior to attending a show and are isolated from the rest of the herd for at least 2 weeks following a show.
Do donkeys need to be body clipped?
Body clipping makes it cooler for them in the summer, but exposes the skin to flies. Also, spotted donkeys are more susceptible to sunburn when body clipped. Do not body clip late in the year as it takes several months to grow out and winter winds may arrive before your donkey's winter coat does.
Are Miniature Donkeys Good Pets?
As their name suggests, miniature donkeys take up less space than full-sized ones and they might also need less feed. They’re every bit as intelligent as full-sized donkeys and can be taught to get along with other pets.
How Much Do Miniature Donkeys Cost?
True miniature donkeys that are less than 9 hands tall can cost anywhere from around $500-2,000. You can find ones that are slightly larger at much lower prices.
How Big Do Dwarf Donkeys Get?
In general, the term dwarf donkey isn’t specifically defined by any breeders. As a result, there’s no concrete definition as to how big they get.
What are Miniature Donkeys Good for?
While they’re usually kept as companion animals at this point, miniature donkeys have historically been used for a number of farm-related tasks. They’re safer than full-sized donkeys and can be used for pasture as well as yard maintenance.
Can You Keep a Miniature Donkey in Your House?
Some people do keep miniature donkeys in their house, but you’ll want to make sure that you either raise them as an indoor animal or introduce them to your house over time. An outdoor miniature donkey who has never been inside of a home before will otherwise be likely to start wrecking things.
Do Miniature Donkeys Keep Coyotes Away?
Coyotes don’t usually like the presence of donkeys or the noise they make, so miniature ones can in fact keep them away. You don’t want to solely rely on them as the only way to keep coyotes away, however, since there are numerous reports of instances where coyotes successfully killed an unprotected miniature donkey.
Are Donkeys Expensive to Keep?
Outside of the initial costs, miniature donkeys can live on high-grade alfalfa-based feed that costs around $140-165 each ton. Regular hay is less than this, so miniature donkeys might not cost anywhere near as much to take care of as some might think.
