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."

Some donkeys make suitable guard animals but it isn't always guaranteed. Our personal experience was a positive one, but we have had customers whose experiences were not. Ours was a 36" gelding who took the role of guardian very seriously, however there have been occasions where the donkey played too rough or was malicious for whatever reason. I tend to believe that a standard donkey is more appropriate as a guard animal. It may be unfair to expect a miniature to ward off larger predators.

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.

Donkeys relate well to most other animals. Sometimes the question is "How well do other animals relate to donkeys"? Donkeys do have a natural repugnance toward most canines and felines, but the positive outcome of this is they learn to tolerate those they share a caregiver with. Cows and donkeys will co-habit quite nicely together but you must be careful that the donkeys do not become obese from free range feed.

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.

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.

Are hair-covered animals at any risk? Yes. Skin cancer is found in almost all animals that have been studied in the long-term, for example, cattle, goats, sheep, cats, dogs, guinea pigs, rats, and mice. Direct effects of UV-B radiation on body parts which are covered by thick hair are negligible. However, even furred animals usually have exposed skin around mouth and nostrils, and sometimes on some other parts of the body.

Many Schipperke breeders started out with Schips as a second breed, usually after having owned a larger breed for some time. Schips seem to have no difficulty in adjusting to life with other dogs, even large ones, or with cats, horses, cows, etc. They seem to feel their superiority of intellect makes them the equal of most any other of God's creatures, and will accept most of them. Moles, mice, ground squirrels and brooms, however, can expect no quarter.

One section of the trail is optimistically marked "Zona de Osos" ("Bear Zone"), but your chances of stumbling across a bear are probably very slight. Making noise as you walk and staying on the trail will reduce them still further. Predatory wildlife on the Inca Trail consists mainly of the local pigs and dogs around Huayllabamba (who will eat anything that you leave outside, including boots, rucksacks and plastic garbage bags) and biting flies, which will eat you.

The injections are virtually painless because there is no needle piercing the skin. The animal, however, will feel the fluid entering during the injection. Any visible reaction by the animal is more commonly a startle response to the sound of the jet. Rarely does the animal display the characteristic flinch experienced with conventional needle injections.