Donkey life

Equus asinus (donkeys) belongs to the Equidae family. Equidae is the taxonomic family of horses including donkeys and zebras, and many other species known only from fossils.

Donkeys differ from horses in confirmation. Donkeys have much longer ears in proportion to their size. Their necks are straighter. The pelvic bones are at a higher angle, therefore the croup is higher and rump narrower. The back is straighter with the main and tail hair short and course. Their hooves are small and round and require a visit from a donkey farrier every 10 weeks. Donkeys have 62 chromosomes whilst horses have 64 chromosomes.

terminology

• A female donkey is called a jennet or jennie. A male is called a jack. Males that have been castrated are called geldings.

• Babies are called foals until they are weaned.

• Babies that have been weaned and are under a year old are called weanlings.

• Donkeys that are between one and two years old are called yearlings.

Where donkeys live

Wild donkeys are only found in deserts and savannahs in northern Africa from Morocco to Somalia, in the Arabian Peninsula and in the Middle East. Donkeys are very social and usually live in a group called a herd. The herd is usually lead by one jack and consists of several jennies.

Domesticated donkeys are found all over the world and prefer dry, warm areas. They must have companions, with a minimum of two donkeys. They are long lived animals, often living up to their early 40's.

Size and height

Donkey heights vary and are measured from the ground up to the wither (shoulder) measured at 3 years of age. Micro Miniature height is up to 30 inches. Miniature Mediterranean 30.01 to 36 inches. Standard size 36.01 inches to 48 inches. Large standard 48.01 to 54 inches. Mammoth are 54/56 inches and over. While most of a donkey’s height is attained during its first year, an individual is not considered mature in height and strength of bone until three years.

Colours

Colors are gray, brown, black, red (or sorrel), spotted and a more rare solid white colour called frosted spotted white. The colour of their muzzle and eye rings designates what is called points. Most donkeys have white around their eyes and muzzles. That is called light points. A donkey with a dark muzzle (almost always having an absence of white around the eyes) is said to have no light points or NLP for short.

Cross

Almost all donkeys will have a cross. The cross is a darker brown or black dorsal stripe running from the top of the donkey's back from the withers (where the neck connects to the back) and extending to the rear and down the tail. There is also a shoulder stripe that intersects the dorsal stripe at the withers running down each shoulder.

Habitat

Donkeys are natural browsers and will graze up to 16 hours a day on a diet of high fibre plant material. They are very efficient at metabolising their food and therefore their energy requirements are lower than a similar sized pony. This makes them easy to overfeed, which can lead to serious health problems such as hyperlipaemia, laminitis and other organ dysfunction.

Ideally, donkeys should be fed 1.5% of their body weight in dry matter for maintenance. A donkey at grass will not require more than straw to supplement their grazing, even if they are in light work. As donkeys originate from regions where vegetation is dry and sparse, they have adapted to a high fibre diet. Pastures that are more nutritious may need to be restricted in the spring and summer. It is also important to provide them with a mineral lick, free access to clean water and vitamin supplements. A minimum of half an acre per donkey is required for grazing.

A stable area of 3.3m2 per donkey should be available year round. Donkeys' coats are long and coarse and they do not produce as much natural grease as horses. Donkeys are more susceptible to climatic conditions such as rain, wind and snow making rugs and/or shelter necessary in the winter.

Routine worming programs should occur every 3 months with an additional specific treatment given annually. They should receive an annual vet check-up for dental care with up to date vaccinations for influenza, tetanus and other conditions.

Donkeys need brushing every day with a stiff brush to remove any foreign matter such as grass seeds, sticks and for general health. They love it. Flea powder should be applied once a week. Eyes need to be cleaned regularly with warm water and a cotton pad. Donkeys also love to be massaged. Fingers gentle sliding up and down inside the ears can put them in a state of bliss with eyes closed and bottom lip droopy and wobbling with sheer delight. Some like being massaged either side of their spine from their poll down to the dock (see image).

Personality

Donkeys are more stoical in their behaviour and tend to startle less than horses. Donkeys show limited fear response and this can be mistaken for stubbornness rather than fear. Teaching a donkey requires patience and gentleness. They cannot be rushed into doing something they don’t want to do.  

Donkeys are very social animals and like company and develop very strong emotional attachments with other animals. They should not be kept as lone animals. Donkeys form very strong bonds with other donkeys and animals, and even short term separation from a companion can be stressful. When a friend dies, you may even need to leave them together for at least 30 minutes to help them “understand” the loss.

Because donkeys are very sociable, very smart and very intelligent they tend to get bored easily. Their intelligence is reflected in their need to stop and assess a new situation to think about its choices before making a decision on what action to take.

Donkeys have three different “danger” reactions while a horse only has two. A donkey will either flee (but they will only go about 100 yards and then stop), or they will fight or they will just stand there and continue to consider the situation.

A donkey has a dog-like personality. They are extremely curious about what their humans are doing and are content to hang out with their owners or amble along behind them. They love to go for walks with their owners and they love interacting with children.

Just like humans donkeys also have different tones of voice when calling out. You soon learn to tell the difference even when they are all making noises at the same time. It is a delight to hear.

Donkeys form strong bonds with each other and once “a mob” is created they should stick together for life. Having donkeys is a long term commitment. It is ideal to include them in a will of testament to ensure their safety and protection after their human owners have died.