The following is a generalized recommendation for feeding, maintaining and caring for donkeys. It is a recommendation only and should not be considered professional advice. Author is not a veterinarian and accepts no responsibility for any ill effects that could occur as a result of following this guide. It is always recommended to consult your local veterinarian or an equine specialist (preferably one with knowledge of donkeys).

OVERVIEW

Caring for your donkey is a big responsibility. It is not something to be taken lightly. Before purchasing a donkey, be sure you can provide for him adequately and be sure you know the basics of equine care. Donkeys require basically the same care as horses, with only some minor differences.  Donkeys are very vocal animals.  They constantly bray and communicate with each other as well as other donkeys who may be nearby.  Donkeys can hear each other bray as far as 7 miles away.   Donkeys will often bray to greet you when you come home and they also bray to get your attention or a treat.  They are also prone to braying in the middle of the night--especially if they see a coyote or dog in their pasture.  Donkeys can live 40+ years, so before you acquire one, be sure you are willing to care for him throughout his life.  Please take all of these items into consideration and be sure that you are willing to invest the time and money to make your donkey a member of the family who will be loved and treated with the respect he deserves.  He will return the love you give to him ten-fold.

SHELTER

Your donkey needs access to shelter from the elements, including rain, wind, cold, and heat. Donkeys typically do not like to be confined in stalls, but a 3-sided shelter is fine. Donkeys do not like to get wet. A soggy, wet donkey is an unhappy one! Please be sure your donkey has access to at least a 3-sided shed where he can get out of the cold wind in the winter and the blazing sun in the summer. A donkey's worst enemy is water and cold wind.  If your donkey gets soaked and has to stand in a cold wind, he can get very ill.  He will be most happy if he has a shelter he can get into whenever he chooses.

WATER

Your donkey requires unlimited access to fresh, clean water at all times. In the winter, he needs to have a water source that will not freeze. A de-icer will keep the water from freezing in even the middle of winter. Make sure that a de-icer is installed properly. Water and electricity can be a dangerous combination.  Be sure the water is clean and free from debris.  Donkeys don't like to drink from green, algae infested water tanks.  Who would??  If your donkey shares a water tank with horses, be sure to clean it regularly.  Horses tend to rinse their mouths in their water tanks and create a nasty mess.  If the water gets too yucky, the donkeys won't want to drink out of it and they can get dehydrated.

FOOD

Your donkey needs access to either good pasture or horse-quality hay. Donkeys are equines just like horses--they are grazing animals. They eat constantly throughout the day. Donkeys usually do not require grain or feed. They can easily become overweight, even obese. However, constant access to good quality pasture or hay is a must. Our donkeys graze on coastal hay pasture in the summer and are fed coastal hay in the winter. Pregnant and lactating jennets also receive a small ration of 16% pelleted feed to maintain their body weights while sustaining their foals.  Alfalfa hay is a BIG NO-NO for donkeys.  They can founder on it, or at the very least become very overweight when fed alfalfa.  Only an extremely thin or donkey with special needs should be fed any type of rich feed.

SPACE

Your donkey needs room to stretch his legs.  Donkeys enjoy a good romp in the pasture as well as a good roll in the dust.  Donkeys do not enjoy being confined in small areas.  They need access to a shelter at all times, but they typically do not enjoy being in a stall for any length of time.  Donkeys who are confined can resort to destructive behavior such as tearing up buckets or any items within their reach, or they can also resort to self-destructive activities such as cribbing or wood chewing.  Donkeys who are "cooped-up" can become very high-strung and hard to handle.  They will often kick and buck and run wildly if given the opportunity to get out of their small confined space.  I would typically recommend at least one acre per 2 donkeys.  If you have less space than that, you should be sure to remove manure regularly to avoid parasite infestation and to give him a clean place to live.  Donkeys enjoy taking regular dust baths, they should not be forced to roll in their own manure due to bad pasture management.

HEALTH CARE

Your donkey needs annual vaccinations every year. Our donkeys receive rabies, VEWTT, and now West Nile Virus vaccinations every year. Donkeys also require regular deworming just like horses. Our donkeys are dewormed with a paste wormer every 3 months. Ivermectin wormers work very well, but you can rotate your wormers just as you would with a horse if you choose.  I would personally not recommend using the Quest dewormer on donkeys.  I have heard of people with having bad results with donkeys on Quest. You should check your donkey regularly to make sure he doesn't have any injuries or cuts that could become infected.  Donkeys are very private about their pain.  You might not know he is hurt until it gets really infected and may be too late to treat easily.

HOOF CARE

Your donkey needs to have his hooves trimmed regularly as needed. Donkey hooves are very tough and hardy, but they still need regular care.  Donkeys do not usually need shoes unless they have some sort of condition that requires corrective shoeing.  Your farrier can tell you if your donkey needs shoes.   If you live in a very dry and rocky area, you may not have to trim as often, as the hooves can be worn down naturally. But, you still need to check your donkey's hooves regularly to make sure they are not cracked or chipped and to make sure they are in good condition. A donkey with poorly maintained feet is bound to come up lame and could possibly suffer from an abcess, white line disease, or even founder (laminitis).  Donkeys who live in wet areas are prone to getting thrush, which is a bacterial infection in the frog area of the hoof.  Donkeys can be trained to stand still for the farrier just like horses.  We start our foals getting trimmed as early as 1 month to get them used to the process.  However, this is a process that takes constant positive reinforcement.  You must consistently work with your donkey to make sure he will allow you to handle his feet easily.  A wild donkey can easily hurt you or your farrier if he is allowed to kick and misbehave when the farrier comes.

HERD SAFETY

Donkeys are herd animals. You should never have just one donkey all by himself. A solitary donkey is a very unhappy one.  Donkeys are so herd-oriented that they can become deeply depressed if they are left alone.  They will often resort to unpleasant behavior such as aggression or destructive activities if lonely or bored.  They need other animals for companions. However, it is not always safe to keep an uncastrated jack in the same herd with juvenile jennets and foals. It is more prudent to keep any uncastrated jacks in a separate pasture with adult jennets to keep him company. I keep my juvenile jennets and my moms with foals in a separate pasture from my jack. Unless you are going to be breeding donkeys, you should ALWAYS have jacks castrated as soon as both of their testicles have dropped. It will make him a much calmer, gentler donkey and it will also make him safer to be around. Uncastrated jacks can be very dangerous in certain situations.

TRAINING

Donkeys are very intelligent creatures.  They are often labeled as being stubborn, but this is due to the fact that they carefully consider everything before they do it.  You may want them to go up into a horse trailer.  To them it may appear to be a huge monster with an open mouth, waiting to devour them.  If you show the donkey there is nothing to fear, they usually comply with your wishes.  Donkeys are very willing to please and will do pretty much whatever you ask, as long as you help them to understand that all is well and they have nothing to fear.

If you have any questions that were not covered in any of these topics, please feel free to send an email and we will do our best to answer them for you.  We love all donkeys and we want to promote the care and safety of donkeys everywhere.