Marcell-Ass Minis Miniature Donkeys

These are just some of the observations we've made for you to consider.  We are pretty attentive folks, and have learned many of our tips from those MUCH more experienced than we, including the donkeys themselves :)  

Mike and I have pretty much let the donkeys teach us a great deal about their relationships through all sorts of interactions.  Moms to babies, alpha jennets with new geldings, new jennets and new people visiting, including different farriers! 

One good resource we learned from before we purchased our first donkeys is 'Caring for Your Miniature Donkey'  for new buyers .. a great handbook that can help you enhance your experiences with these little wonders.

Another source of sound advice is 'Asset Magazine' which you may acquire through the National Miniature Donkey Association NMDA & Asset Magazine Their easy to follow website offers the Breed Standards, registry information, and other valuable information to help folks decide if the breed is right for them, where shows are held, show rules, etc.

A fun source of information and entertainment is the monthly Mini Donkey Talk Magazine which has a really appealing Q&A section each month.

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What Do Miniature Donkeys Need?

General Care:  Mini donkeys require safe pasture with 24/7 safe shelter available to them from wind, rain, snow and any predator dogs in your area.  They must have access to fresh water - heated in winter - at all times. 

Feeding: Their hay must be good quality, low alfalfa, no dust, no mold, grass hay.  They will eat approximately a bale of hay between two donkeys, each week. 1/2 flake of very good quality hay a.m. and another in the p.m. per donkey.  More if poor quality hay.

Grain: 1/4 cup of 10% sweet feed mixed with 1/4 cup Blue Seal Sunshine Plus with 1/2 ounce Mini-Vite for the Selenium content in the eastern US is the formula we've decided to use at this time per donkey, each morning before their hay.  DON'T feed more than this, they are EASY keepers and get REAL fat REAL fast!!!

Vaccinations: This is between your veterinarian and you, but at a minimum, annual tetanus,  E&W encephalomyelitis, influenza .. called a 4-way given in a specific region of the neck; another immunization best given separately in the other side of the neck and required is rhinopneumonitis.      Other than those two shots a year, they require a rotation program for worming - we use paste wormers and they LOVE this! 

Hooves: Donkey's hooves are softer than horse hooves and require trimming each 6-7 weeks.  You will pick out their hooves weekly for good hoof health.  Your farrier will let you know whether your maturing donkey requires any dressings or hoof treatment, but if you pick and trim regularly, you should have no special needs for this. Many breeders use a 50/50 solution of clorox and water to drizzle down into the picked, clean hooves weekly to keep bacteria to a minimum.  Does no harm, only good!

Activities: Folks from all over the country have clubs, shows, competitions with these darlings which can be taught to drive little carts, coon jump or participate in fun pasture activities for your family, as long as you are loving and patient. You'll rarely meet a mini donkey owner or breeder that you don't instantly enjoy and relate to, sometimes for a lifetime! 

Patience.. Donkeys are NOT STUBBORN.  They are thoughtful and will teach you patience.  There are some wonderful books about training donkeys, and the fulfilling fun results you achieve when patient with them.  The browbands on their halters are wider than a horse halter for a good reason.  Can you guess why?  The mini donkey also has an extra chromosome than horses.  Another guess?

Behavior: Miniature donkeys, at least those from our farm, do not kick, bite or 'pressure' humans, regardless of their human's size.  They are competitive for food, and will 'butt' one another for a good spot to munch their hay.  

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Q  Do you sell individual donkeys, or just pairs?

A  We will never sell a donkey to a location that does not have another nice donkey or gentle horse as a companion.  A single donkey is a heart-broken, stressed and easily sick donkey.

Q  What sorts of accommodations do we need to provide? 

A  The donkeys require good quality hay, 24/7 access to fresh clean water, shelter from wind, rain and snow year round day and night.  Their safe fenced areas should be tight, in good repair, low enough so little ones cannot squeeze underneath for adjacent grasses or other animals, and high enough so they cannot jump over [Yes, they can easily jump 4 feet!]  See 'Caring for Your Miniature Donkey' manual for lots of guidance about this. They do well with elec fencing.  No equine do well with barbed wire.  Throw it out!

Donkeys in most of the country, and especially in the Northeast, must have mineral blocks sold for horses that say 'trace minerals' .. the point is, these salt blocks MUST contain selenium to promote joint development and maintenance.  Many grasses and soils do NOT contain adequate percentages of selenium to meet the donkeys requirements for good health.

Q  What types of routine medical care do they need?

A  Your veterinarian will guide you through the immunization and worming schedules.  Annual Rhinopheumonitis, Tetanus, and if advised by your veterinarian, E&W Encephalomyelitis, and the recommended vaccines in your area for that year.   We provide minimum vaccinations unless traveling, with the public, or if our area has an outbreak of any diseases which can be vaccinated against.  We have never given West Nile, as it has not been shown effective in donkeys, nor have there been reported deaths in mini donkeys from this disease. Talk with your veterinarian about the facts, then once you are informed, let the vet know your preferences. 

Q  What about grain as well as good quality hay? 

A  New foals receive 10% sweet feed mixed with Sunshine Plus ... total 1/2 cup per day when they can begin chesing grain.  Their moms too!  Donkeys with problems keeping weight on receive the same mix.  Grain is dusted with 1/2 oz of Mine-Vite to get the amount of selenium they need in the eastern US.  We think that sweeter feeds than 10% may cause pinworms - detected by rubbing their butts against fencing or objects.  They also are too fattening for the mini donks.

Q  How about breeding and foaling?

A  Leave this up to the breeders; there are so many donkeys available now because the cost of gas, hay, shavings are so high, some folks just can no longer keep their donkeys.  Responsible breeders restrict their breeding numbers to advance market demands or for their personal herd refinement only.  If you find yourself with a pregnant jennet, PLEASE purchase a copy of 'Caring for Your Miniature Donkey' by Bonnie Gross, and it's companion book, 'Donkey Foaling Manual'. 

Q  How about jacks, anyway?

A  Jacks are for breeders only.  They have three purposes in life .. to breed, to eat enough and stay healthy enough to breed, and to detect and GET TO any equine female that can be bred.  99% of all jacks born are 'fixed' or gelded at a young age.  If you buy a 'cute little baby jack' PLEASE geld him.  You'll have a much nicer & trustworthy lifetime friend!