# Donkey covered in burs



## TennesseeMama23 (May 10, 2006)

Sigh...

My baby donk is completely covered in cockle burs. Her hair is extremely fuzzy, the thing is a walking afro. And now she has found these horrid cockle burs and we don't know what to do. I can't see any way, short of cutting her hair to get them out, she needs her hair in this cold.

So, should we just leave them and hope she sheds really well this spring?

Of course, we are going to find the source of this evil and destroy it...


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

Our horses get cockel burs in their manes and tails. We just put on a thick pair of leather gloves and start picking the hair apart until we can get to the burr and pull it out. It's a painstaking procedure, but keeps you from having to cut the fur. Maybe someone will have a sure fire way to get them out.


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## marytx (Dec 4, 2002)

I'm having the same problem with my donkeys. The mother won't let me brush her, but the baby will. I brush her about every morning, and get out a bunch more. I have a brush that I think was made for a dog. It is nylon on one side and the metal bristles on the other. I use the wire side, and it works surprisingly well.

The thing about those burs is that they tend to want to migrate in toward the skin. I think you want to brush them out as much as possible. I know my little donkey appreciates it.


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## jill.costello (Aug 18, 2004)

There is a silicone spray called "Show Sheen"; it is worth it's weight in gold!

You're baby will probably not like being sprayed (they don't like the hissing noise from the bottle), but if you soak the burrs/hair with the spray and LET IT DRY, you can then brush out the burrs and they slip out sooooooo easily!

I don't know your temps, but if you've got a stall in a warmish area, you can use a sponge and squish the Show Sheen into each tangled area on her, instead of spraying.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

I 2nd the Show Sheen. That is good stuff.


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## jbowyer01 (Aug 4, 2008)

jill.costello said:


> There is a silicone spray called "Show Sheen"; it is worth it's weight in gold!
> 
> You're baby will probably not like being sprayed (they don't like the hissing noise from the bottle), but if you soak the burrs/hair with the spray and LET IT DRY, you can then brush out the burrs and they slip out sooooooo easily!
> 
> I don't know your temps, but if you've got a stall in a warmish area, you can use a sponge and squish the Show Sheen into each tangled area on her, instead of spraying.


I unfortunately have no experience with equine (silly question but does a donkey fall under equine :teehee but I do know that when my daughter decided to go traipsing through a field with her hair flying she attracted every sticky burr leaf and you name it. It was awful to try to remove it. I finally just used a good condition on her hair and started combing it out. Could you use hair conditioner on your little donkey?


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## bigfoot2you (Oct 3, 2007)

What do ya think? Will the Show Sheen work on Alpaca?:sob:


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

Something that works as good, and maybe in your pantry, PAM cooking spray, a little helps slide them out of the hair. And Bigfoot2you, depends what kind of alpaca you have, but the best to do is not let them out where they have burrs. My wife would kill me if I turned ours out in the burrs. If their not to many in them you would be better off to get out what you can and skirt the fleece when you shear it. > Thanks Marc


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## jill.costello (Aug 18, 2004)

springvalley, would the Pam then need to be shampooed out? It may be too cold for a bath this time of year?


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## Rogo (Jan 1, 2006)

Another popular product that's widely used on manes and tails is WD-40.

Don't laugh. I pulled into camp for one of the multiple days rides and there it was on just about every truck hood!


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## bloogrssgrl (Jan 20, 2008)

Sounds like you have a _burr_o, not a donkey.


Ok, someone had to say it.


Our horses sometimes get them in their manes and tails. Fortunately, they seem to come out fairly easily - maybe just because the hair is so coarse.


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## springvalley (Jun 23, 2009)

jill.costello said:


> springvalley, would the Pam then need to be shampooed out? It may be too cold for a bath this time of year?


Jill, you just need a little, it mat be messy, but better than the burrs. > Marc


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## onthespot (Oct 7, 2007)

I second the W-D40. I know, it's not "organic" or homeopathic, but it is quick and cheap and it works wonders.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

I just crush them with a pair of pliers and brush them out and they come out quite easily.


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