Looking at a mini donkey

[dawnsminis]

I have two minis and am considering buying this cute little mini donkey. I have heard that only donkeys carry a parasite(lungworm) that if passed to the horse, can be very difficult to get rid of. I was told I should reconsider because of that. What do you all know about this? Do you keep your mini horses and donkeys together.....no problems? Any do's or don't's you can think of, I would appreciate.

Thank you....D

 

[SherryM]

Lung worms are killed by ivermectin. If you worm the donkey with ivermectin you should not have a problem. I have 4 mini horses in with 7 mini donkeys and have not had a problem. Usually the donkeys and horses do not interact much socially. They really prefer the company of their own species. You may want to consider getting 2 donkeys rather than 1 as a lone donkey will be the "odd man out".

 

[wendy4mini]

You are correct that donkeys can carry lungworms. The good new is that ivermectrin will take of lungworms. I keep my donkey with my minis for protection but I do deworm with ivermectrin. I buy my ivermectrin from the Jeffers catalog since they usually have a special price around $4 or $5. I just love my donkey and would part with him for anything. If you get a donkey, you won't regret it.

 

[shminifancier]

Yes that is true about a "Lone donkey is a Lonely donkey" But I have only the one and I am spending as much time as I can with him, but I do hear him "talk" more offen then I did my other one, so maybe I should be looking for a "pal" Not sure yet...He has opnly been here 3 weeks with one of those weeks I was gone

...So he missed me for sure....

 

[dawnsminis]

The little guy I am looking at is only a month old. The man at the farm who has him says he can go in 2-3 more months. How soon could I have him gelded? He says I don't have to worry because he can't breed until he is two yrs old anyway. I have doubts about that. I have a mini gelding and mare, both 3 yrs old and would like to as soon as he drops. As a norm, what age would that be? The worming schedule I have my two horses on is every three months:

jan/mar safeguard

apr/jun ivermectin

july/sep ivermectin

oct/dec strongid

Would that rotation also be okay for the little donkey? We have 5 acres, 4 that are pasture. During the fall and winter when we get very little rain, my two eat the grass down pretty good. I'm concerned that one more might be too many. We really have to water and carefully manage the grass during those months to keep the pastures from becoming dry lots. How much acerage do you have?

Thanks for answering.

 

[SherryM]

I have my little jacks gelded before they leave my farm. I wean at 4 months then geld at 5 months, have never had one who was ready by that time. I sure wouldn't wait until he is two to geld him. My jack was able to "deliver the goods" successfully at one and a half! On the wormiing, this is what I do. Right after the jennet gives birth I worm her with a full tube of ivermectin. Then at 2 months I worm the foal with Safeguard the worm once a month alternating Safeguard and an ivermectin product until they are a year old. When they turn 1, I then worm them every 2 months, The horses are also wormed this way. You may need to supplement with hay if pasture seems insuffcient.