We have established that donkeys are like two beloved animal companions, the horse, and the dog. The donkey has the friendliness and playfulness of the dog and some of the aspects of the horse. It is unfortunate that it also shares “weaknesses” of the two, with its playfulness it tends to attract parasites, and with its biology, it has a great sensitivity to pesticides. While its environment’s treatment can easily be accomplished through the employment of a Pest Control Company Cupertino, its treatment will have to be done in another location with milder substances.

You must also note that you must dispose of any edible substance exposed during the treatment, or to reduce waste and cost move them to a location far from the area being fumigated. Though most of the traces found on these are minimal, given enough time and enough consumption of the tainted food, your donkey could slowly get sick.

The best way to avoid this situation is always to keep track of your pet and avoid them reaching areas where they might be exposed to these types of pests. Routine cleaning and the administration of preventive treatments, like flea powder, would also be advisable. The responsibility of having your donkey is great, but the advantages, love, and affection you get in return are greater.

Baby Donkeys are one of the cutest creatures in the world. You just want to hug them when you see one. They are like children in their mischievous ways. They are so adorable to watch. For those who do not know yet, we call baby donkeys a “foal.” When they grow up, we refer to the male donkeys as “jacks” and the females “jennets.”

Donkeys may be a little stubborn, but they are gentle and friendly creatures by nature. They may good pet friends even for small children. However, unlike dogs, they cannot stay inside the house. They need a little bit more space to walk, and their shelters should be pest treated to ensure that the animal will stay healthy. Pest Control Charlotte NC offers pest control services that will keep your home pest-free.

Taking care of the shelter is an important part of taking care of baby donkeys. Although donkeys are hardy animals, the safety and cleanliness of their environment, especially upon the arrival of the foal, are critical to their health and well-being.

Here are a few steps to take to welcome a new donkey in your family.

Newborn Care

Observe the newborn donkey. The foal should be drinking its mother’s milk and can move around. The foal should be able to pass manure on its first day of existence. Otherwise, you need to have the baby donkey checked by a veterinarian to know if the foal is sick. Do not forget to disinfect its naval stump with iodine solution, too.

Shelter

Build a shelter that is big enough to fit the mother and the foal. It should have at least three sides and roof to keep the donkeys dry and warm. The baby donkey needs to be kept dry at all times. The mother and foal should be together for at least four to six months. If you have multiple foals, remember to separate the males from the female when they reach five months old. This is to prevent them from breeding before their physical maturity.

Feeding

The foal will start to eat solid food starting two to four weeks old. You can offer the baby donkey hay or feeds with a little fresh grass or grains on its separate feed bin. Always keep fresh water accessible for both the mother and foal. Please remember that in spite of the foal eating, it still needs to continue nursing until it reaches six months old.

Grooming

Use a stiff burst to groom your foal. You also need to trim the donkey hooves regularly, around two to four months apart. Give the donkey a patch of dirt where it can take have some dust baths.

Health

Consult a veterinarian for the necessary vaccines and deworming that your foal should have. An equine dentist should also check the donkey’s teeth ever two years to make sure the teeth grows properly.

Donkeys have been a working companion of humans for at least 5000 years. They are trusty helpers in transportation and agriculture. They are still widely used in under developed countries today.

Sadly, donkeys have long been replaced by machines in developed countries like the US. Most of the donkeys we see just serve as fun rides for kids. While there is nothing wrong about that, I believe we can welcome them in our homes as pets.

Donkeys are intelligent and social creatures. They can build bonds between humans like other pets can. They are gentle animals so it is safe to have kids around them. If space is a consideration, you may opt for a miniature donkey instead.

Here are the basic things you need to consider if you decide to have a donkey:

Food

Feed your donkey with good quality grass or grain hay. If possible, feed them in small batches, 2 to 3 times a day. You can offer them treats, like apples and carrots, but cut them to bite-sized pieces to avoid choking. Never give them their treats by hand because they will learn to associate you with the treats and expect it from you every time they see you. Instead, mix the treats with their hay.

Water

Give your donkey a plentiful supply of drinking water and check it every day to ensure that it never runs out. Do not forget to inspect the water container as well. It should always be clean and is not easily knocked over.

Shelter

Shelter your donkey from the elements. A three sided shelter is enough to allow them to come in and out as they please. You also need to provide the donkey an ample amount of space to run and play. As always, ensure that the shelter and surrounding structures are pest free to avoid infestation. Our friends at Pest Control Denver CO provides affordable treatment for any pest that can present danger to your property.

Foot Care

Clean you donkey’s hooves using a hoof pick at least once a week. The hooves also need to be trimmed by farrier every two to three months. Remember that you need to keep the hooves in proper shape. Otherwise, it can cause knees and joints pain to the donkey.

Health care

Your veterinarian will advise you of proper vaccinations to be given to your donkey. These vaccinations should be given as early as possible to prevent diseases. Regularly brush your donkey’s coat to check for wounds and other problems such as lice.  Parasitic worms also affect the health of donkeys. Contact your veterinarian for information on the most effective way to de-worm your donkey.

Companionship

Donkeys are herd animals. They are not happy being alone. It will benefit them if they have a companion of their kind. If having another donkey is not possible, another animal such as goat or sheep will do. Donkeys need the attention of their owners, too. Visit your donkey and take it for walks to strengthen your bond.

Remember, taking care of pets is a big responsibility no matter the size of the animal. It requires your time, effort and love. In return, your pet will give you unconditional love and companionship.

Find more useful advice at https://www.thedonkeysanctuary.org.uk/donkey-health-and-welfare

I believe that every animal deserves to be treated well and have a good home, both in the wild and in domestication. The thought that there is an animal somewhere out there being abused, saddens me, but while saving these abused animals is a noble cause, it is one that also comes with risks. These risk can come from both the abusers and the abused animals themselves, you have to be prepared to handle any situation when it comes to this job, as you will face many dangers and difficulties that might surprise you.

Abused animals are either broken to the point of being afraid of everything, or  to the point of being aggressive to humans, due to it losing its trust with us. One particular case came to mind while a write this, a few year back we had rescued an overworked, abused donkey. Donkeys are normally very friendly creatures, docile and affectionate. But unfortunately this particular donkey had just experience too much pain from his abusers, and as a result my approaching caused him to snap and bite me. It was rather a bad wound, it caused quite a good deal of damage, so much so that I needed to get plastic surgery.

It is these kinds of dangers that you face when you save abused animals, it was completely my fault for not considering how much pain the donkey experienced from his abusers that I got into a situation like that. You must remain vigilant and consider these animal victims as dangerous, approaching with caution and great care. Remember that the animal went into a great deal of stress, a stranger approaching will only make things worse.

I was younger when it happen, and obviously more foolish than I am now, today I have the scar to remind me to always approach with caution, and that I should be prepared for anything, especially when it came to handling abused animals.

Today that donkey is now rehabilitated, and though I was badly wounded, I forgave the fella. And unlike how things ended when we first met, our relationship now is way better. It is clear that he was just scared at that time, and not really aggressive, as he is now an affectionate and curious donkey. I decided to take care of the donkey myself, taking him in and bringing him to my family’s ranch, to remind me that when given a good home, animals will return the kindness with love.

When the time comes that you face an animal that had been a victim of abuse, remember to approach it as if it is a wild animal, with great caution. While there is good in them, they are too scared and distrusting of humans, it might even be necessary to be a little tough when taking the animal in, and only after given time to relax and nourish itself in a safe environment should you slowly attempt to connect with the animal.

It is good to save and adopt an animal, but it is important to first know that you have the right conditions for the animal to, not just survive but thrive. The needs of donkeys are pretty much lower compared to having a horse, but if you never had a horse before, it might feel a bit more overwhelming compared to say, a dog.  One example are pests, the donkey is a far larger animal than the one sleeping on your carpet, if they were infested by something like mites,  these pests will definitely be more numerous than you would experience with a dog infested.  And getting rid of it will take more than just a trip to the vet with some delousing shampoo. In the donkeys case you might actually need to hire pest control services for the environment, and a lot of delousing shampoo, like a whole tub or more.

The Needs of the Donkey

Of course the situation stated above is a bit on the extreme cases, the needs that you really need to concern yourself are the everyday needs. One thing completely essential for a happy donkey is a spacious area to run around, they might not exactly be as energetic as a Labrador but keeping one in an enclosed space wouldn’t exactly be saving them would it?

Another need that you might actually need to consider is a second donkey… I know you wanted to just save one but the thing is, donkeys are surprisingly social creatures, and they are often quieter and happier when they have someone to talk to. And no, you can’t buy left over props from a nativity scene, they would know.

Donkeys don’t really eat much, given that their natural environment isn’t exactly the type that provides really well, they might have evolved to get used to eating low nutrition hay. So you don’t really have to spend so much on the top shelf products show horses are used to. Of course the occasional carrot or so wouldn’t hurt. (Actually it can, too high on sugar, but spoil them a bit to show them that you love them.)

Finally shelter, a real one with a solid roof and walls, as they rarely actually get wet in the wild. If they do, they will definitely sick, and let me tell you, taking care of a large sick donkey, aren’t exactly a heartwarming scene. And if the worse comes to worse, disposing of the donkey is not an easy job. So if you love them, keep them dry.

Donkeys are like dogs, they are very playful and social, and they are fun to be with and fun to take care of. In addition, unlike a dog, you can ride them, so you have that going for you if you own one. But owning one is not a walk in the park, which is a whole other problem with donkeys we might to talk about one day, so make sure you are prepared to own one before you decide anything.