# When a donkey runs at you braying, what does that mean?



## kile529

We have a 2-4yr old mini-donkey Jack who will be gelded in the next couple of weeks. He's sooo sweet and we just love him. Yesterday morning my son and I went in to the pasture to bottle feed our 2 goats that are stalled in part of our run in. Everything was fine but when we closed the pasture gate as we left, Jack came running and braying. I figured it was because he wanted attention. Except today, my mom went in to feed the goats and Jack ran to her, braying, until he smelled her hand and was the totally fine. My mom isn't familiar with anything equine so it kinda spooked her. Do you think it's a aggressive move or just an excited to see you gesture? It's just him in the pasture and we've been trying to spend lots of time with him and I usually take him for a daily walk...until last Saturday when I broke my tibia. I'm the only equine knowledgeable person in my family and with him being intact, I don't trust him or anyone else to handle things correctly. Hopefully this gives enough info....thoughts?!


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## redgate

Animals are very routine oriented. It is possible he is just missing his daily walks and hoping that's why everyone is coming in. It is also possible he is acting aggressively towards visitors, as donkeys can be very territorial with strangers. Does he pin his ears when he does it or threaten to spin around and kick out? If not, it is likely more of a greeting. The big concern is whether he respects personal space. If not, you either need to be present, or teach others how to safely use a training stick to have him back out/never enter personal space. Hope that helps.


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## kile529

His ears are always straight at us...not sure what pinned means. He's never turned to kick so I figure that's a good sign. What's a training stick? Are you meaning to not enter his personal space or teach him to not enter ours? Lol


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## alsarve

My donkey is very habitual, esp when it comes to food or attention. And he is also very animated when it comes to his ears. If your jack does not have his ears pinned back against his head, it prob is not an aggressive gesture. He can hear our truck or jeep from a quarter mile away and will do exactly like you described, because he is hoping someone will come home and feed him. Mine is intact too and I don't trust him w non-horse people either.


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## dizzy

Maybe he's telling you Timmy fell in the well? eep:


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## kile529

Thanks Alsarve & redgate! I feel like I'm on the right track and he's not going to try to attack us.  lol


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## DragonFlyFarm

I watch the ears and tail on my mini donk. If he's upset he will pin his ears and and/or swish his tail back and forth really fast. He has never shown aggression to a human, but has attacked a couple dogs and the neighbors rabbit. When he goes into attack mode he doesn't bray or spin. He goes face forward and attacks with his teeth and front hooves. Just my experience. Enjoy your boy, donkeys are so much fun!


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## kile529

Wow ok thanks! I'll be watching the tail now too!


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## Kasota

My jack mini donkey used to do that, too, if his routine was disrupted. He was REALLY tiny, even for a mini, and used to follow along with the dogs and I as we did morning chores. If I went out without him for some reason and then came back to let him out he would run toward me and bray like he had not seen me in a month of Sundays! He liked to come in the house after chores and have a muffin at the kitchen table, after which he was perfectly happy to go out to his pasture.


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## kile529

That's hilarious!! Your donkey sounds like so much fun!


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## kile529

I'm gonna hijack my own thread to ask another donkey question. My friend is an equine vet and came out to castrate Jack. Well, turned out I failed to do an important check and he only had one descended testicle. She could feel part of it..the endo somthing? so, since we're friends she tried to see if she could get the other testicle from his abdomen. Darn thing is still fat from his original home but long story short - we could only get the endo-something? and went ahead and took the other testicle that was already descended. Anyone know the odds or have experience with a crypt-something donkey? Our biggest concerns are him either getting aggressive with us (I have 3 boys) or killing livestock. I wouldn't mind giving him to someone with them knowing the situation, but I don't want to take the chance him being passed on from there without the info also. What to do...what to do....


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## where I want to

Epidydimus? That is definitely a new one for me. If the testicle goes and the epidydimus stays that is normally called proud cut. He certainly will not be fertile but about his studly tendencies.?????


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## kile529

Yes! That's it. Lol Could not remember the name. That's the thing - he's not fertile, but his testicle can still produce sperm....so he'll still have testosterone. I just wonder if it'll be mild with just one. Around here to get the surgery to go in and remove it it's $1500. For a $100 donkey, that doesn't make much sense. Wish I knew I was supposed to grab a handful to make sure there were 2.....just looked and said "yep! He's intact!" Lol In my defense, I had a horse person with me.


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## DEKE01

the language of equine ears


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## kile529

Oh my stars that's fantastic!!! Thank you!!


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## Joshie

If at all possible I'd spend the $1500. A stud can be downright dangerous and it sounds like you don't have a lot of experience. You have young children, a broken bone, and family members in and out of the pasture. He could become protective of your other animals. 

He is young now but with time he'll probably become more stud like and more difficult to control. Humans who have had one testicle removed are still fertile and have plenty of testosterone. It is probably the same with your guy. 

Does your friend have any experience with cryptorchids? Does she think she could finish the job after he loses weight? 

It can be tough to find a home for a stud, let alone a cryptorchid. Would you have taken him if you had known he would need $1500 surgery? If he becomes dangerous he may need to be put down. I wouldn't want a stud on my property. 

Good luck.


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## wr

kile529 said:


> Yes! That's it. Lol Could not remember the name. That's the thing - he's not fertile, but his testicle can still produce sperm....so he'll still have testosterone. I just wonder if it'll be mild with just one. Around here to get the surgery to go in and remove it it's $1500. For a $100 donkey, that doesn't make much sense. Wish I knew I was supposed to grab a handful to make sure there were 2.....just looked and said "yep! He's intact!" Lol In my defense, I had a horse person with me.



If he's only worth $100 to you and you can't justify proper treatment, you may want to consider your own worth and that of your family. You aren't really capable of handling a proud cut animal with your level of experience and there is a very good chance somebody is going to get hurt.


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## GrannyCarol

dizzy - Of course, the donkey is ratting on Lassie, who pushed Timmy down the well AGAIN! lol 

As for the donkey, I don't really know, sorry.


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## DixyDoodle

Personally, I wouldn't let kids around a proud cut donkey. They still have the hormones that make them studdy. I know plenty of people who said their studs were sweet....but still amazingly would have days where those same sweet animals took a go at them (but of course the owners justified the reasons). Owners seem to have a hazy memory when it comes to such things. 

My first thought when you said his ears were forward but braying was that maybe he was feeling a bit, er, ready for mating. Be aware that he could also try to mount you or the kids in the future. Having a 400lb animal want to have amorous relations with you will end badly. Use caution.


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## wr

DixyDoodle said:


> Personally, I wouldn't let kids around a proud cut donkey. They still have the hormones that make them studdy. I know plenty of people who said their studs were sweet....but still amazingly would have days where those same sweet animals took a go at them (but of course the owners justified the reasons). Owners seem to have a hazy memory when it comes to such things.
> 
> 
> 
> My first thought when you said his ears were forward but braying was that maybe he was feeling a bit, er, ready for mating. Be aware that he could also try to mount you or the kids in the future. Having a 400lb animal want to have amorous relations with you will end badly. Use caution.



I'm a strong advocate for training and manners and over the years I have known many people who have animals who's behaviour was initially thought to be adorably cuddly that was left to escalate.


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