# Color Question



## dustyrose (Mar 7, 2004)

Does anyone know if you can breed for color with mini donkeys? Like if you want a certain color?


----------



## MeadowRidge Farm (Mar 7, 2004)

dustyrose, this is my opinion only but I really do believe that color genetics get thrown right out when it comes to donkeys. I have known people that have bred 2 very loud colored ones and have ended up with a solid gray. Then there are others who bred a gray to a chocolate and end up with color, from what I have read and seen there really doesnt seem to be a pattern for color genetics with them. Hope others add to this post also, color is interesting to discuss...but confussing..


----------



## shminifancier (Mar 7, 2004)

I think this will answer the color question OR add more confusion~






The most prevalent color for Miniature Donkeys is gray-dun which consists of a gray colored body, light colored nose - or dark colored nose -, light colored belly and inside legs, with a dark color dorsal stripe down the back and over the shoulders. The dorsal stripe is known as the donkeys cross. There are variations of this gray-dun from dark to light. As with most animals, donkeys can range in color from black to white and everything in between. True blacks are rare with black/browns (not quite black) being more common. There are chestnut/sorrels which are various shades of reddish brown. There are also white donkeys and "spotted" donkeys. Some people refer to spotted as "pinto" and this really boils down to semantics. Spotted or pintos are generally gray or brown and white. There are also various colors of roans. Roan coloring is black, brown, gray hairs intermingled with white hairs. Donkeys do not breed true to color. Since gray-dun is by far the predominant gene, you can breed black to black and get gray-dun, spotted to spotted and get gray-dun, etc. Never knowing what color foal will be produced is part of the excitement of having foals. Colors other than the typical gray-dun makes the donkey more exotic looking therefore increases their price.


----------



## dustyrose (Mar 7, 2004)

Thanks to both of you! I was hoping maybe I could come up with a black and white spotted, but if not that's ok too.


----------



## MeadowRidge Farm (Mar 8, 2004)

shminifancier, I just got thru reading the same article that you got all your infomation off of and thought it was interesting. (Miniature Donkey Talk Magazine, IMDR, and Pheasant Meadow Farm) but I do think they should of pointed out that NOt all donkeys do carry the dorsal ..or cross. How many donkeys do you breed? What were your color your your foals? And also what color were the jack and jennies? I'm always curious to that since most of the "breeders" I know seem to get color when least expected but when trying really hard for color get the common gray. Wouldnt it be great to get a resulting color when bred for that color! I have a few jennies bred to a loud colored jack so I am hoping! Good luck with breeding.. Corinne where are you located in Wisconsin?? dustyrose, any color of a baby is just the cutest little long-ear out, you cant help but fall in love with them, but color sure is a added bonus!


----------



## dustyrose (Mar 8, 2004)

I know I will love them no matter what color they are.

how many posts do I have to make to get this "addiction free" thing out from under my name








Oh, and I have to think of a name for my mini ranch. I was going to call it Stormy Ridge Ranch, but now I"m thinking I should have something that suggests miniature donkeys. Anyone have ideas?


----------



## shminifancier (Mar 8, 2004)

You have a LONG way to go lol



I trhink it is set at 300 posts~!



Before you get to the next level....I had JUST gotten there myself 2 weeks ago THEN I switched ISP's and got a new E Mail addy, and when I came on here to sign up again, it did not want to take my new addy so I had to sign in as a BRAND NEW person and then I had to start all over from 0 posts~!



Oh well such is life


----------



## dustyrose (Mar 8, 2004)

300?!



It's gonna take a long time to make that many posts. Oh well, no biggie.

By the way shminifancier I love your pics, how hard was it to house break your little critters?


----------



## shminifancier (Mar 8, 2004)

Well after having him in the house for some time NOT all day or all night just in every few days..After watching that gelding for a time I noticed he started to fidget (sp) lifting one leg then the other one..Just like a youngster might do when they have to "go"..Then after a few times letting him out to "go" when he acted that wat he soon learned to go over to the door if he wanted "out" You know just like a dog might do



Now that is the same pony that was on a TV interview with me also~! This was at a horse show I was "showing off" my pictures to some friends right next to where the TV station was setting up there camera...Well they over heard me saying he was housebroken,,Well lets say I was on the 10 o'clock. on the local news that night



I still have the tape of the show.



And so it was with the donkey He was real nice in the house,,being a stallion he would only "go" in his own spot outside so he never had an accident in the house..As far as the mini mare goes she would come in also for some time and I used the same process on her...Although I never did her her from goning potty in the car



But then 300 miles at one time is a LONG time to hold it..



So I would jusy pull over to a way side and brush out the "apples" and go on from there...As far as the other (p) well one of my cars had a drain hole in ithe floor for that and the Suburban I out in straw to soak it up



Now I am also hoping to get another donkey soon and I already have a new mini colt here so I will be starting the process all over again



I have not yet heard back from the people that have donkeys close to me but I put in another call today and left a message..ONE of these days I am also going to get a Miniature cow



Oh I know I won't be able to housebreak him


----------



## dustyrose (Mar 8, 2004)

a miniature cow? really? That's funny, hubby and I were joking about that night but didn't know they realy existed.

You see, my brother raises black angus Show cattle and we thought it would be kind of funny to tell him we bought a show cow, and then send him a pic





Maybe you should be giving those people a call, hurry them up just a little





I can see right now that I'm going to have to get a topper for my pickup, and put a slider window in. I have a jeep wrangler but it is my everyday car and since I will soon be a real estate agent I think I should not have "apples" rolling out from under the seat when a client is with me.


----------



## shminifancier (Mar 8, 2004)

I have also a miniature cattle message board that I am on



There are Mini Jersey's, Mini Herefords, Yes even Mini Angus, they are called Lowline Miniature Angus! You know what a Bramma looks like? Those are the ones that have a hump on top of there shoulders! WELL there are mini ones that are called Zebu's With the and all~! Most of them wiegh about 1/3 there bigger counter parts...Lots of people get these small cattle and have there own milking operation with one cow~! A gallon or so a day plently to feed a large family and feed a few cats



Without having the animal eating you out of house and home... And also can be kept on a small amount of land... now these are not Cheap~!! A mini Jersey, even pet quality, is in the nieghborhood of $1,000~!!! BUT I am looking maybe at a Zebu where pet Quality is around $300 or so... Here is the Message board~!

Miniature Cattle Page Have fun loking a those mini cows


----------



## dustyrose (Mar 9, 2004)

ok, I might have to have a mini cow too



I'm on a roll now....might just have to have one of everything


----------

