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.

This is probably the most common question a Miniature Donkey breeder will answer. The possibilities are only as limited as your imagination. Because of their gentle nature they make excellent companions for the physically and mentally challenged. They love to be groomed.

Anywhere out of your neighbor's yard and away from your flower beds. I recommend a fenced enclosure with access to a shed during bad weather.

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.

Miniature donkeys are not solitary animals, so it is always best to keep two together. Two will require around one acre of grassland. A shelter so that the donkeys can get out of the rain is also essential.

Miniature donkeys were used as beasts of burden in centuries past but are now raised as affectionate, easy to care for pets. Because of their dislike of coyote and other predators, miniature donkeys are often found to be effective predator control for livestock. Many of our donkeys keep company with our herd of boer goats, casting watchful eye and ear over them all. Hence, we find miniature donkeys to be "Shepherds of herd and heart."

we have been getting an alarming number of calls about this. Why someone is trying to say that Miniature Donkeys are an endangered species, we don't know, but here are the plain facts...) ALL DONKEYS - Miniature, Mammoth, Standard, Poitou, Mexican Catalonian, BLM Burro - any donkey regardless of size or color - is Equus assinus. Just DONKEYS. ****Donkeys in the USA are not grouped by "Breed" but rather by TYPE.

Equus asinus is a "hard luck" species and does well grazing on grass and common hay. Alfalfa chips, carrots, apples etc. are fun treats. Rich grains may cause them to become fat.

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.

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.

The hocks do not mature until the donkey is 4 to 4½ years old, so it should not be subjected to the stress on the hocks of pushing the weight of a cart and driver until after it is physically mature (full mouth of adult teeth).

It may do if you only have one other animal, but a donkey is unlikely to be accepted into a herd of a different species. It is always better to have two donkeys - perhaps a standard and a miniature if funds are limited.

Miniatures can be trained to be driven and ridden, although close consideration must be given to the weights they are asked to work with. A child of up to 3 to 4 years, depending on height and weight, would be a maximum for riding a miniature, and when driven they will pull a single adult in a lightweight vehicle up to 2 miles on a good, smooth surface comfortably. Miniatures can also be shown in all normal donkey classes, and there are now a few classes specifically for miniature donkeys.

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All donkeys are the same breed and from the same root ancestors of Nubian and Somalian asses. Miniature, standard, and mammoth are just size distinctions. Miniatures were created by breeding down in size over many generations to create a small donkey that could work in mines and who could carry pack loads under tree limbs. Mammoths were created by breeding up in size over many generations to create a large draft donkey for pulling dray wagons and towing barges.

People considering participation in a clinical trial receive detailed information about the trial from their doctor, nurse and other people involved with the trial. There is a thorough consent process explaining the trial, the treatments, the risks and the benefits. A consent form is signed prior to enrollment. Volunteers are encouraged to ask questions, discuss with family or friends, and carefully consider the decision to participate in a clinical trial.

Remember that there are no premises with this business as we work from home– wherever you live in the UK, Ireland or Netherlands (and soon other European countries) you can work your Kleeneze business. You can move your business at any time, build a new customer base in a new location and still retain your original team.

A BT Chargecard makes phoning home at regular intervals extremely simple, and that's enough for many, who positively welcome their escape from more sophisticated methods of communication, and dislike the ever more intrusive mobile phone. But if you want to use e-mail, click here for a list of cybercafés and other places offering Internet services along the Camino francés. Getting letters from home is nice, though.