Characteristics of Donkeys

Donkeys, also known as asses or burros, worked as draft animals when the conquistadors invaded Mexico and South America. They performed the same role when Americans tamed the West. Even in modern days, these animals still carry heavy loads in environments not conducive to horses or with high levels of poverty. You can also find donkeys in zoos or running wild in northern Africa.

  1. Physical Characteristics

    • In many ways, donkeys look like a small, compacted version of a horse. But a donkey's ears grow much longer than horses', while their hooves are smaller and rounder. Donkeys can have gray brown, black or roan coats, accompanied by stripes, spots, ear markings, white muzzles, eye rings or white bellies. Their tails look like a cow's tail -- thin with a tasseled end. If you touch the mane or tail of a donkey, you'll find it stiff and coarse, usually sticking straight up. The size of donkeys varies. Miniature Mediterranean donkeys never get bigger than 36 inches in height. The standard female donkey reaches around 54 inches while the male reaches around 56 inches. Female donkeys larger than the standard donkey are considered Mammoth stock.

    Behavorial Characteristics

    • Donkeys can display a range of emotions, from affable and warm to absolutely stubborn and lazy. They can be quite tolerant, as well as depressed at times. These creatures possess a good amount of intelligence, making them trainable. You can train to donkey to guard a herd of cattle, sheep or goats against canine attacks such as wolves. However, donkeys and farm dogs notoriously don't get along. Once a donkey becomes accustomed to children, it makes a wonderful riding pet. You'll find your donkeys become most animated in the evening, though they remain active during both the day and the night. When provoked, threatened or scared, these animals may bite, kick with both hind legs or bolt.

    Reproduction

    • Male donkeys are called jacks or jackasses, while female donkeys are jennies. When a jack and jenny mate, they give birth to a foal. Sometimes donkeys mate with horses. A jack and a mare create a mule. When a jenny and a stallion procreate, they have a hinny. Most mules and hinnies can't reproduce. A donkey's pregnancy lasts about 12 months and usually results in a single foal. The baby donkey can stand within moments of its birth and stays with its mother for approximately the first five months of its life. Donkeys generally live between 25 and 30 years.

    Eating Habits

    • As herbivores, donkeys graze on grass and hay. Since these creatures require less protein than horses, you should only feed them low-protein grains. Foods such as alfalfa and lush spring grass can cause a donkey to get fat and develop a fat roll on its neck which it will mostly likely have for the rest of its life. The Honolulu Zoo feeds its donkeys, grass, hay, zoo rations and the occasional carrot or apple as a special treat.