I have two rescue donkeys. They are well behaved and trained. Recently, the female has a piece of her mane chewed or rubbed off. I am not sure if the male is chewing on her or if she is rubbing it raw. There is nothing in the paddock or stalls with hide on it and no sharp objects. Do donkeys chew on each other. If so, how do I stop this? I made a neck bonnet that hooks to her fly mask and covers the area. I will see if this helps. Any suggestions or comments are very welcome!
Donkeys can be destructive, yes.. but, when I was using them to skid logs, back in the 60's, I could just tie a single strand of baling string around a bunch of trees, hang their feed box off one, designating a pen area, out in the middle of nowhere, and after a long days work, none ever tried to even step beyond the string (we used just string, in case of floods, or bears, or panthers, etc.. I did enjoy their enthusiasm for getting to work, tho. many enjoyed it, long as the grain kept coming .. I had many a friend that were actually logg'in mules. I miss them.. most every day. Had a roan jenny that was better than any dog, ever. and I've had some damn fine dogs.
Beside sticks, my donkeys love to play with large baskets (willow) skippy animals (for children to hop on), a horse ball, rubber dog toys, rubber feeding bucket. That's so nice with donkeys, they appriciate the toys you bring them!
My geldings will pick up toys like traffic cones or the rubber ball but my jennets not so much. They kinda watch as if they are thinking "silly boys!".
Great! I finally got an explanation of this. I often wondered how can thrive and get all butter ball fat in Death Valley. Where's there's nothing but thistle and brush to eat.
I bet if you throw smaller branches in there, they'd like chewing on the sticks so much more than the barn that you'd have no new damage (so long as you kept them well supplied). I like yours too tho LOL it's like a dog bone for a donkey LMAO
What a great series! Sure wish your videos were in numerical order so it's easier to follow your progress with the 'boys'. The wood chewing was something I had never heard of.
I was probably referring to pressure treated wood. It has chemicals in it to keep bugs from eating it and to make hot resistant to water rot. The base of telephone poles also have a tar-like substance that wouldn't be good for them to eat.
Christmas trees! They love them and they are a natural de wormer!
Thank you. Very helpful.
Thinking about surrounding their stable interior and exterior with 6ft chain link fence
Work with a natural tendency rather than waste time and money fighting against one ❤
A single hot wire on top of the wood - no more chewing
I try not to use wood as you said - metal whenever possible.
I have two rescue donkeys. They are well behaved and trained. Recently, the female has a piece of her mane chewed or rubbed off. I am not sure if the male is chewing on her or if she is rubbing it raw. There is nothing in the paddock or stalls with hide on it and no sharp objects. Do donkeys chew on each other. If so, how do I stop this? I made a neck bonnet that hooks to her fly mask and covers the area. I will see if this helps. Any suggestions or comments are very welcome!
Donkeys can be destructive, yes.. but, when I was using them to skid logs, back in the 60's, I could just tie a single strand of baling string around a bunch of trees, hang their feed box off one, designating a pen area,
out in the middle of nowhere, and after a long days work, none ever tried to even step beyond the string (we used just string, in case of floods, or bears, or panthers, etc..
I did enjoy their enthusiasm for getting to work, tho. many enjoyed it, long as the grain kept coming .. I had many a friend that were actually logg'in mules.
I miss them.. most every day. Had a roan jenny that was better than any dog, ever. and I've had some damn fine dogs.
Beside sticks, my donkeys love to play with large baskets (willow) skippy animals (for children to hop on), a horse ball, rubber dog toys, rubber feeding bucket. That's so nice with donkeys, they appriciate the toys you bring them!
My geldings will pick up toys like traffic cones or the rubber ball but my jennets not so much. They kinda watch as if they are thinking "silly boys!".
Great! I finally got an explanation of this. I often wondered how can thrive and get all butter ball fat in Death Valley. Where's there's nothing but thistle and brush to eat.
I bet if you throw smaller branches in there, they'd like chewing on the sticks so much more than the barn that you'd have no new damage (so long as you kept them well supplied). I like yours too tho LOL it's like a dog bone for a donkey LMAO
What a great series! Sure wish your videos were in numerical order so it's easier to follow your progress with the 'boys'. The wood chewing was something I had never heard of.
I throw a few elm branches in their pens in the fall & winter.
What wood is toxic?
I was probably referring to pressure treated wood. It has chemicals in it to keep bugs from eating it and to make hot resistant to water rot. The base of telephone poles also have a tar-like substance that wouldn't be good for them to eat.
What about placing a dead tree in the stall?
Do they really only sleep 2-3 hours? Is that in a 24 hour period? Fascinating.
Poor donkeys are bored. I just hope you are good to these poor, innocent, animals. That is all I care about.