The most common color for the miniature donkey is a grey dun with a black "cross" running over their shoulder and down their back. Their underbelly and noses are usually white, although dark noses and points do occur. Donkeys do come in other colours such as spotted, brown, black, sorrel. The brown, black and red, however, are very uncommon colours and highly prized in breeding programs.

However, there are not many left in that area, and import restrictions have been applied. Here in North America, there are over 20,000 registered miniature donkeys and an unknown number of unregistered ones. The original miniature donkey is a true breed of it's native land. The heritage of many of todays miniature donkeys can be traced back to the original Mediterranean stock, which measured 38" and under.

In order to register your miniature donkey with the Canadian Donkey and Mule Association, the donkey must be under 36" or less at the shoulder at four years of age. The average height for them is 34", and the smaller they are the more valuable they become. It is important to check the specifications for registration with the different registration organizations, as there are some variations on height restrictions.

Miniature donkeys get along with goats, sheep, horses, cats, dogs, llamas...all it takes is common sense. For example the miniature donkey makes a superior guard animal for sheep goats, and llamas, herding them and protecting them from predators. While they can go in the same pasture or pen with those animals, it is not wise to put them in with larger animals such as horses and cattle, as they may injure your donkey. It is best to let them be in adjacent pastures.

No, miniature donkeys cannot be house pets. They are livestock and as such require a barn or three sided shelter to give them protection from the elements. While they might like to come and visit you on your front steps, they cannot (to our knowledge) be housetrained so you would set yourself up for some very large messes!

Everyone who meets a miniature donkey wants one of their own! Donkey owners come from all walks of life and include doctors, lawyers, executives, housewives, children, farmers, retired people, and investors to name just a few. Because donkeys are easy to care for, they make an ideal animal for anyone to own.

The most important thing is not to overfeed miniatures. You should be able to feel but not see the donkeys ribs. In the summer months access to grass will probably need to be restricted. In the winter months a diet of barley straw and some meadow hay is likely to be sufficient. Access to a mineral lick, or feeding a good-quality general purpose supplement is advisable. Carrots and apples may be fed as treats. Chop into slices that could not choke the donkey.

You are very welcome to visit our stud by prior appointment. If you contact the MMDA (see above) they may be able to give you the name of a breeder or owner near to you who might be happy to show you around their donkeys. You could also try attending a donkey show. The secretary is likely to be able to tell you if miniature donkeys are attending.

Ages 2 through 102. My wife, Jinny, always proclaimed donkeys were specially designed for grandparents and grandchildren.

No. Those negative traits in the donkeys you may have known are a result of feral breeding. In contrast, the Mediterranean Miniature has been treasured and selectively bred for centuries. They are naturally affectionate and will return the love extended to them manyfold. They will not "break" as with a horse and choose to follow you as "Alpha Leader" in a trust relationship. Trust is the key to their training.

Donkeys can be groomed like their equine counterparts. Brush them with a stiff brush, going with the direction that the hair grows. Be gentle around their face and ears. To get rid of the shaggy winter coats, you can purchase a shedding blade, or a kitchen block, much like pumice, that is used to clean out wooden stoves. By rubbing it gently on your donkey, it sheds out the old, shaggy hair, leaving a shiny coat in its place. You can buy these stones at any store specializing in wooden stoves.

It is imperative that you are sure you can, and want to, take on the responsibility of owning donkeys before you take the plunge into ownership. Donkeys can live for 50 years and require daily care. The routine care of a donkey may cost around £50 a month and take at least an hour a day, but even a simple veterinary call out is likely to cost in excess of £100, so it is essential that you can meet these demands.

The most common colors in donkeys are Gray-dun ( Slate Gray), Brown, and black. There is a variation of sorrel, Ivory (blue-eyed white) and a variant of bay. Some donkeys appear to be nearly white with dark skin - these are Frosted Spotted White. (It's like true gray in horses, the frosted/graying covers up the original color. It's a color combination, an overlay over the base color and any other patterns.

Signsite.Net does use a basic set of standard colors, which can be furnished to you to help make your selections. Custom colors are formulated using the Pantone Color Matching System©. We recommend using the standard colors whenever possible, as they are formulated for the best appearance and longevity.

Other colors have been reported from casual matings of Miniature Schnauzers. Liver and Brindle have been reported among other colors. These colors have not appeared in the breed until recent history.

The breed originated in the late 1800's in Germany as a smaller version of the Standard Schnauzer that could live more easily as a house pet but still hunt vermin on the German farms.

When the Salt and Peppers are machine-clipped, the characteristic banded hairs disappear and they become a solid shade of gray, which can vary from a very light gray to dark slate gray. Some people will refer to dogs that have a very light gray undercoat as 'Silver', but they are officially Salt and Pepper. When a lighter Salt and Pepper is machine-clippered, the resulting undercoat can look almost silver. Once the dog has been clippered, what is left is the solid undercoat.

Miniature donkeys are easy keepers and on good pasture tend to eat more than they need. When pastures are grazed down supplemental feeding will be necessary. Good quality hay consisting of timothy, alfalfa, and brome grass makes a good mix but it must be free of dust and mould. At Prairie Brae we feed only as much as they clean up. It is essential they have access to salt and equine mineral at all times.

Yes, we have just bought two new Donkeys: Jake who is 10, dapple grey and a very cool character and Jasper who is white with brown spots and very tall even though he is only 4. He won't be giving rides until next year as he is too young. We will make webpages for them as soon as we have time - this is a busy time for us! Thanks for your question, Emily.

You may have heard the term "Jerusalem donkeys" or "Sicilian" used to indicate a gray-ish donkey with a cross and stripe over the shoulders and back. However, neither of these terms are correct. Sicilian is a bloodline of small donkeys that can trace parentage back to the original animals imported from Sicily. MOST donkeys, regardless of color, and especially non-Mammoths, have a cross and stripe.

Donkeys are feed efficient. It does not mean they eat less than a horse proportional to their size, but they do get more nutrition out of what they eat. Since horses are feed inefficient, most of the high protein, high fat feeds designed for horses are not the best feeds for donkeys.

We follow the hand made teddy bear industry standards of small being 12 to 6 inches, miniature being under 6 inches tall, and micro being 2 inches or smaller.

All the foods I make are made from polymer clay (fimo) and plastic resins. They are permanent miniatures that won't fade or disintegrate over time.

Miniature donkeys make excellent predator control for sheep, goats and llamas. They are sold as investment livestock. They are easily trained to carry a pack saddle, or pull a cart. You can show them or take them to fairs. They are an excellent animal to use for therapy in nursing homes or with handicapped people because of their gentle temperament. They make an excellent reason for a school class trip to your farm. They are also good therapy for your soul.

Our miniature guitars, miniature drums, and guitar keychains are made entirely by hand by artists and craftsmen with a passion for their craft. They are made out of genuine mahogany wood in the lust tropical mountains of Java, Indonesia. These wonderful works of art must be seen up close and personal to appreciate the artwork and careful attention to detail that went into making these unique and rare items.