Miniature donkeys have been valued in the Mediterranean for over two thousand years, used as a means of draft and transport. They have a curious and engaging temperament, and they make a great addition to anyone's farm. Mini donkeys average 34" high at the withers, with 36" the maximum height allowed in the breed. They are a very low-impact farm animal. Content with first cut hay and minimal pasture. They are sure-footed so are excellent animals to keep on the rugged terrain that Vermont provides. And they have the spirit of a much larger animal. Monique is best friends with our draft horse and thinks she is 15h, as well.
Three registered mini donkeys for sale. Must be kept together as a bonded trio. I will not split them up.
Unique Monique: Female. Dark brown. Born 2018. ~29"
Rose: Female. White with grey spots. Born 2006. ~32"
Sarah: Female. Red with striped legs. Born 2017. ~33"
Up to date on shots and feet. Very friendly. Haltered. Rose leads very well. The others require a little patience, but will follow Rose. Good with the vet and farrier. They wear fly masks and stand relatively still for fly spray. They eat 2 flakes (each) of first cut hay per day and 1/2 cup Min-a-Vite lite per day.
Mini donkeys are good guardians (though I am not sure how good these guys are as we have dogs and they don't respond negatively to them). They are also easy-keeper companions for horses (Unique Monique was great friends with our draft horse). They are fun animals to have around the farm and do not require that many resources.
The girls live in an open stall (they can come and go). Require very limited pasture, if any. They live a very long time, so please take that into consideration if you are interested in purchasing them. They could very well outlive you.
They respect electric fences. They are in great health, though if Rose eats too much rich hay she gets the poops, which is managed with Bio-Sponge or Pro-Bios. These guys really do best on low sugar hay or even some straw, and just enough grain to serve as a "vitamin source".
They also have access to fresh water, and 3 different types of salt/mineral licks.
These are well-bred, registered mini donkeys from professional breeders with eye on conformation and genetics. They are not your average "backyard breeder donkeys". If you are just looking for a cheap animal to be friends with your horse, these donkeys are not for you. Think of it as the equivalent as buying a registered Golden Retriever or buying a mutt. Neither option is right-or wrong....it is all about what you are looking for. But these are not the mutt variety.
7,000$ OBO
Personalities:
Monique is the youngest of the three donkeys and is the manager and chief operating officer of the farm. She is small and she is in charge. You may get the feeling that Monique is judging you. She is. Monique loves attention, scratches, and brushing.
Sarah is the middle child. She is the most loyal of all of the donkeys and is the one that tends to her owners when her owners are feeling overwhelmed. She takes a little bit of time to get to know you, maybe she is a little shy. But once she trusts you, she will be the donkey you lean on when you are having a hard day. She is very sensitive and caring. She just wants you to be happy.
Rose is the oldest donkey and is the rock of the herd. She may look like she has an Eeyore personality, but she is steady. If you need to lead the donkeys somewhere, put the halter on Rose and she will get the job done, leading by example. She is a great role model for the younger donkeys, but still has plenty of energy to run around the pastures an have a great time. The great thing about Rose is if the herd gets loose for some reason, just grab Rose and the mischief has been managed.
Rose
Rose is a grey and white spotted miniature donkey born in 2006. Rose is living the good life in Vermont.
Sarah
Sarah is a red miniature donkey born in 2017. She is a little shy at first, but is the most loyal of our donkeys. When she decides she is going to be your friend, you have found a friend for life.
Mo
Mo is a very dark brown miniature donkey born in 208. She is the Chief Operating Officer of the farm and will check your ID to make sure you are who you claim to be. She claims to be a draft horse.
Housing: Our donkeys like to snuggle up together in their 12x12 stall at night and sleep on the fresh shavings. Their stall door is open to a large hard-pack dry lot that is fenced in and safe from predators. During the day they have access to a Pasture Paradise loop with a run in shed.
Feeding: They each eat 1/4 cup of Min-a-Vite-Lite (essentially vitamins) am and pm with a scoop of pro-biotics. They get 1 flake of hay each in the am and in the pm, unless it is summer. During the summer they have limited and controlled access to a grassy pasture.
Farrier: The farrier visits the donkeys every 10 weeks or so. The frequency depends on the substrate the donkeys are walking on, as well as the season. These visits are approximately 50$ per donkey. They are a requirement of owning a donkey. If their hooves wear unevenly, or get too long it can throw off their gait, leading to more serious problems. Do you have a farrier? You should find out if there is one in your area that would make farm calls for 3 donkeys.
Vet: Vet visits are usually once per year (spring shots). Farm calls are between 75 and 150$ just for showing up, plus the additional fees of the vaccinations.
Pasture: Donkeys do not need access to pasture, technically. However, I believe having controlled access provides them (and you) enrichment. If you doubt this, watch the video below. Two small pastures is ideal, so they can be rotated.
Hay: Low sugar first cut hay, perhaps mixed with a little straw. Donkeys do not require a lot of forage, even though they THINK they do. The number one health problems with miniature donkeys is related to over feeding.
Commitment: The donkeys have someone checking in on them am and pm 365 days per year. This means if you decide to go on vacation, you have to have someone performing these functions. Especially during the winter. Do you have someone that can fill in when you are gone? Even if just for a weekend?
Yearly costs: I estimate that it costs me about 2,500 to 3,500$ per year to provide them with everything they need. For me this includes: shavings, heated water in the winter, farrier visits, vet visits, grain, salt and mineral blocks, dewormer (2x per year), hay, nibble nets, fly mask, fly spray, treats, fence repair, manure removal, and labor.
If you think this is for you, please do not hesitate to contact me. If this is more than you can chew on, thank you for the opportunity to be educated prior to purchasing a donkey.
Meet Monique, Rose, and Sarah
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