# Avoiding bloat with Mini donks



## secretcreek

My husband surprised me with two, 2yr old jack mini donkeys lastnight. I had no idea he was getting them. They were used to eating hay and a 12% grain ration in a stall and turned out in a 30x30 pen only- no pasture to run in/eat. He put the two donkeys out in our 2 acre goat pasture last night which delighted the donkeys. They romped, chased our packgoats some and ate fresh "hay"...just grassy stuff- no rich alfalfa just orchard grass. They were quiet and happy to be petted this morning. I didn't think they looked overly bloated at all, but one donkey did have a bit of green drool. I did see that they had hay to pick at overnight and I saw that they seem to avoid bad plants like nightshade.

I want to know what I can do to help prevent bloating/scours due to not acclimating the lil guys first. I did get some of the grain they are used to eating , and I did give them an inch or so of Probios. I give my goats bicarb to self regulate their gassiness, but didn't know if donkeys would lick bicarb, can they burp like a goat or what? I am an info freak...but had zero prep on donkey care... 

Do you know a great website on minature donkey care you can point me to, please? I hate not knowing very much. I haven't had equine in 30 years, so I am rusty!!!! Goats I know, but donkeys..I'm learning!
-scrt crk


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## Sededl

I dont think donkeys "Bloat" per say, they usually tend to colic. Mainly change over grains slowly, mix what you you want to feed with the old feed, only a fourth of a cup or say at a time, over a couple weeks. Same with hays, esp when switching over to alfalfa, it tends to cause scours. Orchard grass hay shouldnt cause problems. Never ever feed grass clippings from a mower. Minis are known for being fat as well as foundering ( laminitis, where the coffin bone rotates with in the hoof, due to overindulgence on grain and sometimes grass), so if they will hold condition on pasture alone, Id cut out grain completely.

If they havent been accustomed to unlimited pasture, they should be allowed to graze for short amounts of time for a couple weeks or so gradually building until they are on full grass. Its common in the early spring and late autumn for equines to get the runs bcause of the changes in diet and grass its self.

If there is any clover in your pasture that would explain the drool.

Horses dont have the ability to burp, which is why colic is so deadly. (they also cant vomit) They can have gas, impaction, torsion and unknown colics. The probiotics wont hurt, but Im not sure if they will help.

Worm him, with a decent wormer, just to keep his load down, if he seems to be really wormy, (hay belly, poor coat, dullness) contact the vet. If they tey to pass a large worm load, it can cause colic.

Equines tend to have more plants that are posioness to them than others, nightshade is one of them. Its wonderful that they avoid it, but i keep an eye out for strange behavior, just in case they get into something they shouldnt,


Equines usually require a salt or mineral lick, but i doubt a bicarb lick would help anything.

Good Luck
Sededl


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## secretcreek

Sededl said:


> I dont think donkeys "Bloat" per say, they usually tend to colic. Mainly change over grains slowly, mix what you you want to feed with the old feed, only a fourth of a cup or say at a time, over a couple weeks. Same with hays, esp when switching over to alfalfa, it tends to cause scours. Orchard grass hay shouldnt cause problems. Never ever feed grass clippings from a mower. Minis are known for being fat as well as foundering ( laminitis, where the coffin bone rotates with in the hoof, due to overindulgence on grain and sometimes grass), so if they will hold condition on pasture alone, Id cut out grain completely.
> 
> If they havent been accustomed to unlimited pasture, they should be allowed to graze for short amounts of time for a couple weeks or so gradually building until they are on full grass. Its common in the early spring and late autumn for equines to get the runs bcause of the changes in diet and grass its self.
> 
> If there is any clover in your pasture that would explain the drool.
> 
> Horses dont have the ability to burp, which is why colic is so deadly. (they also cant vomit) They can have gas, impaction, torsion and unknown colics. The probiotics wont hurt, but Im not sure if they will help.
> 
> Worm him, with a decent wormer, just to keep his load down, if he seems to be really wormy, (hay belly, poor coat, dullness) contact the vet. If they tey to pass a large worm load, it can cause colic.
> 
> Equines tend to have more plants that are posioness to them than others, nightshade is one of them. Its wonderful that they avoid it, but i keep an eye out for strange behavior, just in case they get into something they shouldnt,
> 
> 
> Equines usually require a salt or mineral lick, but i doubt a bicarb lick would help anything.
> 
> Good Luck
> Sededl


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~:
Howdy neighbor ( I'm in SE Ohio across from WV)

Thanks for the timely reply.
Well, the two donkeys were put out in the tall-grassy pasture all night...and they didn't have that at their other home...that's why I asked. The probios will keep a happy bacteria population in the gut. So , if they did get colic-y...what do I do? Is there a mini donk/donkey website of info (like fiascofarm's for goats, that covers all health care questions?) that I can read and educate myself on?
-scrt crk


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## wr

If they've been on dry feed, I'd be concerned about founder. You should start them on grass for a couple hours a day and gradually increase.


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## Sededl

Hidy!!!

As far as websites go, anything on mini horses will work, i dont know of any websites off hand. other than ozarkminituresupply.com which is just tack and equipment.


Colic is pretty univeral among horses. 

Colic can display many ways but most commonly, biting flank, rolling, sweating, grinding teeth, pacing, and other pain displays. 

Always remove all food in a suspected case of colic, leave water, although they usually wont drink. Listen to their gut, either w or wo a stetescope. You want to hear gurgling, slurping and all those other noises. A quiet gut is bad. You dont have to walk them, if they wil stand quietly without slinging themselves around. If they are continuously trying to lay down and roll, walking is nessacary.

Usually if they are having to be walked, a vet is needed. Sometimes a mild colic will pass unassisted but sometimes not. If it is very mild, a small dose of banamine and frequent checks will sometimes allow it to pass. If not, welp your vet will guide you there.

Overall donkeys seem to be a little toughter than horses, and smarter as well.


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## jill.costello

Yes, you can't put an equine onto grass if they aren't used to it; you have to wean them onto it gradually over many weeks. Start with only 2 hours allowed per day, then in a week increase to 4 hours, etc.


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## Rogo

I have always heard never to grain a donkey, but I've never grained any of my equine....horses, mules, and mini/standard/Mammoth donkeys.

I've never heard of bloat in equine, but what do I know!

All I've ever fed is Bermuda and food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) -- both free choice fed. I've fed either hay (only Bermuda grass hay) or Mountain Sunrise all Bermuda pellets with nothing else in them. I've fed this menu for 30+ years to mares (open/pregnant/lactating), foals, geldings, oldsters, stud. 

All stock roam free on acreage. I've had no vet bills during these years.

I do long, tough riding and have seen no need to change the menu. My present mount is 24 years old.

I did live for a while on 35 acres of Coastal grass - similar to Bermuda. The stock were on it 24/7. All I added was DE.


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## Maura

I do not grain my two fat mini jennets. They are always on pasture, in the winter they get hay. They know what grain is, I use it to bribe them and the sheep as necessary. As fat as they are on grassy hay and grassy pasture, I can't imagine adding grain. Bring a fecal sample in to your vet and ask what their worm load is. Ask the previous owner what kind of exercise they got.


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## secretcreek

Thanks for the info. The two two yr old donkey guys are just fine. They were allowed out to eat grass on occasion so the pasture didn't hurt them...whew! I'm liking them alot.


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