Thinking about adopting?
Here are a few suggestions for you as you are considering contacting us to adopt a donkey:
- We do not send out single donkeys to a home that does not already have a donkey or at least a horse. Even a horse or several horses will often not be enough to satisfy a donkey's need for companionship. Horses are behaviorally different by nature, and we often observe donkeys to remain lonely and/or bored - or worse, be picked on - in a herd of horses. Goats often do not make good companions for donkeys, either. Two of our past adopters returned donkeys to us that were given access to baby goats; sadly, in each case, one of the donkeys had killed a baby. This happens a lot, and you can get more information from goat breeders or others who have tried out donkeys as guardian animals or heard about such endeavors, or from the Donkey Sanctuary of England:
www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/sites/uk/files/2020-04/keeping-donkeys-with-other-animals-factsheet-march-2020.pdf
- We do not send out single donkeys to a home that does not already have a donkey or at least a horse. Even a horse or several horses will often not be enough to satisfy a donkey's need for companionship. Horses are behaviorally different by nature, and we often observe donkeys to remain lonely and/or bored - or worse, be picked on - in a herd of horses. Goats often do not make good companions for donkeys, either. Two of our past adopters returned donkeys to us that were given access to baby goats; sadly, in each case, one of the donkeys had killed a baby. This happens a lot, and you can get more information from goat breeders or others who have tried out donkeys as guardian animals or heard about such endeavors, or from the Donkey Sanctuary of England:
www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/sites/uk/files/2020-04/keeping-donkeys-with-other-animals-factsheet-march-2020.pdf
With this in mind, if you don't already have a donkey at home, we will ask you to adopt a pair.
- Also for the above reasons, we no longer adopt out donkeys as guardian animals, be it for goats, cattle, sheep or chickens. Many donkeys used to guard cattle have been seen chasing young calves around rather than actually protecting them. Donkeys have been reported watching their chicken being carried away by coyotes without bothering to interfere. And as mentioned above, donkeys can kill goats or sheep, especially smaller ones.
- We rarely have mini donkeys or mammoth donkeys larger than 14hh for adoption. If you don't see one listed here, we don't have one for adoption.
- Our donkeys are adopted out under a contract by which we intend to protect them in the long run. The contract gives both parties rights and obligations. The contract prohibits breeding as well as selling or otherwise passing on the adopted donkeys to another home or another person without our permission. It also requires you to return the donkeys to us or seek our written permission for a follow-up adoption of your choice in case you can no longer take care of them. If you are not willing to sign or abide by such a contract for the protection of the donkeys, then adoption is not for you.
- Donkeys require care and attention, and their proper maintenance does cost some money. If you cannot afford hay (hoping that you can let them graze off the ground in your yard or pasture instead), you should not adopt a donkey. Not only did we get donkeys returned whose adopters were mistaken in believing that what grows on their property can feed the animals properly, but at times the grass and weeds on a pasture - even in New Mexico - can become too rich in sugars and cause laminitis in donkeys. During such times, the donkeys need to be removed from pasture and kept in a dry lot most of the day. If you cannot provide this, then you should rethink your decision to adopt donkeys. The same goes if you cannot provide routine preventative vet care or vet care in an emergency.
- We have recently raised our adoption fees both because of the recent price inflation on Craigslist even for untrained donkeys and also in order to deter interested parties that may not have sufficient resources to cover routine veterinary care for adopted donkeys. It has happened too often lately that people expressed commitment to adopting donkeys and then never came through with the adoption fee. Our fees now vary from $800 to $1500 for a single donkey and $1600 to $3000 for a pair, depending on size and training status. In all cases, the fee includes ground training, recent Coggins, wellness exam, core vaccinations (rabies, tetanus, at least 2-way encephalitis, west nile in spring/summer/early fall) plus flu/rhino, dental float if needed, hoof trim, worming, and brand inspection/health certificate as needed.
- We conduct home inspections prior to adoption. We require sturdy and safe fencing (preferably no barbed wire), a sturdy, roofed shelter with at least 3 sides or a barn, usually at least an acre of pasture for 2 donkeys and, in addition, a smaller dry lot (or nearly dry lot) for training, vet care, farrier care or just to park the donkeys if they develop laminitis from too much pasture access or need to be separated temporarily. We will work with future adopters who still need to develop their facilities prior to the arrival of the donkeys. We expect adopters to continue providing at least the same quality of veterinary care for routine and emergency procedures that we have afforded their donkeys prior to adoption.
- Are you sure you are ready for the responsibility of owning donkeys for as long as you can? That involves having the facility you currently have for an indefinite time or being able to replace it with an equally or better suitable one if it is no longer available at some point. It means being able to cover feed, veterinary care, and farrier care for an indefinite time. In the Southwest of the USA, hay is expensive. Veterinary care is expensive, and we'll expect you to get your adopted donkeys vet checked not just in emergencies. Contact us for a breakdown of the costs, and think carefully about whether you can make the commitment. We will always take our donkeys back if need be, but for older animals, for example, it is increasingly a hardship to see their herds broken up and themselves moved from one home to another.
- Also for the above reasons, we no longer adopt out donkeys as guardian animals, be it for goats, cattle, sheep or chickens. Many donkeys used to guard cattle have been seen chasing young calves around rather than actually protecting them. Donkeys have been reported watching their chicken being carried away by coyotes without bothering to interfere. And as mentioned above, donkeys can kill goats or sheep, especially smaller ones.
- We rarely have mini donkeys or mammoth donkeys larger than 14hh for adoption. If you don't see one listed here, we don't have one for adoption.
- Our donkeys are adopted out under a contract by which we intend to protect them in the long run. The contract gives both parties rights and obligations. The contract prohibits breeding as well as selling or otherwise passing on the adopted donkeys to another home or another person without our permission. It also requires you to return the donkeys to us or seek our written permission for a follow-up adoption of your choice in case you can no longer take care of them. If you are not willing to sign or abide by such a contract for the protection of the donkeys, then adoption is not for you.
- Donkeys require care and attention, and their proper maintenance does cost some money. If you cannot afford hay (hoping that you can let them graze off the ground in your yard or pasture instead), you should not adopt a donkey. Not only did we get donkeys returned whose adopters were mistaken in believing that what grows on their property can feed the animals properly, but at times the grass and weeds on a pasture - even in New Mexico - can become too rich in sugars and cause laminitis in donkeys. During such times, the donkeys need to be removed from pasture and kept in a dry lot most of the day. If you cannot provide this, then you should rethink your decision to adopt donkeys. The same goes if you cannot provide routine preventative vet care or vet care in an emergency.
- We have recently raised our adoption fees both because of the recent price inflation on Craigslist even for untrained donkeys and also in order to deter interested parties that may not have sufficient resources to cover routine veterinary care for adopted donkeys. It has happened too often lately that people expressed commitment to adopting donkeys and then never came through with the adoption fee. Our fees now vary from $800 to $1500 for a single donkey and $1600 to $3000 for a pair, depending on size and training status. In all cases, the fee includes ground training, recent Coggins, wellness exam, core vaccinations (rabies, tetanus, at least 2-way encephalitis, west nile in spring/summer/early fall) plus flu/rhino, dental float if needed, hoof trim, worming, and brand inspection/health certificate as needed.
- We conduct home inspections prior to adoption. We require sturdy and safe fencing (preferably no barbed wire), a sturdy, roofed shelter with at least 3 sides or a barn, usually at least an acre of pasture for 2 donkeys and, in addition, a smaller dry lot (or nearly dry lot) for training, vet care, farrier care or just to park the donkeys if they develop laminitis from too much pasture access or need to be separated temporarily. We will work with future adopters who still need to develop their facilities prior to the arrival of the donkeys. We expect adopters to continue providing at least the same quality of veterinary care for routine and emergency procedures that we have afforded their donkeys prior to adoption.
- Are you sure you are ready for the responsibility of owning donkeys for as long as you can? That involves having the facility you currently have for an indefinite time or being able to replace it with an equally or better suitable one if it is no longer available at some point. It means being able to cover feed, veterinary care, and farrier care for an indefinite time. In the Southwest of the USA, hay is expensive. Veterinary care is expensive, and we'll expect you to get your adopted donkeys vet checked not just in emergencies. Contact us for a breakdown of the costs, and think carefully about whether you can make the commitment. We will always take our donkeys back if need be, but for older animals, for example, it is increasingly a hardship to see their herds broken up and themselves moved from one home to another.
What Does a New Donkey Owner Need (to Know)?
What Does a New Donkey Owner Need? |
We have been asked this question many times by new adopters, especially those who have never owned an equine before. Instead of writing a new reply each time we are asked, it is better to put together a general list of items that new donkey owners should have or should obtain within the first year as they get started with their donkeys. This article also addresses some basic things donkey owners should know about that go beyond acquisition of items for farm management. They concern veterinary care and worming procedures that a donkey should receive on a regular basis to maintain long-term health. For a more comprehensive guide to donkey and mule care, we recommend the Donkey Care Handbook by the Donkey Sanctuary of England, which you can view elsewhere on our page or download below.
| ||
1. Water Trough
|
Probably the most important thing you’ll need as a new donkey owner is a water trough. Like all equines, donkeys can colic if they do not get enough to drink, hence they need access to water ideally at all times of the day. We very much like Rubbermaid and Tuff Stuff troughs made of so-called 'structural foam'. You can get them at any feed and farm stores. Structural foam is described as a manufacturing material which pairs a foamed core with a solid outer “skin,” rather than remaining solid all the way through. It is lightweight and flexible while also maintaining the good strength and stiffness compared with traditional polymers such as polyurethane, polyester or epoxy. Unlike the metal, structural foam can’t get rusty and is easy to clean.
|
The next question then is, what size water trough do you need? Well, naturally that will depend on the number of donkeys you are planning to get. Donkeys should always have fresh water, so their water trough shouldn’t be too big, or if it is, it shouldn’t be filled all the way up to the rim, or else the water will turn stale or dirty after a while and you’ll either have to toss it out (waste) or they’ll be drinking nasty water. On the other hand, the trough shouldn’t be too small, either, or else you’ll have to refill every few hours if you don’t want the donkeys to get thirsty. And you want to give them access to fresh water 24/7.
Since a donkey needs c. 6-8 gallons of water per day, depending on his or her size, the temperatures and the amount of exercise the donkey has in a day, a 25-gallon tub would be convenient for 2 donkeys; and you wouldn’t even have to fill it all the way to the rim. If you have (or plan to get) more donkeys, estimate accordingly! There are tubs and tanks that hold 40, 75 100 or even 150 gallons. Make sure you always keep your water trough clean, rinse out dirty leftover water (especially after windy days) and scrub the bottom and insides of the trough from time to time to take off any accumulated algae. And if you find that your water trough develops a leak after years of usage, you can still use it as a ground feeder! That pertains to both metal and structural foam ones. Just add some more holes so any rain or snow water will drain and leave the hay dry. |
2. Shelter
A carport-like shelter that provides shade and protection from light rain when there is no wind.
It is amazing how many people in the rural West of the USA still believe that donkeys do not need a shelter. Of course, there is a benefit to such thinking, and it is selfish. If you don't already have a functional shelter or barn sitting on your property, it will cost some money and labor to build one. And if you want to save yourself the expense without feeling somehow morally deficient as a donkey owner, you will come up with 'reasons' for why you don't really need a shelter. And if you have access to old school thinking, you will try to rely on observations such as "The donkeys run around in the snow when it's cold, so they must love it", or "The donkeys prefer to be outside, they do not want to go into the shelter." Sometimes a little bit of philosophy is included in the reasoning, such as the general reflection that humans are wrong to project their own need of protection from inclement weather to their farm animals. Of course, the question then is why should we assume that farm animals do not need any such protection in the first place?
Observations such as that equines can run around when it's cold, windy or snowy, or that some equines shun their existing shelters, may be true, but they do not show that a shelter is not needed. When humans or other animals are cold, they will sometimes instinctively get moving too, just to stay warm. And while not all donkeys will always use their shelters in cold, windy or rainy weather, most donkeys will do so when they feel the need, and - in our extensive experience with donkeys - those who don't are still too undomesticated to feel comfortable in a human-made enclosure or there is something amiss with their shelter - such as loose metal clanging and banging in the wind or too small a space to comfortably turn around - that makes the shelter seem unsafe to them. At our rescue farm, which sometimes accommodates close to 30 donkeys in either rescue or temporary boarding arrangements, we experience certain types of weather that make absolutely every donkey seek shelter under a roof. At such times, the farm looks eerily uninhabited, as if all donkeys and other critters had disappeared. And it is at such times that we feel particularly bad for all the poor donkeys out there that are not given the basic comfort of a shelter. But we've had BLM donkeys captured in the wild that took a long time to feel comfortable under a human-made shelter.
Here are some well-established basic facts and considerations that justify the need of a shelter for donkeys: First of all, unlike horses, donkeys' coats are not water proof. That means that in certain types of weather, cold moisture will at some point penetrate to the skin and expose the donkey to possible hypothermia and resulting respiratory illnesses, including pneumonia. As the Donkey Sanctuary of England advises, "unlike a horse, donkeys do not have a natural build up of grease to make their coat waterproof, so they should always have access to a shelter or stable". Second, the need for a shelter or stable is even more obvious with regard to older donkeys and, in general, in case one of your donkeys is ill and simply needs "stall rest", that is, protection from exposure excessive sunlight or inclement weather and restriction of movement. Third, once offered a proper shelter, donkeys will tell you by their own choices and behavior if they prefer to be in a shelter or are otherwise having a hard time due to exposure. There are several signs to watch for if you care to find out whether your donkey is cold. Shivering, for example, is a very clear sign that the donkey is suffering from hypothermia and at immediate risk of catching a cold. An unusual craving for fiber, including wood of any kind, during cold weather is also an indication that the donkey is trying to fight off cold, as are episodes of running around in strong wind or snow, often interpreted as just "having fun" by some.
In addition to shelter, there are supplemental ways to help donkeys get through the colder periods of winter, such as offering free-choice straw, turnout blankets, water trough heaters, heat lamps, and occasionally even grain (including oats) in moderation. In the colder regions of the country, general heaters tend to be used in barns, though they will always pose a potential fire hazard. Depending on the kind of shelter available to the donkeys and the kind of weather to which they are exposed, such supplemental comforts may be more or less needed, but they cannot by themselves fully make up for the lack of shelter and thus do not constitute genuine alternatives though turnout blankets, especially combined with extra straw and grain, will go a long way to protecting donkeys from inclement weather even if no roofed shelter is available. Sometimes donkeys grow such a thick winter coat that it can almost act like a turnout blanket - just not entirely, since even the thickest natural donkey winter coat won't be fully waterproof.
For these reasons, we generally require adopters to have a suitable finished, completed shelter in place by the time their donkeys arrive. In our early days, we sometimes allowed adopters to finish building their donkey shelters after the donkey had already arrived and, sadly, in two cases we later found out that the building process was never completed and our donkeys were exposed to inclement winter weather without sufficient shelter, after all. In one case involving a pair of donkeys, the adopter had a large traditional barn building available in which she just had to put up some dividers to build a stall for the donkeys. This process was never completed, however, and the donkeys spent all of their winters outside of the nice, warm building, barely wind-protected by its walls. Fortunately, those donkeys were eventually returned to us.
There are two basic kinds of shelter, wind shelter and roofed shelter. Both are most effective in combination with each other. Wind shelter generally is the more important of the two when it comes to preventing or minimizing the chance of illness (e.g., pneumonia or other respiratory conditions) due to exposure to wind and excessive moisture, while a roofed shelter, which can be sometimes natural such as from large trees, offers the best protection from excessive sunlight. Wind shelter is any kind of siding that blocks off the wind. Wind shelter can be either natural, e.g. from trees or bushes, or human-made, such as the inner or outer walls of buildings or other objects such as trainers or large vehicles, or large tarps tied to fences or other framing structures. However, without roof the siding alone may not be always sufficient even just as wind shelter, nor can it provide any protection from rain, hail or snow.
At the same time, a roofed shelter without siding, while being able to provide shade, cannot provide any protection from wind nor can it provide full protection from snow, hail or rain if there is a strong wind that blows the moisture underneath the roof from any of the sides. For example, a carport-like metal structure may be great to keep donkeys dry as long as there is no wind, but once it gets windy they will still be exposed to moisture or cold air coming in from the sides.
Observations such as that equines can run around when it's cold, windy or snowy, or that some equines shun their existing shelters, may be true, but they do not show that a shelter is not needed. When humans or other animals are cold, they will sometimes instinctively get moving too, just to stay warm. And while not all donkeys will always use their shelters in cold, windy or rainy weather, most donkeys will do so when they feel the need, and - in our extensive experience with donkeys - those who don't are still too undomesticated to feel comfortable in a human-made enclosure or there is something amiss with their shelter - such as loose metal clanging and banging in the wind or too small a space to comfortably turn around - that makes the shelter seem unsafe to them. At our rescue farm, which sometimes accommodates close to 30 donkeys in either rescue or temporary boarding arrangements, we experience certain types of weather that make absolutely every donkey seek shelter under a roof. At such times, the farm looks eerily uninhabited, as if all donkeys and other critters had disappeared. And it is at such times that we feel particularly bad for all the poor donkeys out there that are not given the basic comfort of a shelter. But we've had BLM donkeys captured in the wild that took a long time to feel comfortable under a human-made shelter.
Here are some well-established basic facts and considerations that justify the need of a shelter for donkeys: First of all, unlike horses, donkeys' coats are not water proof. That means that in certain types of weather, cold moisture will at some point penetrate to the skin and expose the donkey to possible hypothermia and resulting respiratory illnesses, including pneumonia. As the Donkey Sanctuary of England advises, "unlike a horse, donkeys do not have a natural build up of grease to make their coat waterproof, so they should always have access to a shelter or stable". Second, the need for a shelter or stable is even more obvious with regard to older donkeys and, in general, in case one of your donkeys is ill and simply needs "stall rest", that is, protection from exposure excessive sunlight or inclement weather and restriction of movement. Third, once offered a proper shelter, donkeys will tell you by their own choices and behavior if they prefer to be in a shelter or are otherwise having a hard time due to exposure. There are several signs to watch for if you care to find out whether your donkey is cold. Shivering, for example, is a very clear sign that the donkey is suffering from hypothermia and at immediate risk of catching a cold. An unusual craving for fiber, including wood of any kind, during cold weather is also an indication that the donkey is trying to fight off cold, as are episodes of running around in strong wind or snow, often interpreted as just "having fun" by some.
In addition to shelter, there are supplemental ways to help donkeys get through the colder periods of winter, such as offering free-choice straw, turnout blankets, water trough heaters, heat lamps, and occasionally even grain (including oats) in moderation. In the colder regions of the country, general heaters tend to be used in barns, though they will always pose a potential fire hazard. Depending on the kind of shelter available to the donkeys and the kind of weather to which they are exposed, such supplemental comforts may be more or less needed, but they cannot by themselves fully make up for the lack of shelter and thus do not constitute genuine alternatives though turnout blankets, especially combined with extra straw and grain, will go a long way to protecting donkeys from inclement weather even if no roofed shelter is available. Sometimes donkeys grow such a thick winter coat that it can almost act like a turnout blanket - just not entirely, since even the thickest natural donkey winter coat won't be fully waterproof.
For these reasons, we generally require adopters to have a suitable finished, completed shelter in place by the time their donkeys arrive. In our early days, we sometimes allowed adopters to finish building their donkey shelters after the donkey had already arrived and, sadly, in two cases we later found out that the building process was never completed and our donkeys were exposed to inclement winter weather without sufficient shelter, after all. In one case involving a pair of donkeys, the adopter had a large traditional barn building available in which she just had to put up some dividers to build a stall for the donkeys. This process was never completed, however, and the donkeys spent all of their winters outside of the nice, warm building, barely wind-protected by its walls. Fortunately, those donkeys were eventually returned to us.
There are two basic kinds of shelter, wind shelter and roofed shelter. Both are most effective in combination with each other. Wind shelter generally is the more important of the two when it comes to preventing or minimizing the chance of illness (e.g., pneumonia or other respiratory conditions) due to exposure to wind and excessive moisture, while a roofed shelter, which can be sometimes natural such as from large trees, offers the best protection from excessive sunlight. Wind shelter is any kind of siding that blocks off the wind. Wind shelter can be either natural, e.g. from trees or bushes, or human-made, such as the inner or outer walls of buildings or other objects such as trainers or large vehicles, or large tarps tied to fences or other framing structures. However, without roof the siding alone may not be always sufficient even just as wind shelter, nor can it provide any protection from rain, hail or snow.
At the same time, a roofed shelter without siding, while being able to provide shade, cannot provide any protection from wind nor can it provide full protection from snow, hail or rain if there is a strong wind that blows the moisture underneath the roof from any of the sides. For example, a carport-like metal structure may be great to keep donkeys dry as long as there is no wind, but once it gets windy they will still be exposed to moisture or cold air coming in from the sides.
Small run-in shelter with one side completely open, in addition to a window on the East side
|
A similar point can be made for small three-sided run-in shelters. While all run-in shelters should be built such that the opening points into the direction from which there is the least wind, there will be still times when the wind comes from just that direction. And if it rains, snows or hails at the same time, then the donkey will be fully exposed to it even when inside his shelter. In this case, a blanket would definitely help. But a more general way to avoid this problem would be a 3.5-sided shelter or a shelter/barn with some openings that is deep enough for donkeys to avoid the winds coming in from those opening. The pics below will give an idea of various alternative solutions, at least for regions in the Southwest of the US (colder regions may likely need more wind protection and protection from extremely low temperatures).
|
A look through a donkey-style, "open" barn with various compartments for temporary segregation. Note that each compartment has a gate or opening to enable donkeys to walk through if segregation is not needed.
If you decide to build a full-fledged donkey barn, please keep in mind that donkeys are not fond of being confined to small stalls, and most donkeys are not used to it. They much prefer being able to walk in and out of their shelter based on their own choices. Donkeys also tend to be claustrophobic and do not appreciate too tiny spaces. If they're bonded to another donkey, they don't want to be split up, not even for dinner or breakfast. Thus, unless your region is very cold, making some temporary confinement in the winter necessary, try to keep your barn airy and open, though you can divide up various sections as "stalls" or compartment for temporary segregation of donkeys if needed (e.g., in case of illness, food aggression or for other reasons).
3. Salt and Minerals
A trace mineral block, also called "dirty salt"
Extra minerals and salt should be available to donkeys near where their water trough is located. Like all equines, donkeys need salt as a basic nutrient. Salt (sodium chloride) is an electrolyte; it serves to attract and retain water as well as to balance the donkey’s cell fluids. Salt intake is important both in warm and cold weather and also encourages water intake.
The easiest way to provide salt to your donkey is by getting a plain (white) salt block or a trace mineral block and put it next to the water trough. A trace mineral block (brown or reddish brown) still contains 96%-98% salt but also has a few other minerals such as calcium, potassium copper, zinc and iodine. Since there is so much salt in a trace mineral block (it is also sometimes called “dirty salt”), you won’t need a white salt block in addition to a trace mineral block. You may, however, think about ways of providing more essential minerals to your donkey than just the small portions contained in a trace mineral block. To protect your salt or mineral block from dirt or water place it in an appropriate pan with little holes at the bottom where rainwater or snow melt can run off.
The easiest way to provide salt to your donkey is by getting a plain (white) salt block or a trace mineral block and put it next to the water trough. A trace mineral block (brown or reddish brown) still contains 96%-98% salt but also has a few other minerals such as calcium, potassium copper, zinc and iodine. Since there is so much salt in a trace mineral block (it is also sometimes called “dirty salt”), you won’t need a white salt block in addition to a trace mineral block. You may, however, think about ways of providing more essential minerals to your donkey than just the small portions contained in a trace mineral block. To protect your salt or mineral block from dirt or water place it in an appropriate pan with little holes at the bottom where rainwater or snow melt can run off.
Donkeys sharing a white salt block
Since in nature, salt is always found in combination with other minerals, you may think that a trace mineral block might be the best way to go. However, for some reason donkeys tend to prefer the white salt blocks, and if you want to offer more nutritious forms of mineral supplements then you may want to get white salt and minerals separately. There are also fancier natural salt that contains a larger quantity and variety of minerals such as Himalayan salt licks (http://www.smartpakequine.com/himalayan-salt-licks-4870p), which can be hung on tree branches or fence posts, and Redmond Rock natural salt blocks, which are harvested in Utah.
Salt and mineral blocks are handy (though heavy!), but loose salt is easier to consume than blocks, and there are some nice salt supplements for equines that contain electrolytes and minerals such as Redmond Rock crushed loose mineral salt that can be conveniently ordered from Amazon.com with a 10% discount if you sign up for Subscribe & Save and free shipping if you happen to have Amazon Prime membership. However, if you wish to get loose salt for your donkeys, make sure you place it in a location where rain or snow can’t get to it! You will also need a proper pan or bowl to accommodate it.
Popular mineral blocks for horses are Ranch’O Min and Dumor. These contain a wide range of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. However, they also contain molasses, which encourages equines to gobble them up quickly. Because of the molasses as well as a high protein and starch content, too much of these goodies might cause laminitis (inflammation of the tissue around the coffin bone) in donkeys, so please don’t feed such mineral blocks on an everyday free-choice basis. Equines typically are crazy about them and may eat up an entire block over night. Just like with salt, it has been observed that equines may benefit more from loose minerals, since blocks and licks – originally created for the rough tongues of cattle – are not always easy to consume, especially when it’s freezing cold in the winter.
A good choice for minerals and vitamins might be Purina's Nature's Essentials 12:12 minerals. You can obtain it either in a block or as a loose mixture in a bag, in which case it can also be supplemented at a ratio of 1:4 with loose L-lysine powder.
Our personal favorite is a free-choice molasses-free mineral and vitamin supplement such as a combination of EquiLix and EquiPride, which together maximize nutrient intake and minimize the need for multiple additional supplements. While EquiLix is a soft mineral lick that comes in a blue or punk tub (which after use can be reused as a feed bowl!), EquiPride is a loose mineral and vitamin mix that comes in 50lb bags.
Salt and mineral blocks are handy (though heavy!), but loose salt is easier to consume than blocks, and there are some nice salt supplements for equines that contain electrolytes and minerals such as Redmond Rock crushed loose mineral salt that can be conveniently ordered from Amazon.com with a 10% discount if you sign up for Subscribe & Save and free shipping if you happen to have Amazon Prime membership. However, if you wish to get loose salt for your donkeys, make sure you place it in a location where rain or snow can’t get to it! You will also need a proper pan or bowl to accommodate it.
Popular mineral blocks for horses are Ranch’O Min and Dumor. These contain a wide range of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. However, they also contain molasses, which encourages equines to gobble them up quickly. Because of the molasses as well as a high protein and starch content, too much of these goodies might cause laminitis (inflammation of the tissue around the coffin bone) in donkeys, so please don’t feed such mineral blocks on an everyday free-choice basis. Equines typically are crazy about them and may eat up an entire block over night. Just like with salt, it has been observed that equines may benefit more from loose minerals, since blocks and licks – originally created for the rough tongues of cattle – are not always easy to consume, especially when it’s freezing cold in the winter.
A good choice for minerals and vitamins might be Purina's Nature's Essentials 12:12 minerals. You can obtain it either in a block or as a loose mixture in a bag, in which case it can also be supplemented at a ratio of 1:4 with loose L-lysine powder.
Our personal favorite is a free-choice molasses-free mineral and vitamin supplement such as a combination of EquiLix and EquiPride, which together maximize nutrient intake and minimize the need for multiple additional supplements. While EquiLix is a soft mineral lick that comes in a blue or punk tub (which after use can be reused as a feed bowl!), EquiPride is a loose mineral and vitamin mix that comes in 50lb bags.
A truck load of Equilix tubs and other goodies
4. Feeders and Feed Bowls
You may think that while a water trough is essential for donkeys - at least, if they have no access to a river, spring or natural water hole - a feeder is not really required. After all, you can serve them their hay on the ground, right? That is certainly true; however, if donkeys eat from the ground, then all kinds of other items and materials can enter their digestive system, such as sand, rocks or parasites/larvae of parasites. Thus in the long run, it would be better to have a low off-the-ground feeder as well. A low position for the feeder is better for donkeys' eating habits than hay racks high off the ground, although in a multi-donkey household you could offer various feeders for the donkeys to take turns at.
Whatever feeder(s) you’ll use, you’ll have to make sure that there are enough for every donkey in the herd. Some donkeys may have been alone for a long time or otherwise not had a chance to develop good, solid social skills, including the ability to share food with others. Though
donkeys tend to be a lot less aggressive than horses, some level of food aggression is not uncommon in rescue donkeys even after rehabilitation. TLS actively works to enable donkeys to overcome their food aggressions and will let you know if the donkey you wish to adopt needs to be fed separately from the others. In general, donkeys do prefer to eat together; it’s an essential herd ritual. So feeders and feeding situations that will allow them to socialize while eating – including looking at each other and touching each others’ noses - are much encouraged and will usually make them very happy.
Feeders should be such that little or no water can accumulate inside during a rainy period. So if you have a feeder with a tub or bunk bed, make sure there are some holes in the bottom so that water can run off and won’t soak the hay you serve. We very much like the galvanized horse feed bunks that Behlen Country produces; these come in various sizes depending on how many donkeys you have. But any other structure that would serve the same purpose and have holes in the bottom would do just equally well. You can even use some old, leaky water troughs as feeders.
A group of senior donkeys enjoying their mash together
If you have older donkeys, working donkeys or donkeys that are physically weak or thin, we also recommend getting some feed bowls especially for the cold season of the year when you may want to add the usual hay/ration ration with some soaked cubes or other supplements to add additional nutrients and liquid. You can use a feed bowl also if your donkey needs medication (including wormers) and prefers to have it administered together with some mash. If you have an older donkey with worn-down teeth, he might need more mash anyway due to chewing problems and/or special nutritional needs. Once again, feed bowls or small feed buckets made of structural foam are excellent for this purpose. Or if you use Equilix minerals, those bowls can be reused and make great containers for mash or other purposes (such as soaking donkey feet if there is an abscess). Standard plastic bowls tend to get damaged pretty quickly.
5. Hay and Other Feeds
A truck load of Bermuda hay
Donkeys originated in desert environments and, therefore, have a much of efficient metabolism compared to horses. They require LOTS of fiber but much less protein than horses, and they should not get much starch, sugars or other high-carb feeds, either, so use treats (even natural treats such as apples and carrots) in moderation. Healthy donkeys SHOULD NOT get any grain or alfalfa, unless it’s on a short-term basis and nothing else is available, the donkey is a pregnant or lactating jenny or a senior donkey without history of founder or laminitis. Even in the latter case, grain-free senior feeds (such as Triple Crown) are preferable, since studies conducted by the Donkey Sanctuary of England have shown that regular graining often creates stomach ulcers in senior donkeys. If you happen to become the owner of a skinny or weak donkey needing protein to rebuild muscles then you can provide some alfalfa in addition to senior feed. On very cold winter days alfalfa may be offered as a supplement to keep the donkey warm, but if alfalfa is fed it should be mixed with grass hay or high-quality straw. Some alfalfa can be given to pregnant or lactating jennets as well to promote milk production and add nutrients. But make sure you never feed first-cutting alfalfa! Even second cutting is going to be too rich for most donkeys.
In general, we recommend any kind of grass hay suitable for equines, especially bermuda, orchard, timothy, brome or any mix between them. Be careful with fescue hay for pregnant jennies, since it may induce miscarriages. Even though it is sometimes sold at the feed stores, we do not recommend sudan hay for equines, since it is a cattle hay and may be toxic to equines. Oat, rye or wheat hay are ok for healthy donkeys if offered in moderation together with grass hay or straw. Yes, unlike horses, donkeys do very well on a diet of straw, especially barley straw, in addition to a few hours of grazing or some quantity of grass hay. If you live in a region of the United States such as central and northern New Mexico where you have access to affordable high-quality straw, do take advantage of it! Since donkeys need so much fiber for their physical wellbeing, keeping some free-choice straw around will help them stay content the whole day long and reduce cravings for foods that are higher in calories.
Hay or straw at feed stores is usually far more expensive than hay or straw purchased directly from a grower, so try to find a good local grower who you can trust and who can provide much or most of your hay throughout the year. It may take a while and several attempts until you find the perfect grower (or a small group of such).
If you are lucky enough to own some pastureland, you will naturally think about incorporating pasture and free-growing grasses into your donkey’s diet. That is ok, so long as your pasture is not too lush and the donkey’s access to the fresh grass and weeds is or can be potentially limited, paused or eliminated entirely. Donkeys love weeds, including dry tumbleweeds, and they greatly profit from being able to roam large areas of sparse vegetation. Slow and constant exercise keeps their guts moving and helps prevent colic.
Yet even in New Mexico, where at least wild-growing grasses and weeds are not generally very lush, some donkeys will develop laminitis if pastured for too long or at the wrong times of the year or day, even if the pasture just contains native grasses and weeds. Another consideration is toxic weeds. We had an adopter who pastured donkeys in the Santa Fe/Espanola area, when one of the donkeys developed laminitis and had to be taken off pasture at least for a while. Another donkey died of toxic weeds whose existence were unknown to the adopter. Even our own sparse pastures in Estancia can trigger early stages of laminitis in some of our donkeys during monsoon season in July and August. With frequent rain, weeds and grasses can suddenly shoot up in wild lushness, potentially causing donkeys to founder.
Also, the sugar content of pasture grasses and weeds is much higher during most of the day than in the very early morning hours until about 10 a.m, unless temperatures drop below 40 degrees F at night, at which point sugar levels are still unsafe even in the early morning. Consequently, even if you have plenty of pasture land it would be wise to have a dry lot with shelter available for your donkeys just in case they do not respond well to the fresh forage either temporarily or in general. It is certainly not a good idea to think that you can entirely rely on pasture instead of hay to feed your donkey in a healthy and wholesome way.
Apart from the laminitis problem, there is also the question of how nutritious and plentiful the forage is that grows on your land, especially during the drier and colder seasons of the year. In our early days, we once had a pair of donkeys returned after one year because the adopters "had thought they could feed them just off their land" all year round and then were disappointed when the weather didn't cooperate and they were forced to buy hay. (The respective donkeys were still well padded at the time of their return, though their hooves had not been done in a while.) Since then we have always make sure that adopters are able to afford enough hay year-round if need be.
In general, we recommend any kind of grass hay suitable for equines, especially bermuda, orchard, timothy, brome or any mix between them. Be careful with fescue hay for pregnant jennies, since it may induce miscarriages. Even though it is sometimes sold at the feed stores, we do not recommend sudan hay for equines, since it is a cattle hay and may be toxic to equines. Oat, rye or wheat hay are ok for healthy donkeys if offered in moderation together with grass hay or straw. Yes, unlike horses, donkeys do very well on a diet of straw, especially barley straw, in addition to a few hours of grazing or some quantity of grass hay. If you live in a region of the United States such as central and northern New Mexico where you have access to affordable high-quality straw, do take advantage of it! Since donkeys need so much fiber for their physical wellbeing, keeping some free-choice straw around will help them stay content the whole day long and reduce cravings for foods that are higher in calories.
Hay or straw at feed stores is usually far more expensive than hay or straw purchased directly from a grower, so try to find a good local grower who you can trust and who can provide much or most of your hay throughout the year. It may take a while and several attempts until you find the perfect grower (or a small group of such).
If you are lucky enough to own some pastureland, you will naturally think about incorporating pasture and free-growing grasses into your donkey’s diet. That is ok, so long as your pasture is not too lush and the donkey’s access to the fresh grass and weeds is or can be potentially limited, paused or eliminated entirely. Donkeys love weeds, including dry tumbleweeds, and they greatly profit from being able to roam large areas of sparse vegetation. Slow and constant exercise keeps their guts moving and helps prevent colic.
Yet even in New Mexico, where at least wild-growing grasses and weeds are not generally very lush, some donkeys will develop laminitis if pastured for too long or at the wrong times of the year or day, even if the pasture just contains native grasses and weeds. Another consideration is toxic weeds. We had an adopter who pastured donkeys in the Santa Fe/Espanola area, when one of the donkeys developed laminitis and had to be taken off pasture at least for a while. Another donkey died of toxic weeds whose existence were unknown to the adopter. Even our own sparse pastures in Estancia can trigger early stages of laminitis in some of our donkeys during monsoon season in July and August. With frequent rain, weeds and grasses can suddenly shoot up in wild lushness, potentially causing donkeys to founder.
Also, the sugar content of pasture grasses and weeds is much higher during most of the day than in the very early morning hours until about 10 a.m, unless temperatures drop below 40 degrees F at night, at which point sugar levels are still unsafe even in the early morning. Consequently, even if you have plenty of pasture land it would be wise to have a dry lot with shelter available for your donkeys just in case they do not respond well to the fresh forage either temporarily or in general. It is certainly not a good idea to think that you can entirely rely on pasture instead of hay to feed your donkey in a healthy and wholesome way.
Apart from the laminitis problem, there is also the question of how nutritious and plentiful the forage is that grows on your land, especially during the drier and colder seasons of the year. In our early days, we once had a pair of donkeys returned after one year because the adopters "had thought they could feed them just off their land" all year round and then were disappointed when the weather didn't cooperate and they were forced to buy hay. (The respective donkeys were still well padded at the time of their return, though their hooves had not been done in a while.) Since then we have always make sure that adopters are able to afford enough hay year-round if need be.
6. Hoof Pick
Clean donkey hoof with all its parts. (Courtesy of www.longearsmall.com.)
Every donkey owner needs to have a hoof pick, which should be used to clean out the cleavages on the right and left of a donkey’s frog as well as any accumulated mud and rocks from the sole of the foot. The frog is a triangular piece of tissue at the bottom of the hoof in the front; it serves as an elastic device to balance the load whenever the donkey makes a step.
There are many different kinds of hoof picks on the market. We like the iron hand-made ones that you can purchase at some country arts-and-crafts shows; they’re usually made of old horseshoes. Another very solid and effective one is the so-called “Ultimate Hoof Pick”. But in some situations, you may prefer a simple standard hoof pick with a plastic or rubber handle and a brush attached
There are many different kinds of hoof picks on the market. We like the iron hand-made ones that you can purchase at some country arts-and-crafts shows; they’re usually made of old horseshoes. Another very solid and effective one is the so-called “Ultimate Hoof Pick”. But in some situations, you may prefer a simple standard hoof pick with a plastic or rubber handle and a brush attached
7. Halters and Lead Lines
When you adopt a donkey from TLS, the donkey will be delivered with a fitting flat halter on. Flat halters are traditional and standard use for the handling of equines. However, if you are planning to take your donkey(s) out for packing or hiking you may want to think about getting a rope halter in addition, because with a rope halter you will almost always have better control over your donkey. This is because rope halters usually have knots in various areas that create pressure points on the face so that the donkey will be more sensitive to your signals. However, make sure you don’t jerk the donkey around when he has a rope halter on! (You shouldn’t jerk at all, if avoidable!)
Many donkeys prefer rope halters, since they feel softer and do not have all those noisy buckles on them, like the flat halters do. When we start halter-training a donkey we often use a rope halter first. But rope halters can be dangerous in some situations; for example, you should
never leave a rope halter on an equine inside his pen or paddock without strict supervision, because he can get easily entangled in something and start to panic. (In general, you shouldn’t leave ANY halter on without supervision, but it’s less dangerous with a well-fitting flat halter than with a rope halter). Like all halters, rope halters come in different sizes. The sizes that we have found to fit most standard donkeys best are Arab (larger) or Yearling (smaller). Larger standards may need horse sized halters.
Many donkeys prefer rope halters, since they feel softer and do not have all those noisy buckles on them, like the flat halters do. When we start halter-training a donkey we often use a rope halter first. But rope halters can be dangerous in some situations; for example, you should
never leave a rope halter on an equine inside his pen or paddock without strict supervision, because he can get easily entangled in something and start to panic. (In general, you shouldn’t leave ANY halter on without supervision, but it’s less dangerous with a well-fitting flat halter than with a rope halter). Like all halters, rope halters come in different sizes. The sizes that we have found to fit most standard donkeys best are Arab (larger) or Yearling (smaller). Larger standards may need horse sized halters.
To be able to lead and tie the donkey you will need to get a lead rope; TLS will not provide this. We strongly recommend getting a lead rope that can be easily put on and taken off the halter. You may want to avoid those with bull snaps – they’re a pain in the neck to hook on or unhook from a halter. We find lead lines with bolt snaps easier to unhook; however, some people swear by bull snaps and say that it’s the opposite, bull snaps are easier to unhook than bolt snaps! There are also rope halters with attached lead ropes that might come in handy in some settings or situations.
8. Grooming Tools
Donkeys can grow a thick winter coat, and while they shed the coat in the spring and summer, this may become a prolonged process unless you help them get rid of it quickly. We’ve rescued donkeys in the fall that still had some leftover winter coat on them from the previous winter. Depending on the time of year, when you welcome your donkeys to their new home a shedding tool might be among those tools that you should already have obtained in advance.
There are various shedding tools on the market, most prominently the Furminator and the spring curry comb along with various kinds of rubber curry combs, shedding blades and scotch combs. Our favorite shedding tool is the spring curry comb, but please use it carefully so as not to tear up the skin or agitate the donkey. You may want to use a rubber tool in addition to deal with bonier areas, as well as a brush for the face and other more sensitive areas. In our experience furminators for donkeys tend to break apart after one or two busy seasons.
There are various shedding tools on the market, most prominently the Furminator and the spring curry comb along with various kinds of rubber curry combs, shedding blades and scotch combs. Our favorite shedding tool is the spring curry comb, but please use it carefully so as not to tear up the skin or agitate the donkey. You may want to use a rubber tool in addition to deal with bonier areas, as well as a brush for the face and other more sensitive areas. In our experience furminators for donkeys tend to break apart after one or two busy seasons.
Some donkeys do not like to be brushed or groomed with metal tools. Oftentimes, these are donkeys that have just recently learned to trust and physically interact with humans. In such a case, softer tools made of rubber, as well as brushes of various sorts will be the way to go. For example, a rubber grooming glove makes a great shedding tool.
Donkeys that have learned to trust will usually enjoy being groomed even outside of shedding season. Grooming is also a great way of bonding with your donkey. You do not need many fancy tools to make him feel comfortable. A soft brush, combined with a harder mud brush and/or a curry comb will do for most grooming purposes, apart from shedding. Wet-clean your tools once in a while and remove loose hair and debris regularly.
Donkeys that have learned to trust will usually enjoy being groomed even outside of shedding season. Grooming is also a great way of bonding with your donkey. You do not need many fancy tools to make him feel comfortable. A soft brush, combined with a harder mud brush and/or a curry comb will do for most grooming purposes, apart from shedding. Wet-clean your tools once in a while and remove loose hair and debris regularly.
9. Emergency Kit and Prescription Drugs to Have on Hand
If you haven’t already put together an equine emergency kit you should do so as soon as your donkeys have arrived. The main mechanical emergencies that a donkey can have is cuts, hoof abscesses or sprained ankles. More serious are cases of colic, although rarer in donkeys than in horses, respiratory diseases, and laminitis. Other conditions that need to be treated asap for the donkeys’ comfort and long-term health are rain rot, lice, lungworms, ringworm and funguses. Always keep a rectal thermometer around to take temperature.
For abscesses we recommend having a bag of epsom salt around as well as a bucket or bowl for soaking the foot. The epsom salt is dissolved in hot water, cooled down a bit, and the foot should be soaked in the still warm water for about 10-20 minutes after having been cleaned out with a hoof pick and hoof brush. If the abscess is open, have some iodine or betadine around for disinfecting the abscess. Mix it with sugar (preferably brown or raw sugar), place the mixture on a large gauze pad and place the pad with the sugar-iodine mixture facing upward underneath the sole of the hoof. Bandage the foot with rolled gauze and place adhesive vet tape all around to keep the gauze and pad in place.
If the abscess is still closed, you can use epsom salt poultice instead of sugardine. Bandage and wrap the foot as described above. For thrush, keep some anti-thrush ointment or apple cider vinegar around just in case you notice some foul smell and black residue coming off from around the frog of your donkey's hooves.
Sprains require ice-cold bandages for the first 24 hours and epsom salt poultice bandages afterwards. Use over-the counter antibiotic ointment to treat minor cuts and wounds. To treat lice infestations (not uncommon in donkeys over the winter, for example), you can get products at Tractor Supply or other farm stores. A betadine solution or products such as MTG can be used to treat raw bald spots (e.g. from lice or rain rot). Very recommended: Vetericyn wound gel for longer-term wound treatment and funguses. For teary eyes we recommend triple antibiotic ointment. Any equine emergency kit should also contain several rolls of vet wrap, gauze pads, and cotton bandages. Iodine or betadine solution is to be diluted in some water before use.
There are some prescription drugs that you can only get from your veterinarian, but they would be helpful to have around. They come in paste, powder or tablet form and can be administered with feed or directly into the mouth. However, the dosage is important, as these drugs can become life-threatening if administered in too high dosages, especially over a longer period of time. The first is bute (or penhylbutazone), which is a pain killer and anti-inflammatory. It comes in paste, tablet, and powder form. The injectable liquid version is not recommended for home use. If your donkey stands funny on both front legs it could be sign of laminitis, an inflammation of the laminae inside the foot. For donkeys, veterinarians often prescribe 1 gram of bute once or twice a day, or 2 grams once a day, to address pain and inflammation.
The second one is banamine – or, more generally, the drug flunixin meglumine – which is also a painkiller and anti-inflammatory that is particularly suitable for abdominal pain but can be used for other types of pain as well. It can save lives in case of a colic. Like bute, banamine comes in paste form as well as in an injectable form that is not recommended for home use. The proper dosage of banamine is 0.5 mg per lb of body weight. Banamine paste is dosed based upon weight and the plunger has pound-based weight increments on it. If you are unsure about your donkey’s weight (standard donkeys can weigh anything between c. 350 and 600 pounds depending on size
and muscle/fat mass), you can use a weight tape to determine the dosage. Oral paste banamine takes 15-30 minutes to take effect. Thus, if you see your donkey not eating, lying down or rolling on the ground at feeding time, and there are no other obvious reasons for the loss of appetite, the situation may call for a dose of banamine, especially if a veterinarian is not available for consultation. In that case something is wrong with the donkey’s belly or digestive system, which could develop into a severe colic if not treated quickly. We have been able to avert many cases of colic just by using banamine early when observing initial signs of colic or colitis.
Bute and banamine both belong to a class of drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (“NSAIDS”), which includes familiar human drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen. Their use can have some undesirable side effects including:
• Intestinal and stomach side effects including gastric and colonic ulcers. Foals are especially sensitive to the intestinal side effects and easily develop ulcers from the use of these medications.
• Kidney problems. This is especially true of young equines, but caution should always be used, especially in old equines and those that are otherwise ill or dehydrated.
• Importantly, NSAIDS have the ability to “mask” a problem, making it look less severe than it really is and give cause for false hope and delayed treatment.
Also, it is not recommended to give both bute and banamine at the same time as this can cause severe side effects!
For these reasons, it is important to consult with your veterinarian before administering these drugs to your donkey. They require a prescription, anyway, which is a good opportunity to find out what your veterinarian generally thinks about their use and what course of action he/she generally recommends when signs of colic, painful abscesses, laminitis or other situations emerge that call for an anti-inflammatory and pain killer.
For abscesses we recommend having a bag of epsom salt around as well as a bucket or bowl for soaking the foot. The epsom salt is dissolved in hot water, cooled down a bit, and the foot should be soaked in the still warm water for about 10-20 minutes after having been cleaned out with a hoof pick and hoof brush. If the abscess is open, have some iodine or betadine around for disinfecting the abscess. Mix it with sugar (preferably brown or raw sugar), place the mixture on a large gauze pad and place the pad with the sugar-iodine mixture facing upward underneath the sole of the hoof. Bandage the foot with rolled gauze and place adhesive vet tape all around to keep the gauze and pad in place.
If the abscess is still closed, you can use epsom salt poultice instead of sugardine. Bandage and wrap the foot as described above. For thrush, keep some anti-thrush ointment or apple cider vinegar around just in case you notice some foul smell and black residue coming off from around the frog of your donkey's hooves.
Sprains require ice-cold bandages for the first 24 hours and epsom salt poultice bandages afterwards. Use over-the counter antibiotic ointment to treat minor cuts and wounds. To treat lice infestations (not uncommon in donkeys over the winter, for example), you can get products at Tractor Supply or other farm stores. A betadine solution or products such as MTG can be used to treat raw bald spots (e.g. from lice or rain rot). Very recommended: Vetericyn wound gel for longer-term wound treatment and funguses. For teary eyes we recommend triple antibiotic ointment. Any equine emergency kit should also contain several rolls of vet wrap, gauze pads, and cotton bandages. Iodine or betadine solution is to be diluted in some water before use.
There are some prescription drugs that you can only get from your veterinarian, but they would be helpful to have around. They come in paste, powder or tablet form and can be administered with feed or directly into the mouth. However, the dosage is important, as these drugs can become life-threatening if administered in too high dosages, especially over a longer period of time. The first is bute (or penhylbutazone), which is a pain killer and anti-inflammatory. It comes in paste, tablet, and powder form. The injectable liquid version is not recommended for home use. If your donkey stands funny on both front legs it could be sign of laminitis, an inflammation of the laminae inside the foot. For donkeys, veterinarians often prescribe 1 gram of bute once or twice a day, or 2 grams once a day, to address pain and inflammation.
The second one is banamine – or, more generally, the drug flunixin meglumine – which is also a painkiller and anti-inflammatory that is particularly suitable for abdominal pain but can be used for other types of pain as well. It can save lives in case of a colic. Like bute, banamine comes in paste form as well as in an injectable form that is not recommended for home use. The proper dosage of banamine is 0.5 mg per lb of body weight. Banamine paste is dosed based upon weight and the plunger has pound-based weight increments on it. If you are unsure about your donkey’s weight (standard donkeys can weigh anything between c. 350 and 600 pounds depending on size
and muscle/fat mass), you can use a weight tape to determine the dosage. Oral paste banamine takes 15-30 minutes to take effect. Thus, if you see your donkey not eating, lying down or rolling on the ground at feeding time, and there are no other obvious reasons for the loss of appetite, the situation may call for a dose of banamine, especially if a veterinarian is not available for consultation. In that case something is wrong with the donkey’s belly or digestive system, which could develop into a severe colic if not treated quickly. We have been able to avert many cases of colic just by using banamine early when observing initial signs of colic or colitis.
Bute and banamine both belong to a class of drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (“NSAIDS”), which includes familiar human drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen. Their use can have some undesirable side effects including:
• Intestinal and stomach side effects including gastric and colonic ulcers. Foals are especially sensitive to the intestinal side effects and easily develop ulcers from the use of these medications.
• Kidney problems. This is especially true of young equines, but caution should always be used, especially in old equines and those that are otherwise ill or dehydrated.
• Importantly, NSAIDS have the ability to “mask” a problem, making it look less severe than it really is and give cause for false hope and delayed treatment.
Also, it is not recommended to give both bute and banamine at the same time as this can cause severe side effects!
For these reasons, it is important to consult with your veterinarian before administering these drugs to your donkey. They require a prescription, anyway, which is a good opportunity to find out what your veterinarian generally thinks about their use and what course of action he/she generally recommends when signs of colic, painful abscesses, laminitis or other situations emerge that call for an anti-inflammatory and pain killer.
10. Worming
Like horses, donkeys can be plagued by parasites such as worms, and they can actually die from a worm overload. In our rescue work, we have come across veterinary reports and other evidence of donkeys suddenly dying from a heavy worm load that had not been addressed by their owners for a longer period of time.
Also common is that donkeys’ faces and legs may get eaten up by flies if not properly protected, and that nasty sores can be created by fly activity, taking a long time to heal and possibly leaving large bald areas on the donkey’s skin even after they have healed. Sometimes, flies create nasty, large summer sores by depositing the larvae of certain equine stomach worms in a fresh wound. The resulting sores or lesions need special treatment or even surgery to heal over time, as they cannot properly heal on their own and often produce more or less pronounced areas of proud flesh.
Donkeys adopted from TLS have a history of effective worm management and are usually not in need of worming at the time of their adoption. However, if you acquired a donkey from elsewhere, especially from some sellers on Craigslist, worming might be one of the first things the donkey needs. If you know that the donkey has not been wormed for a long time, if ever, it is a good idea to start with an ivermectin-containing paste wormer. Most donkeys do not like the taste of paste wormer, even if it is apple flavored. In that case, you can avoid engaging in a rodeo with the donkey or otherwise making him uncomfortable by simply offering the wormer in a flower tortilla or in a “sandwiched” slice of whole-grain bread.
Until a few years ago, it was still common to worm equines at least every three months, rotating the kind of wormer according to the specific parasites common in the various seasons of the year and also in order to prevent worms from developing immunity against a specific type of wormer. However, it turned out that such frequent worming, even with different kinds of paste wormers, by itself creates resistance in the parasites to our common chemicals. Veterinarians started dealing with regularly and fully wormed horses that presented with an overload of worms, sometimes requiring euthanasia due to the damage they did to a horse’s intestines. There is no clear-cut answer to this problem. However, the problem can be managed to a large extent by a ‘smarter’ method of worming less often than before. If you have only a few equines, you will be able to clearly identify each equine’s manure, and then you can have your veterinarian do fecal exams to determine if your donkey needs worming and, if so, with what kind of chemical wormer. This method becomes more difficult to implement if you have a large herd and difficulties to separate each animal long enough to get some clearly identified manure. In either case, it seems safer at this point to limit the amount of worming to two times a year in the spring and fall, preferably in accordance with the findings of fecal egg counts prior to worming.
It gets even more complicated if we consider that some types of worms or worm larvae cannot be detected by fecal exams. One is the so-called encysted larvae of small strongyles, also known as small red worms or cyathostomins. Small strongyles feed on gut lining and material in the large intestine which can cause mild ulceration, weight loss, and diarrhea. Their larvae, typically ingested through grazing, tend to encyst themselves in the intestinal walls and accumulate there throughout the grazing season. Then, mostly in fall or winter, they can suddenly emerge in large numbers and cause clinical problems to an equine, including colic and even death. There are two ways to address encysted small strongyles by chemical wormers. The most effective treatment is with moxidectin, which is contained in the Quest and Quest Plus wormers. However, moxidectin should be dosed as precisely as possibly based on the donkey’s weight. If a donkey is overdosed, the wormer can by itself cause colic or even, in some reports, death. If you wish to be safe when administering Quest wormer, you can consult with your veterinarian. The second method to address encysted small strongyles is by a five-day course of fenbendazole, usually by a series of wormings with Panacur Powerpac. Again, consult with your veterinarian about best ways to worm your donkeys.
Encysted small strongyle larvae are not the only type of worms that can’t be detected via fecal egg count. Eggs of tapeworms and pinworms are also not readily detected in standard equine flotation protocols, either (see https://www.dvm360.com/view/update-aaep-parasite-control-guidelines). Yet another type of worms, equine lungworms, can be spread from donkeys to horses if they graze together but can only be detected in fecal samples from the donkeys, not in those from the horses. Equine lungworms (a different kind of worm from cattle lungworms) usually do not cause clinical signs in the donkeys but will often cause respiratory problems in companion horses. Thus, if you have horses and donkeys grazing together and the horse presents with respiratory problems, ask your veterinarian to test a fecal sample from the donkeys(s) to see if lungworm larvae are present., then worm all equines accordingly. A general plan for smart annual worming can be found here.
Chemical wormers can be obtained online at sites such as Valleyvet.com or Horse.com, at feedstores, large chain farming stores such as Tractor Supply or Big R, or directly from your veterinarian. There is also a movement toward using “natural” substances such as diatomaceous earth or herbal wormers as a substitute for chemical wormers. We have heard reports that some more homeopathically or holistically oriented veterinarians advise that keeping donkeys near juniper trees will prevent worm infestation. However, there have been no conclusive studies as to the efficiency of such alternative deworming methods, and we’ve personally had experiences that refuted any claims as to DE or pinions by themselves being able to prevent worm infestation. (for example, we had fecal egg counts on some of our donkeys that were kept around juniper trees and ate from them, when a large amount of worms were detected, and we took in some donkeys that were said to have been regularly dewormed with DE, while their fecal egg count revealed a strong worm infestation.)
There are, however, other methods to manage the worm load in donkeys without using paste wormer twice a year. One would be by using a so-called feed-through wormer in pellet form, a small amount of which has to be administered every day to be effective. However, even feed-through wormer contains some of the same chemicals that are in the paste versions (such as fenbendazole or pyrantel pamoate), and it does not contain ivermectin or moxidectin, so it might be still necessary to supplement it with paste once a year to address lungworms, encysted small strongyles or tapeworms. The most effective (and at the same time "natural") method to manage worm loads, however, is good manure management and manure removal, since worm eggs and worm larvae are mostly ingested and distributed through manure. Combined with fecal exams and deworming as needed, it will take care of all worm issues.
Also common is that donkeys’ faces and legs may get eaten up by flies if not properly protected, and that nasty sores can be created by fly activity, taking a long time to heal and possibly leaving large bald areas on the donkey’s skin even after they have healed. Sometimes, flies create nasty, large summer sores by depositing the larvae of certain equine stomach worms in a fresh wound. The resulting sores or lesions need special treatment or even surgery to heal over time, as they cannot properly heal on their own and often produce more or less pronounced areas of proud flesh.
Donkeys adopted from TLS have a history of effective worm management and are usually not in need of worming at the time of their adoption. However, if you acquired a donkey from elsewhere, especially from some sellers on Craigslist, worming might be one of the first things the donkey needs. If you know that the donkey has not been wormed for a long time, if ever, it is a good idea to start with an ivermectin-containing paste wormer. Most donkeys do not like the taste of paste wormer, even if it is apple flavored. In that case, you can avoid engaging in a rodeo with the donkey or otherwise making him uncomfortable by simply offering the wormer in a flower tortilla or in a “sandwiched” slice of whole-grain bread.
Until a few years ago, it was still common to worm equines at least every three months, rotating the kind of wormer according to the specific parasites common in the various seasons of the year and also in order to prevent worms from developing immunity against a specific type of wormer. However, it turned out that such frequent worming, even with different kinds of paste wormers, by itself creates resistance in the parasites to our common chemicals. Veterinarians started dealing with regularly and fully wormed horses that presented with an overload of worms, sometimes requiring euthanasia due to the damage they did to a horse’s intestines. There is no clear-cut answer to this problem. However, the problem can be managed to a large extent by a ‘smarter’ method of worming less often than before. If you have only a few equines, you will be able to clearly identify each equine’s manure, and then you can have your veterinarian do fecal exams to determine if your donkey needs worming and, if so, with what kind of chemical wormer. This method becomes more difficult to implement if you have a large herd and difficulties to separate each animal long enough to get some clearly identified manure. In either case, it seems safer at this point to limit the amount of worming to two times a year in the spring and fall, preferably in accordance with the findings of fecal egg counts prior to worming.
It gets even more complicated if we consider that some types of worms or worm larvae cannot be detected by fecal exams. One is the so-called encysted larvae of small strongyles, also known as small red worms or cyathostomins. Small strongyles feed on gut lining and material in the large intestine which can cause mild ulceration, weight loss, and diarrhea. Their larvae, typically ingested through grazing, tend to encyst themselves in the intestinal walls and accumulate there throughout the grazing season. Then, mostly in fall or winter, they can suddenly emerge in large numbers and cause clinical problems to an equine, including colic and even death. There are two ways to address encysted small strongyles by chemical wormers. The most effective treatment is with moxidectin, which is contained in the Quest and Quest Plus wormers. However, moxidectin should be dosed as precisely as possibly based on the donkey’s weight. If a donkey is overdosed, the wormer can by itself cause colic or even, in some reports, death. If you wish to be safe when administering Quest wormer, you can consult with your veterinarian. The second method to address encysted small strongyles is by a five-day course of fenbendazole, usually by a series of wormings with Panacur Powerpac. Again, consult with your veterinarian about best ways to worm your donkeys.
Encysted small strongyle larvae are not the only type of worms that can’t be detected via fecal egg count. Eggs of tapeworms and pinworms are also not readily detected in standard equine flotation protocols, either (see https://www.dvm360.com/view/update-aaep-parasite-control-guidelines). Yet another type of worms, equine lungworms, can be spread from donkeys to horses if they graze together but can only be detected in fecal samples from the donkeys, not in those from the horses. Equine lungworms (a different kind of worm from cattle lungworms) usually do not cause clinical signs in the donkeys but will often cause respiratory problems in companion horses. Thus, if you have horses and donkeys grazing together and the horse presents with respiratory problems, ask your veterinarian to test a fecal sample from the donkeys(s) to see if lungworm larvae are present., then worm all equines accordingly. A general plan for smart annual worming can be found here.
Chemical wormers can be obtained online at sites such as Valleyvet.com or Horse.com, at feedstores, large chain farming stores such as Tractor Supply or Big R, or directly from your veterinarian. There is also a movement toward using “natural” substances such as diatomaceous earth or herbal wormers as a substitute for chemical wormers. We have heard reports that some more homeopathically or holistically oriented veterinarians advise that keeping donkeys near juniper trees will prevent worm infestation. However, there have been no conclusive studies as to the efficiency of such alternative deworming methods, and we’ve personally had experiences that refuted any claims as to DE or pinions by themselves being able to prevent worm infestation. (for example, we had fecal egg counts on some of our donkeys that were kept around juniper trees and ate from them, when a large amount of worms were detected, and we took in some donkeys that were said to have been regularly dewormed with DE, while their fecal egg count revealed a strong worm infestation.)
There are, however, other methods to manage the worm load in donkeys without using paste wormer twice a year. One would be by using a so-called feed-through wormer in pellet form, a small amount of which has to be administered every day to be effective. However, even feed-through wormer contains some of the same chemicals that are in the paste versions (such as fenbendazole or pyrantel pamoate), and it does not contain ivermectin or moxidectin, so it might be still necessary to supplement it with paste once a year to address lungworms, encysted small strongyles or tapeworms. The most effective (and at the same time "natural") method to manage worm loads, however, is good manure management and manure removal, since worm eggs and worm larvae are mostly ingested and distributed through manure. Combined with fecal exams and deworming as needed, it will take care of all worm issues.
11. Treatment of Other Parasites
There are plenty of products on the market for the treatment of other parasites in donkeys such as flies, gnats, bots or lice. Unlike for horses, for donkeys it is not uncommon to attract lice in the winter, which are able to hide under their thick winter coats. Springtime will reveal such potential infestation and may require special lice treatment. For flies, we particularly recommend Swat, an ointment that can be applied to sensitive areas like the face, around the eyes and around wounds, and which is also very effective if applied along the legs, where flies often try to wreak havoc during the summer months. You can obtain either clear or pink Swat ointment, the pink coloring will make it clearer where it has been applied.
A fly mask is very recommended during the summer to protect the eye area and some of the face. Most standard donkeys need an Arabian-sized mask; horse size is usually too large for standards but will fit mammoth donkeys. Some standard donkeys with particularly small heads require yearling-sized masks, and mini donkeys have their own mini size. In New Mexico we recommend earless masks; donkeys don’t usually enjoy having their ears confined and obstructed. Our favorite fly masks for donkeys are Durvet Duramask without ears, which comes in 6 sizes, and Rugged Rise Rip Resistant Mesh Fly Mask with no ears, as well as others of similar style.
A fly mask is very recommended during the summer to protect the eye area and some of the face. Most standard donkeys need an Arabian-sized mask; horse size is usually too large for standards but will fit mammoth donkeys. Some standard donkeys with particularly small heads require yearling-sized masks, and mini donkeys have their own mini size. In New Mexico we recommend earless masks; donkeys don’t usually enjoy having their ears confined and obstructed. Our favorite fly masks for donkeys are Durvet Duramask without ears, which comes in 6 sizes, and Rugged Rise Rip Resistant Mesh Fly Mask with no ears, as well as others of similar style.
In addition to fly masks, there are also fly boots, fly sheets, and fly traps, depending on your donkeys’ needs in their respective climate. Fly boots cover the lower legs and help avoid the formation of wounds where flies try to attack the skin and lay eggs, a process that can potentially result in summer sores. Fly sheets cover the back and flanks and may be helpful in some areas of New Mexico or in more humid states around the country. Fly traps of various kinds can be hung up inside the barn and/or along fences or enclosures.
Another natural method of fly management is Fly Predators®. Fly Predators® are a natural alternative to fly sprays and chemicals. Fly Predators are beneficial bugs that control flies naturally by taking over the fly’s cocoon, thereby killing immature pest flies. These tiny insects are the natural enemy of flies, but never bother people or animals. You’ll likely never see them, but you will see their results. Fly Predators are sprinkled near all manure areas every four weeks beginning in spring and continuing through summer. Fly Predators are the most effective if you begin using them early in the season before pest flies become heavily populated.
In general, good manure management, especially combined with fly masks, fly predators and/or moderate application of fly repellent, is a basic, effective way of dealing not only with worms but also with flies, bots, and gnats in the spring and summer.
Another natural method of fly management is Fly Predators®. Fly Predators® are a natural alternative to fly sprays and chemicals. Fly Predators are beneficial bugs that control flies naturally by taking over the fly’s cocoon, thereby killing immature pest flies. These tiny insects are the natural enemy of flies, but never bother people or animals. You’ll likely never see them, but you will see their results. Fly Predators are sprinkled near all manure areas every four weeks beginning in spring and continuing through summer. Fly Predators are the most effective if you begin using them early in the season before pest flies become heavily populated.
In general, good manure management, especially combined with fly masks, fly predators and/or moderate application of fly repellent, is a basic, effective way of dealing not only with worms but also with flies, bots, and gnats in the spring and summer.
12. Manure Management Strategies and Equipment
As we have seen, manure management is very important both to reduce and control worm loads in donkeys and to control flies. Flies are naturally attracted to manure, thus the less manure there is the fewer flies will be around. In addition to that, manure management has an impact on the environment in general and on your neighborhood in particular. Manure can pollute rivers, creeks, and ground water, and it can also produce odors, potentially triggering complaints from neighbors. While donkey manure generally is less smelly than horse manure, it is not odorless. But manure can also be composted and/or used as a soil amendment. Old manure, mixed with straw at the right ratio, can be used to warm up the barn floor, keeping donkeys warm during cold winter nights.
The trick is to minimize the amount of fresh manure (including manure that is semi-dried but hasn't been fully broken up yet) inside paddocks and stalls and also to minimize the donkeys' exposure to fresh manure and urine piles. The more urine and fresh manure are exposed to fresh, dry air the faster they can dry up. Since donkeys generally prefer fairly open, ventilated barns and shelters, chances are better than in typical horse barns that their manure and urine excretions inside the shelters can be reduced to a minimum. For example, many of our donkeys prefer to urinate or even poop outside of their shelters, where the wind and the sun can quickly begin to neutralize odors and moisture. But even inside a shelter or open barn like that, manure can compost and dry up more quickly when properly mixed and covered with straw. In this respect, barn manure management for donkeys is a lot easier than for horses, at least as far as typical barn designs go.
Manure from barns and paddocks is usually removed using a so-called muck rake. This is a rake with a specially shaped head made of plastic or steel with a long handle. You will also need a muck bucket or a wheelbarrow to place the manure in before you can remove it to its designated disposal location. Stores such as Tractor Supply or other farm stores also sell so-called muck carts that you can use to move your full muck buckets to the disposal location. A wheelbarrow holds a lot more manure, but is also larger and does not easily go through every kind of entrance way. Depending on the kind of disposal location you choose for your manure, either a muck bucket that can be easily emptied into a dumpster or a wheel barrow or other type of cart that can be easily emptied on the ground or into a pile may be a better choice.
If you decide to use a muck cart for manure removal, make sure you don't leave it unattended inside the paddock or barn where donkeys have access. Donkeys are very curious animals, and we once had an experience with once of our geldings who got his head into the handle part of the muck cart, freaked out, and started running around with it. Fortunately, nothing happened to the donkey, but the muck cart ended up being destroyed.
The trick is to minimize the amount of fresh manure (including manure that is semi-dried but hasn't been fully broken up yet) inside paddocks and stalls and also to minimize the donkeys' exposure to fresh manure and urine piles. The more urine and fresh manure are exposed to fresh, dry air the faster they can dry up. Since donkeys generally prefer fairly open, ventilated barns and shelters, chances are better than in typical horse barns that their manure and urine excretions inside the shelters can be reduced to a minimum. For example, many of our donkeys prefer to urinate or even poop outside of their shelters, where the wind and the sun can quickly begin to neutralize odors and moisture. But even inside a shelter or open barn like that, manure can compost and dry up more quickly when properly mixed and covered with straw. In this respect, barn manure management for donkeys is a lot easier than for horses, at least as far as typical barn designs go.
Manure from barns and paddocks is usually removed using a so-called muck rake. This is a rake with a specially shaped head made of plastic or steel with a long handle. You will also need a muck bucket or a wheelbarrow to place the manure in before you can remove it to its designated disposal location. Stores such as Tractor Supply or other farm stores also sell so-called muck carts that you can use to move your full muck buckets to the disposal location. A wheelbarrow holds a lot more manure, but is also larger and does not easily go through every kind of entrance way. Depending on the kind of disposal location you choose for your manure, either a muck bucket that can be easily emptied into a dumpster or a wheel barrow or other type of cart that can be easily emptied on the ground or into a pile may be a better choice.
If you decide to use a muck cart for manure removal, make sure you don't leave it unattended inside the paddock or barn where donkeys have access. Donkeys are very curious animals, and we once had an experience with once of our geldings who got his head into the handle part of the muck cart, freaked out, and started running around with it. Fortunately, nothing happened to the donkey, but the muck cart ended up being destroyed.
Once the manure is picked up where it was dropped and the area cleaned, it has to be transported to the location where it is stockpiled for disposal. In some states in the USA, some counties do not allow homeowners to cultivate a manure pile. Or neighbors may complain about the sight of a manure pile, causing problems with the zoning office. If this is the case, the least time-consuming long-term solution is to either cart off the manure to the local landfill at regular intervals or have a trash removal company do it by ordering a dumpster specifically for manure that is picked up once a week or as often as necessary.
Alternative disposal solutions would be to compost the manure and reuse it or sell it/give it away as fertilizer, spread the manure thinly over your pastures, flowerbeds or veggie garden, or use a drag tool to work the manure into the ground. The latter solution is usually chosen for large riding arenas but it is not adequate for smaller paddocks, especially in areas where donkeys are fed, because some of the distributed manure will still be fresh, and you want to minimize contact between fresh manure and donkey mouths (and hooves). Even if spreading manure on pastures, you want to wait a few days until you let your donkeys graze in the area.
There are elaborate ways to compost manure or otherwise deal with a growing manure pile. To learn more about your options, we recommend further reading such as here.
13. Blankets for the Winter
Two senior donkeys enjoying their blankets (and each other) on.a cold, breezy winter day).
- The topic of blanketing equines, whether horses or donkeys, is usually discussed in a rather ideological manner, as if there were only two possible stances: Either you are for or you are against it! Some people hold that blanketing an equine will inevitably impair their ability to withstand cold temperatures and potentially make them sick; others think it would be cruel not to blanket. We believe that, like so many other things that are in dispute, the best approach to blanketing is one that is non-dogmatic and considers the particular circumstances of each case to make a decision. In other words, like with so many things in life, there is no general formula but should be best decided on a case-by-case basis.
There are various factors that weigh for or against blanketing. First of all, you cannot blanket a donkey that is not used to blankets and needs some time to overcome potential inner resistance. Second, of course the temperatures should be low enough to warrant blanketing. In our view, temperatures should usually be at least around the frost level to warrant blanketing a donkey, though with seniors, sick donkeys, or donkeys just arriving from a much-warmer climate you may want to make an exception when temperatures get close to this. Third, the question is whether there is rain or falling snow as well as wind. Donkeys are potentially susceptible to catching pneumonia of they are exposed to a combination of strong winds, precipitation, and low temperatures. This is why we require adopters to at least provide a three-sided roofed shelter to help donkeys stay out of inclement weather, especially since, unlike horses, donkeys do not have completely waterproof coats in the winter.
Another factor is the donkey’s age and physical condition. Senior donkeys, underweight donkeys, donkeys having just arrived from a much warmer climate in the middle of the winter, or donkeys suffering from an illness are certainly at a higher priority for blanketing than others. We sometimes blanket a new intake senior donkey at night even in the fall prior to the first frost if the donkey does not have access to a barn-like type of shelter, the respective donkey still needs to put on some weight, temperatures drop drastically during the night or it is cold and rains heavily, even if temperatures are not yet at the frost level. These are a lot of factors to consider, and sometimes the final decision of whether or not to blanket at a given time ultimately comes down to a gut feeling.
In addition to knowing from knowing what to consider when blanketing a donkey, it is of utmost importance to know when to unblanket the animal so as to avoid sweating underneath the blanket. Basically, once you start a blanketing routine with a particular donkey, you will have to stick to it throughout the cold season, including making sure that the donkey gets his blanket taken off when temperatures rise again or the sun comes out. It is also true, that a blanketed donkey’s natural winter coat won’t be quite as thick as that of an unblanketed donkey, so once the donkey gets used to being blanketed at certain temperatures and/or wind and precipitation conditions, you need to make sure you will be able to consistently provide a blanket for him every time conditions are similar; otherwise, he may become uncomfortable in the weather. Once they’ve come to appreciate a blanket, they will also give you signs when they feel they would like you to put the blanket on them.
Donkey-sized blankets are hard to come by in the standard feed stores and even at large farm stores such as Tractor Supply or Big R. It is best to order them online at venues such as Chick’s Saddlery, State Line Tack, or Jefferson Equine. You will need to look for pony-sized blankets, and more specifically for sizes between 56 and 61 for most standard donkeys, and 63-66 for very large standard and mammoth donkeys. Winter blankets should have a filling of at least 250 g, depending on the climatic needs for your area.
14. Dental Check-ups and Vaccinations
A dental floating procedure being performed on a donkey.
Just like horses, donkeys tend to develop sharp points and edges on their teeth, which can cause wound spots, lesions or even ulcers inside their mouths and make chewing difficult or uncomfortable. One of our adopters who did not do regular dental check-ups for her donkeys was suddenly facing a huge veterinary bill because for too it had escaped her attention that one of the donkeys had an infected tooth. For these reasons, every equine owner should have their animals’ teeth checked by a qualified veterinarian or equine dentist at least every two years, and sometimes more frequently if needed. If the teeth need to be floated – the sharp edges removed – or a tooth pulled, you can get this done immediately and avoid worse and costly long-term effects.
Preventive veterinary care is the best way to keep your vet bills low and your donkeys happy. Make sure you will be able to afford it and make it a priority before you decide to adopt donkeys. Donkeys adopted out by TLS have had their teeth checked and, if necessary, floated shortly before they leave for their new homes. After that, the task is on you.
And if you already have the vet come to check your donkeys’ teeth, ask for an update on vaccinations as well. The basic or core vaccinations for all equines are rabies, west nile, Eastern and Western encephalomyelitis, and tetanus in the spring/summer, and rhinovirus and flu in the fall, or you can get them all done at one time if have the vet come only once a year (though it will be more of a strain for the animal to get all inoculations at one time). Most of the diseases that the vaccines protect from are rare, but fatal if they occur. Hence, since the vaccinations are not expensive, they are worthwhile doing to make sure your donkeys are protected.
15. Hoof Trimming
Our farrier working on one of our donkeys. Our regular farrier is certified by the Equine Lameness Prevention Association (ELPO).
Just like horses, donkeys need their hooves trimmed at regular intervals. How often, that will depend on your donkeys specific hoof growth, the kind of terrain he is moving in, the amount of exercise he gets, and whether or not he has specific health issues related to his hooves. Unlike a floating procedure for your donkey's teeth, hoof trimming is usually performed by farriers rather than veterinarians, which means that they are not normally in a position to sedate a donkey prior to the trimming procedure.
It is, therefore, of utmost importance that you have donkeys that can be managed for trimming, at least by the farrier of your choice, without the need of sedation or elaborate methods of restraint. Most farriers won't come out to work on untrained donkeys, anyway, setting the stage for unintentional long-term hoof neglect. Many of the rescue cases that we have taken in came from such situations, where untrained people "rescued" one or more donkeys that were already neglected without the knowledge and resources to effectively remove the neglect, often making whatever damage the neglect causes to the bones or other parts of the donkeys body worse over time.
For these reasons, we strive to only adopt out donkeys that are easy to handle. While we have in the past occasionally adopted out semi-trained donkeys to homes where we believed their training would be effectively continued, that didn't always work out the way we envisioned it. We strongly encourage every adopter as well as any other donkey owner with difficulties handling their animals to contact us and work with us to prevent unintentional neglect.
In addition to the handling issue, make sure you have a farrier who has some knowledge of the difference between donkey and horse hooves. Ideally, you should look for a farrier who is certified by a professional farrier association and/or has apprenticed with a very experienced, well-known farrier with knowledge of donkey hooves. Your farrier should also be able to detect laminitis, including early signs of it, and to know what a club foot looks like.
Below are some pics of various cases of (unintentional) hoof neglect that we've encountered over the years. In most of these cases, the owners tried to get help but couldn't get the right resources until they found their way to us. Farriers they tried to contact didn't respond or refused (or didn't know how to) to work on their animals.
It is, therefore, of utmost importance that you have donkeys that can be managed for trimming, at least by the farrier of your choice, without the need of sedation or elaborate methods of restraint. Most farriers won't come out to work on untrained donkeys, anyway, setting the stage for unintentional long-term hoof neglect. Many of the rescue cases that we have taken in came from such situations, where untrained people "rescued" one or more donkeys that were already neglected without the knowledge and resources to effectively remove the neglect, often making whatever damage the neglect causes to the bones or other parts of the donkeys body worse over time.
For these reasons, we strive to only adopt out donkeys that are easy to handle. While we have in the past occasionally adopted out semi-trained donkeys to homes where we believed their training would be effectively continued, that didn't always work out the way we envisioned it. We strongly encourage every adopter as well as any other donkey owner with difficulties handling their animals to contact us and work with us to prevent unintentional neglect.
In addition to the handling issue, make sure you have a farrier who has some knowledge of the difference between donkey and horse hooves. Ideally, you should look for a farrier who is certified by a professional farrier association and/or has apprenticed with a very experienced, well-known farrier with knowledge of donkey hooves. Your farrier should also be able to detect laminitis, including early signs of it, and to know what a club foot looks like.
Below are some pics of various cases of (unintentional) hoof neglect that we've encountered over the years. In most of these cases, the owners tried to get help but couldn't get the right resources until they found their way to us. Farriers they tried to contact didn't respond or refused (or didn't know how to) to work on their animals.
