How much do donkeys weigh

Their soft fur makes for pleasant belly rubs, and their curious ears will stand up straight when you offer them a treat. Many owners report their mini-donkeys to be sweet, gentle, curious, playful, and highly trainable. Miniature donkeys are placid animals. Most mini-donkeys are between inches from their hooves to their withers. Some are smaller, but a few are bigger. At that height 36 inches , they become a small but regular donkey, and they start to be measured by hands rather than inches.

This is one of the most surprising facts about the miniature donkey. Meet KneeHi. Measuring just He lives on a farm in the U. As herbivores, mini-donkeys like grasses and grains.

Mini-donkeys also love treats. Donkeys are also fond of sweet things like molasses, but these should be kept as occasional treats instead of everyday foods.

Dwarf donkeys were bred for work, so they can pull carts and transport goods just like their bigger cousins. They simply have to do it in smaller quantities. It depends. However, kids and pets can catch a ride on a miniature donkey whenever they like. Given proper care, a miniature donkey will live for around years. Most mini-donkeys are pampered pets, so they tend to enjoy long, full lives with access to food, shelter, and medical assistance whenever they need it. Such was the case with Tiny Tim , a miniature donkey in Canada.

He was a small, sickly foal who was rejected by his mother at birth, so his owners took him inside and raised him along with their dogs.

Tiny Tim plays fetch, sleeps in a bed, and lets his humans know when he needs to do his business outside. Miniature donkeys will tolerate all kinds of cute, silly costumes, so people frequently dress them up like dogs in sweaters. These outfits can be quite the attraction at public events like fairs and horse shows.

As with any animal, there are both pros and cons to owning a miniature donkey. For example, a lot of mini-donkey owners are surprised to learn that their small, sweet animal can also be quite stubborn and headstrong when they feel like it. As a breed, donkeys make excellent guardians for livestock. On the other hand, dwarf donkeys are a lot smaller than regular donkeys. They might not be able to defend livestock with the same ferocity as their bigger, heavier cousins.

Female donkeys are called jennies or jennets, and they can come into heat at any time of year. It usually lasts for 3 — 4 weeks or until the jennet becomes pregnant. Standard donkeys typically stand about 11 hands high 44 inches and weigh about pounds.

Therefore a standard donkey could potentially carry as much as pounds. A standard donkey is a good mount for a small to medium-sized woman or small man and a good pack animal for a medium to large sized load. Mammoth donkeys stand about 14 hands high 56 inches and weigh about to pounds. A mammoth donkey in good condition could carry as much as pounds. A mammoth donkey is a good mount for an average to large man or woman.

These donkeys can also carry large loads if packed and balanced correctly. The donkeys in the video above are overloaded. Notice that the packs being put on the donkey in this video are not too heavy for a slim woman to lift and handle, though they would be too heavy for her to carry on her own for a hike in the mountains.

There are a number of other considerations you must take into account. When packing your donkey , think about it as if you are packing your own backpack to carry along a trail you plan to hike. In terms of riding, be considerate. If you have a child who is currently enjoying riding a miniature or a standard donkey, prepare both the rider and the mount for the inevitable time when the rider outgrows the donkey.

I seriously research a legend about lost French gold. In the legend, donkeys were used to haul the gold to different locations at high altitudes in the Southern Colorado Rockies. I was told that a standard donkey could carry about pounds? The herd is usually lead by one jack and consists of several jennies in the wild. Some larger herds have been found that include several males. As long as the additional males are submissive to the dominant male, everything goes smoothly.

In the wild, herds often break up and reform with new members on a regular basis. Donkeys spend their days resting during the hottest part of the day. They are more active during the mornings and evenings, traveling and eating with the herd. Domestic donkeys are typically used for pack animals or for milk, according to The Global Invasive Species Database. Sometimes donkeys are trained to protect other livestock from predators.

They will stomp any animal they feel is a threat. Donkeys typically like to eat grass, though they also eat shrubs and desert plants.

Instead of ripping the grass right away with their teeth, donkeys grab the plant with their lips, pull it in their mouth, then rip it with their flat teeth and grind it down for swallowing. Donkeys are voracious eaters. A donkey can consume as much as 6, lbs. This massive amount is concerning when it comes to feral donkeys. Feral donkeys can move into habitats and take food from the local animals. In addition to other donkeys, they will breed with horses and zebras.