donkeys

About Miniature Donkeys

A Miniature Donkey is an ideal pet or companion. They offer you love unconditionally. They are adorable from the moment they are born and are without a doubt one of the most loveable and affectionate critters in the animal kingdom. They thrive on attention and have an amazing amount of love to give in return. Geldings or jennets make the best pets—even a 33" jack knows he's a stud—and studs are not recommended as pets! Miniature donkeys love to be around people—trustworthy around children, the elderly, and the handicapped; they are wonderful for people of all ages. They are very economical and also easy keepers.

Female donkeys are called jennets or jennies, and male donkeys are called jacks. If jacks are not being used for breeding purposes, they should always be gelded—especially around children. Baby donkeys are called foals. Their gestation is usually 12-13 months, and the foal is born at about 2/3 of its adult height. Jennets are usually excellent mothers—docile around humans yet protective of their babies, putting themselves between their baby and whatever they consider a danger to their little one. Jennets can produce only one foal every 13-16 months. Twins are rare.

To be registered, Miniature Donkeys must be under 36 inches in height—average height being 32-34 inches at the withers. Miniature donkeys are predominately grey-dun with the characteristic dark cross on their back and withers. They come in darker shades of grey as well as brown, black, sorrow, white, spotted, and roan.

Miniature Donkeys have an average life span of 25-35 years. Jennets can produce foals into their early 20's. Older jennets are normally wonderful mothers and fantastic babysitters to put in with foals being weaned. Donkeys have lived to be as old as 47 years with proper care.

Donkeys communicate with their human owners and other donkeys by "braying", also more commonly known as a hee-haw. On the whole, Donkeys are very quiet animals. Every donkey has their own style of braying with some sounding quite comical. They range from barely being audible to a loud, thunderous bray. Donkeys develop schedules and if you are late in feeding, you will hear about it! Jacks pastured apart from their jennets will call to them several times a day.

Donkeys are 'herd' animals, and to avoid undue stress and lonliness, should not be kept by themselves, but with another Mini-Donk or compatible animal. They form close attachments to their "human" owners and to other donkeys. One lone donkey is a very lonely donkey!

Once you've gotten your first donkey, you will probably join the rest of us with a very common disease—DONKEY FEVER! Symptoms include: Going to auctions and to visit breeders and looking in fields whenever you go to spot donkeys. Eventually you'll find you can't live with just one donkey and end up with a pasture full of little ones!

If you too have DONKEY FEVER and would like more information on these lovely little critters, contact the American Donkey and Mule Society (phone: 940-382-6842).