CARING FOR YOUR MINIATURE DONKEY.

Owning a miniature donkey is a real commitment.  With proper care

 donkeys can live 30+ years.

Nutritional Needs

 Miniature Donkeys are considered to be "Easy Keepers".  But, they still need to have grain and good quality hay or pasture time daily.  They also need to have a mineral supplement provided.  Each breeder has their own feeding regimen and should educate all new owners so that they can learn how to monitor the donkey's body condition to regulate the amount of feed needed.  This sounds complicated but in reality is nothing more then a routine visual and hands on check of the animal.  Donkeys, when overweight can develop fat pockets over the crest of the neck and across the rump.  On the other side if an animal is underweight they can appear sunken over the rump and along the spine.  With proper monitoring of your donkeys, either situation should be fairly easy to remedy.

Social Needs

Miniature donkeys are very social and love to have time and attention from their human friends.  This is what makes the donkey so endearing. 

Donkeys are very herd oriented and bond closely with other donkeys.  They do not do well as a solitary animal.  If other donkeys are not available, geldings and jennets can make good companion animals for horses, ponies, llamas, sheep, goats, or other farm animals.

Shelter

It is an absolute necessity that donkeys have adequate shelter from the elements.  Donkeys are not normally housed in a stall continuously like some horses.  They actually prefer to have a walk in situation.  They need to be able to get shade and protection from severe weather.

Professional Care for Miniature Donkeys

Hoof Care

Hoof care is an important part of you donkeys care.  A professional farrier should be scheduled to trim the donkey's hooves approximately every 3-4 months.  If managed regularly this may only be rasping and shaping.  Young animals need particular attention to maintain correct alignment to grow those nice straight legs.

Vaccinations

Yearly preventative vaccinations are required to keep your donkey healthy.  The minimum vaccinations should include:  Tetanus, Rhinopneumonitis, Eastern/Western Encephalomyelitis, Influenza and West Nile.  Many other states also suggest Rabies.  It is wise to check with your veterinarian to set up the optimal vaccination program for your area.  Foals should start their first vaccinations after weaning at about 4-6 months of age.  Though donkeys are amazingly hearty, healthy creatures, vaccinations are an extremely important part of their care.

Worming

The final portion of the preventative care is the worming aspect.  Donkeys need to have a scheduled dose of a deworming product.  The donkeys at KiTerra Farm are wormed every three months.  Again it is a good to have your veterinarian set up a program for you to follow.  There are a lot of products on the market now and it can get confusing.  At this time the only product that has NOT been proven safe to use on donkeys is a product called QUEST.