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 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."

Yes. Donkeys have such loving and sweet-natured dispositions and can be so entertaining to watch their playful and personable antics! Geldings and jennets make wonderful pets with geldings being our preferred choice; however, it is our opinion that an intact jack donkey is not the best choice for a pet. He is a breeding animal from the moment he stands to nurse.

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.

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.

Brittanys are highly social, and require lots of human contact. They can survive as "kennel dogs," but bloom wonderfully when they can be indoors with the family. Some hunters believe Brittanys become better hunting dogs when they are trained to be house pets. Brittanys normally do not do well when isolated outside away from the core of human activity and contact. They can become overly hyper or despondent.

with every house sitting assignment many things are negotiable with the home owner. You may be able to house sit with your own pets but as your house sitting assignment will probably include caring for resident animals this may not be always possible.

Children should always be supervised whenever they are with pets. A child's behaviour can be unpredictable. This, and any sudden movements may frighten a pet and cause it to act defensively. An adult should always be present when a child plays with a pet.

A "pet" is: a domesticated animal. An animal who a human being has interjected into a humanly-altered environment. That is, it's all the same world, but we took the existing land, earth, water, trees, fields, randomness and wildness, and built sturdy structures on top of, inside of, adjacent to it all, in order to better inhabit and survive the elements and factors of living on this planet. We exist here, and the Animal and Plant Kingdoms exist here as well.

Not necessarily. It depends on the cat. Some are social, and some will not tolerate other pets in a home. At our shelter we are in a position to see how cats behave socially, and can make recommendations about how social it is.

After filing you can exempt certain items such as a house or pedigree dog. However, in order to keep these items you'll need to stay current on payments such as a mortgage or car payment.

A:The products that we use are all regulated by the EPA. Our technicians have all been properly trained to apply it according to Label specifications. Yes, Pesticides can be harmful if not properly handled or applied correctly. However, if used properly there is very little exposure to children, pets or you. We make sure to inspect surroundings & apply the products so insects & rodents come in contact with it & that you & your family do not.

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.