How to Feed Miniature Donkeys

More than 37,000 miniature donkeys are registered in the United States. The male miniature donkey is called a Jack, and the female is called a Jennet. Miniature donkeys are friendly and easily trained. They do best around other miniature donkeys and bond well with their owners. A miniature donkey will try to get its owner's attention through sounds and nudging. If an owner feeds his miniature donkey too much food, the animal can become overweight. Losing excess fat is difficult for these animals. A healthy miniature donkey should weigh 200 to 450 pounds.

Things You'll Need

  • Barrels of hay
  • Alfalfa
  • Mineral block
  • Salt block
  • Grains
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Instructions

    • 1

      Give your miniature donkey free access to roam a pasture. Miniature donkeys eat grass and hay. A bale of hay can weigh up to 50 pounds--but if you cut the wiring that holds it together, it will separate into precut blocks. Leave one block out per miniature donkey each day. Some hay varieties, such as wheat, have more nutrition than others, but those types also will be more expensive. The best grasses for the miniature donkey are coastal bermuda, Timothy and brome.

    • 2

      Sprinkle alfalfa on the block of hay to give your miniature donkey additional nutrients. Do not give alfalfa to a baby miniature donkey. Wait until the animal is at least 6 months old.

    • 3

      Place mineral and salt blocks in various places throughout the pasture. Purchase holders for these blocks from the feed store and have them available to the miniature donkeys at all times.

    • 4

      Leave fresh water out for the miniature donkey to drink at all times. Hang buckets of water in their stalls and leave a bin of water in a shaded place on the pasture. The bin should be long and narrow and big enough that more than one miniature donkey can drink from it at a time. Check the water every couple of hours to ensure it is clean and that no dead insects or algae are floating in it.

    • 5

      Offer the miniature donkey grain rounds. Give each miniature donkey 1/2 cup of grain per day once it is at least 1 month old. Allow the miniature donkey grain only if it has free access to the pasture. If it can't move around, the miniature donkey will not get enough exercise and can gain weight. Avoid giving any extra food or treats if the weather is cold or wet and the animal has to stay inside its stall.