Take a look at our new Free Video “Bringing Your Donkey Home”

The Donkey Whisperer Farm ® trains the owner or caretaker worldwide on how to set the farm up, train, and care for donkeys via our online courses with E-training videos on Demand and E-books.  Select Our Store to enroll in our classes. Take us to the farm via any smart device, including your cell phone.  Donkeys evolved from the desert, please learn everything you can to set your farm up, train and feed your donkeys. Donkeys are not horses with long ears. “Horses Dream Of Being Trained The Way A Donkey Demands To Be Trained” Melody Johnson, Trainer.

Donkeys come in pairs. After purchasing our donkeys, I learned really quickly how limited information is available about the health, care, and training of donkeys and mules. Thus, the Donkey Whisperer Farm was born, a virtual hot spot of detailed information.

We were going along pretty good with our donkeys and horses until Melody Johnson survived an almost fatal car accident.  Suddenly, we could no longer take the donkeys out for long walks.  Rio, our mammoth donkey, was not old enough to ride. Our donkeys started getting really fat. A fat donkey will suffer serious health issues and eventually die.  Horses need us to monitor their weight, or they will develop the same health issues.  Donkeys tend to gain weight much faster than horses and do not show any sign of illness until they are limping and can’t walk. Donkeys are stoic, meaning they will not show pain until too late.

Why Share This Information? Honestly, donkeys do not make much money in our world, unlike horses with all their unique professions. Vets really do not have much experience with donkeys in Vet school, and the donkey is left with people guessing what is needed. Thanks to the horse world, donkeys are starting to benefit from all the equine science medicine. Please do your part and share information to help a donkey or mule living in your part of the world.

The donkey, who is free to eat brush and trees, grazing on green grass, will get sick with insulin resistance, laminitis, the hoof falls apart, white line, diarrhea, hoof abscesses, and colic.  This is all preventable. If we understand that owning a donkey is like owning an exotic equine, we must realize how much hay and what kind to stay healthy.  Donkeys require a low-sugar diet, clean water, salt, and exercise.

Donkeys evolved in the desert. God gave them big ears to hear predators, swoosh, and cool them down in the hot desert heat.

Donkeys Care:

Please keep two donkeys, never one donkey. Donkeys are intelligent and get lonely and bored very quickly.  Additionally, donkeys play differently with other donkeys than any other animal. Donkeys grab the neck in play and in battle. Donkeys need safe toys, an orange traffic cone, a rubber bowl, and a jolly ball. Donkeys grab the neck and play tag and tug.

Low-sugar hay, no alfalfa hay ever, no need for grain if they are not working hard. Clean water, some clean loose salt, and keep dry in the shelter.

Hoof trim on a regular basis, just like the horse, vet checkup at least once a year, and dental at least once a year.

Hooves trimmed every six weeks in the spring and summer and seven weeks in the fall and winter.

Do not leave the halter on – teach the donkey to catch you. Leaving the halter on can cause death or self-mutilation.

Need to see the vet at least once a year for health checks, shots, teeth, and fecal samples.

Sedation can be tricky. Make sure your vet understands how much and the proper doses, as death can occur, as can allergic reactions such as sweating and sneezing.

Gelding a male donkey is vital to a happy life for a donkey, but gelding is tricky. Make sure you have a donkey vet. Donkeys must have the testicles tied off, or they can bleed to death, and some can have serious reactions to drugs. 

Need the human to behave in a friendly relationship with the donkey before attempting to train – This does not mean letting the donkey boss the human around. It’s all about balance and humane leadership

A fecal test must be performed with the vet to see if they need to be wormed. I suggest not worming unless they need it, and have the fecal test confirm that they need it. Why? Overworming causes resistant parasites that can never be killed. It’s a dangerous situation that kills the immune system. The vet can tell you how many eggs count for parasites. Tapeworms do not show up, so we give our horses and donkeys ivermectin once a year after the first frost in the fall. 

Shots—Rabies, Tetanus, and West Nile are absolutely needed. Please let the vet help you, as each donkey and farm is unique, depending on where you are traveling and meeting other equine.

Shelter from heat, wind, rain, and harsh weather. Donkeys that get constantly wet will have adverse health issues. Feed in the shelter, give clean water, keep warm in the winter, and salt with minerals.

Equine Dentist at least once a year – Just like us people, equine need the oral part taken care of or significant infections, and loss of life can occur, resulting in a more enormous vet bill with more tears

Meals to be on time.  We like to use the slow feeder. They are never ever screaming and crying for more food as our current paddock is dry. We have used the Hay Pillow locked inside the high country slow feeder for over ten years.

Donkey Whisperer Farm, E-TRAINING, take us to the farm with you. Select Donkey 101 & 102 VIDEO ON DEMAND.

Donkeys need humans to understand they think differently and react differently from horses.  Donkeys are intelligent, not stubborn. You can not force a donkey to do anything.  Donkeys are seriously into self-preservation. The hooves do not move when scared; if really scared, they will not eat or drink. Donkeys can be extroverted and overreact. Donkeys can jump, kick, and rear.

Stay ON DONKEY TIME ®. Never drill, betray, or abuse your donkey.

GOD bless you and your family, two and four-legged!

Melody Johnson

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