Opinions on donkeys please??

tikkitti

tikkitti

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Mar 8, 2015
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Hi everyone, I have been offered a donkey its a jenny, 3 year old and hasn't had much handling in fact when I saw it earlier, I would describe it as halter broke, its ran as a herd with other donkeys until last week. I have said before I don't want anymore but would be doing the person a favour taking it as they are overstocked and are lovely people. I'm clueless when it comes to a donkey, the only thing I know is many don't like keeping horses with them due to lungworm. Anyway what I need to know is if donkeys are easy to break, easy to socialise and are the safe around kids. Im guessing they're nothing like beach donkeys or are they? Are they spooky like green ponies, can they be good in traffic? Any advice much appreciated.x
 
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I only know two things about donkeys. The first is that you shouldn't have just one. They can pine if they aren't kept with others of their own species. The second is that they absolutely HAVE to have shelter because they are really desert creatures and their coats are not waterproof.

There are lots of people with donks on here though and I'm sure you'll get good advice.
 
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I love donks :D but they are very noisy so if you have any near neighbours I would be wary, my horsey neighbor had one as a companion and had to rehome it as they whole estate complained about the 5am brays when he knew breakfast was due!
They also shouldn't be fed like horses, being desert animals they evolved to need much more roughage in their diets so straw is more appropriate than hay as their staple so keeping 1 donk alongside horses might prove more difficult, definitely worth talking to experienced folks about how they manage their different needs.
 
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Id told my friend or should I say friend of a friend I'd sleep on it so they're probably expecting me to call them today. I posted on here as didn't want to go into it blind, and definitely didn't want to harm the donkey in any way.x
 
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Cortrasna keeps Dolly with donks - hopefully she'll see this thread.
I have hardly any knowledge - but I do love a donkey they have such good faces:D
 
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I love my donkeys - had them for years and would never be without one now. Such l;oving little charactersx they all are:D Firstly the lung worm old wives tail - no your horses will NOT get lung worm off your donkeys so long as ALL are wormed regularly and correctly. I have never had a case of lung worms in either donkeys or horses in over 40 years of keeping both together.

Mine live out all year round with Dolly, but they do have nice waterproof rugs on as they do not have a natural waterproofing in their natural coats. My fields also have a lot of natural shelter that they do use. They have to have their feet trimmed just the same as a horse does, and their teeth seen by a dentist too, but I only have theirs done about once every two years, they just don't seem to need more regular attention. Their teeth that is not their feet obviously!

Although mine have not had any regular interaction with children, the odd time I have had mini visitors they are very gentle and calm around the kids so unless the child is obnoxious I cant see that would be a problem. One donkey will be perfectly happy without another donkey in me experience, so long as it has the constant company of another horse or pony. Bertie lived for many years just with Solly and was very happy and contented. We did get Joseph to keep him comp nay in case he pined when Solly died, but he is more interested in hanging about with Dolly than his little donkey friend.

They can be noisy - but mine only shout if I am late down to feed them in the winter, (they only get hay nothing else, ever) in the summer on restricted grass alongside Dolly...but not much shouting then as I am not the bringer of food at that time of the year!:rolleyes: We have several donkeys dotted around the valley I live in....we do get the odd day when they all chorus and call each other, but it really doesn't bother anyone because it is very much a rural area and just part and parcel of keeping livestock.

Gosh I have waffled on - hope it helps! ;)
 
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Thank you so much for all the info, the only bit that worries me is how to break one in, do you mouth etc the same? Also are they easy to win round, to me it looked feral and they did say it had ran as a herd. They also have a little old show pony that ended up being a potter about pony due to having sweet itch. My thought is I need something quiet as ultimately my special needs son can have the occasional ride on it. The pony is about 17 but rightly or wrongly I thought the donkey although young may fit in and be quiet and have the longevity for him. x
 
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I have never had any involvement in backing donks, the only thing I remember was going donkey racing (it was an actual event near where we lived)as a kid and virtually every single person would get bucked off, of course that could have been because they were using us kids to back their donkeys for them unknowingly!
 
A good friend of mine keeps donkeys and mules. She trail rides,all lovely and quiet but they are different to horses in how they think. Sadly the donkeys been stubborn you often hear is very much because they are slower thinkers but very intelligent they just don't think in the same time frames as horses and because of this can come across as been stubborn. I've never owned one but my friend has for most of her life and loves them dearly,kind,funny full of character and super clever. She will only keep them with other donkeys and mules but they can be suited well with horses, I think that would boil down to the donkeys nature as plenty live with only horse equines as buddies and thrive in that environment. as has been said they are not waterproof like horses so shelter and rugs if need be. As far as backing I know taking things slow is the best way just try and remember the slower thought process they have and they make excellent rides :)
 
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I LOVE DONKEYS! Adorable they are.. their are 3 in my neighborhood. Just 1 thing is.... Sometimes they get loud....LOUD! Like it will spread across the neighborhood lol. But just rarely. Other than that I would eventually like one of my own xD
 
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