Buffalo Hill - Miniature Donkeys

Standard donkeys are very gentle and sociable and bond readily with their owners. The fact that they are herd animals means that they should not be kept alone; Standard donkeys can be kept with horses, or , ideally, with other donkeys. They adapt well with a variety of animals. Pet males should be gelded by the age of one year. They can be very "talkative" and bray to communicate. Males are referred to as jacks and females are called jennies.

Contrary to popular myth, donkeys , standard or otherwise, are not stubborn. They are among the most intelligent of the equines. This results in their being cautious, a trait often mistaken for stubbornness.Standard donkeys are found throughout the world and valued for their usefullness. They can be ridden, driven,shown,packed, worked, used as guard animals or simply loved as pets.The standard donkey stands 36.1" to 48" in height. The most common color of the coat is a gray-dun, although they can come in almost any color, with pure blacks and whites being extremely rare. They usually have a dorsal stripe down the length of the back and across the shoulder, a marking known as the "donkey's cross".

Members of this species can easily live into their 30s or 40s with proper care. Hoof and general health care is the same as for any other equine. They should also be dewormed regularly. But these sturdy beasts are quite healthy and require surprisingly little maintenance.
They thrive on grass hay and pasture. Pure alfalfa is much too rich and can cause digestive system problems and obesity. Jacks are capable of mating at the age of one to one-and-a-half years; jennets can also breed at that age but it is best to wait until they are two to three years old so they can achieve full physical and mental maturity. Jennets carry their unborn young for about one year, and can bear young every 13-14 months.