Donkeys possess a unique blend of qualities that make them exceptional companions. Alongside their basic physical and environmental needs related to appropriate food, water, shade and shelter, providing a Good Life for donkeys can present challenges that may be underestimated by prospective owners. We explore what it takes to give them a Good Life in this article.
To better understand donkeys, it is key to look at their history. Donkeys have evolved from desert environments and many of their natural behaviours reflect this harsh environment; from how they find food, to how they form social bonds – and even how they express pain.
Dr Amy McLean, Assistant Professor of Teaching Animal Science in California, works on the World Donkey Breeds Project and outlines the way in which donkeys express their behaviours.
“We can think of a donkey as an economist,” says Dr McLean. “They are quite frugal in how they expend energy – likely stemming from their desert history – but that’s not to say they don’t enjoy company and various types of forages. Donkeys have specific dietary and environmental requirements that differ from those of other domestic animals, requiring careful attention to their nutrition, shelter, and socialisation.”
Group dynamics
Very importantly, a donkey does need friends. Being social animals they have evolved complex communication systems. Studies have investigated their vocalizations, body language, and social dynamics and the way they communicate with each other and with humans. This means that social opportunities are essential for a positive mental state, and donkeys should not be kept alone.
The social structure of donkeys in a wild setting is considered territorial but it’s not uncommon to find donkeys living in small groups, usually a jenny, a female donkey with several generations of her offspring.
Jennies and geldings tend to form close bonds with other donkeys and humans. This is not to say that jacks don’t enjoy company of other donkeys, but they may be more selective in who they allow in their territory. Some jacks may display more dominant behavior, so it is important to choose a friend wisely and monitor how they interact. It is also not uncommon for domestic jacks and gelding donkeys to be friends.
Enrichment opportunities
Donkeys need mental stimulation – they have an excellent memory and problem-solving abilities and learn well through observing a demonstrator donkey. Their superior behavioural flexibility allows them to solve puzzles and tasks often better than horses. This might also be helped by their long memories and ability to remember individuals, locations and the solutions to various puzzles of tasks. This is why an enriched, complex environment is important for keeping a donkey occupied and feeling good.
Some ways you can enrich the environment for donkeys is by adding scratching posts, a soft place to roll in the dirt or sand and enrichment tools such as balls and toys.
“Many donkeys are very expressive with toys and will play with balls and other stimulus items,” continues Dr McLean. “You will see your donkey enjoying its play time and you can test which enrichment items they prefer based on their interactions.
“Also, consider if you can eat ice cream every day then it may not truly be a treat or fun after a while, so the same with your donkey, supply the enrichment tools at various times throughout the day to provide the additional stimulation and then remove the item after a short duration of play time (30 mins to an hour) otherwise the enrichment item may lose its luster.”
Donkeys like to forage
Donkeys are often compared to horses, but they have a lot of differences. Thinking about a desert, there’s limited green grass and the donkey would have to walk, search and taste to see if the food source is palatable. Green pastures do appear to be ideal for horses but not for donkeys. Donkeys can easily become obese on the smallest amount of grass and an overweight donkey does not equal a happy donkey,so it can work to limit grazing to early mornings.
Dr McLean suggested keeping your donkey companion entertained and happy by simulating a more natural feeding scheme.
“Donkeys express browsing behaviors, which allow them to seek out certain plants or even acquired tastes. In a taste preference study we conducted years ago, we found our group of former wild donkeys collected from the Nevada range to prefer the most expensive offering of concentrate and top dressed with herbs such as oregano.
“If you are considering how to keep your long-eared friend happy, I would suggest offering your donkey stemy forage or even brush to nibble on, provide browsing opportunities and even a tree branch (from a safe source of trees). This will encourage your donkey to walk, investigate and seek food stuffs, versus offering all its meals on a silver platter.”
Avoiding the negatives
If you happen to have a donkey that is overweight and you are considering options for improving their health, think about slowly taking off the weight and going on donkey hikes and walks while slowly changing their routine and nutrition.
“It is important to note that a donkey can get very sick if they drop weight too quickly and this can lead to a condition called hyperlipidemia which causes the liver to shut down. Many donkeys may also become depressed and sad when wearing a grazing muzzle, so consider alternatives to this for grazing.
“The same can happen if your donkey becomes very stressed. So, any changes in the donkeys’ regular routines, life or even transport should be done thoughtfully and carefully. Donkeys may appear to be strong and stoic, but they are actually very sensitive, and they don’t start to communicate with us that they are not feeling well until often times it’s too late.
“When trying to look for discomfort in your donkey consider looking at the overall body posture, ear position, eyes (are they bright or dull), the tightness of their eye and their upper and lower lips. These areas will help tell you more about how your donkey is feeling and just think about what a happy donkey looks like- ears forward or alert, eyes bright, slight smile to the lips and back and legs are in a straight and proud position. “
The loving touches
Donkeys enjoy attention as well, so getting to know what attention your donkey enjoys is key.
“Speak kindly to your donkey and do use your voice, scratches, and petting to understand where they really enjoy touch, such as scratching the inside of the ears and the base of the tail. You can also test different brushes when grooming your donkey to help create and maintain your donkey-human interactions and bonds.
“Your donkey will communicate with you what he/she likes by leaning into you and once you create this special bond with your donkey expect more vocalization when you come home or whenever your donkey sees you,. You will likely be greeted by a happy donkey expressing their contentment through a bray!
“Last but not least, consider providing a loving name for your donkey so every time you see and interact with your donkey and its donkey friend, your voice will smile when you say its name and your donkeys will pick up on the joy and will respond with positive donkey emotions.”
Donkey companions embody loyalty, resilience, and affection, making them cherished companions for those fortunate enough to share their journey.
