# BITTING!!!!!



## XOfuzzmiloOX (Feb 21, 2008)

hey everyone. i'm new to this website so...

umm i have a 6 year old male donkey. i have had him for three years. his bitting was very minimum and then in the winter it gets MUCH worse!! i know its parcially his attitude. (Kinda rough background) but is there any other reasons he may be acting this way??

thanks


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## MeadowRidge Farm (Feb 21, 2008)

Is he a intact jack or is he gelded? Bitting is common in jacks.


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## PaintedPromiseRanch (Feb 21, 2008)

we've cured all ages of donkey from biting, simply be quick enough to catch their upper lip/nostril BEFORE they get their teeth on you, pinch hard and twist. it doesn't do any damage but hurts enough they soon learn that biting is NOT ok... i've heard it recommended to give them a quick pop on the nose but i don't like hitting them, so we just pinch!


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## MeadowRidge Farm (Feb 21, 2008)

First off..dont give your donkey any treats. Once a donkey learns to bite it can be hard to break them of this. Your best way of stopping this kind of behavior is by giving the donkey a loud NO or STOP, and when you say it ..you need to mean it.It has to sound harsh....like your ten times your size.




You can try Susans way, but I wouldnt recommend it..pinching and slapping a donkey can create more problems then just his biting. OH! He can become headshy and afraid of you. Also, alot of times with aggressive bitters, it can happen so fast you wont have time to grab a lip and twist...(pinching and twisting has to be done IMMEDIATELY, as he is trying to bite you.. not a minute after he has bitten you, or he will turn the pinching into a game, and more problems!) OH! I have delt with rescue donkey who were fear biters/kickers, all of them turned into sweet loving animals, with no harsh treatment of any kind. BUT..remember NO TREATS for biters. Donkeys have a remarkable memory. I have one here right now that I am working with on his manners and biting, we're coming along great!






2 months ago, you couldnt enter his stall...now, I can do anything, for as long as I want. He learned trust, no kicking, and no biting all at the same time, along with manners/space. Corinne


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## XOfuzzmiloOX (Feb 22, 2008)

yea, hes a gelding. i have not fed him any treats from my hand for about a year know. it really cut back on the bitting. also he was gelded very late so some times he still acts like a stud.



... but yea i pretty much tried EVERYTHING haha. but i was doing parelli natural horsemanship and that made he stop bitting completely...so i may have to go back to that. THANKS-a-bunch guys!


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## donkeymom (Feb 22, 2008)

I have an intact jack and he has a biting problem and it is much worse in the winter. I've had him since he was 3 months old and i've tried all the tricks. I've pinched his nose, slapped his nose, slapped his face and even bit his nose and nothing works. I still continue to scold him by telling him no and pinching his nose but more times than often he comes back more aggressive. He doesn't do it becomes he's mean but because he wants attention, I think they get stir crazy and sick of cold weather just as much as us.


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## XOfuzzmiloOX (Feb 22, 2008)

yea, usually its around feeding or when hes really board he bits. i think hes sick of the cold...like you said. because when i do scolled him he acts back with aggression and hes very strong and is deffentally not afraid of me. i think that is parcially my fault becasue i babyed him the first 2 years i owned him. so he thinks he owns me...DEFFENTALLY need to fix that haha


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## MeadowRidge Farm (Feb 22, 2008)

I see both of you are new on here. WELCOME from Wisconsin.



If you ever have any problemes with the forum, just let me know. I am the moderator, ,and I do TRY to keep a friendly and helpful forum going. Could you tell us a little bit about yourselves? Oh one other thing..thie forum goes CRAZY for pictures, so if you have any we would LOVE to see your donkeys.





I dont really think a season has anything to do with bitters, unless the donkey is stalled alot and learns some bad manners thru being stalled (bored)



Both mine seem to get nippy around breeding season, but mine are jacks, and have been used for breeding, and this is common in jacks. OH! My geldings I dont have any problems with,



and my hinnys are always gelded late. To me it sounds like both of you have a "space" problem going on as well as bitting, since both of yours will return into your area and try it all over. They not only need to learn about there biting but also need to learn space as well.



Remember when you work with a donkey to keep your hands low or you will come across as the aggressor and that wont help your situation. BTY~~ dont they ALL seem to think they own us and we are there for only them






Corinne


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## XOfuzzmiloOX (Feb 22, 2008)

haha yea...i mean we are there survents. um i from the northeast. i have been involved with horses for 10 ten years (im16). i have been in 4-h for 6, just stopped that and join pony club!!!! i cant wait to start eventing. i ride a 16.3 - 17 hh PINTOLOOSA (appaloosa/pinto) i own a miniature donkey who is 6 and i have had him since he was three...so...yeah haha

oh yeah! thanks for the tips!!!


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## Emily's mom (Feb 22, 2008)

Welcome to the new ones!!!

I too have a nipper....Emily is a little over 1 year old....she just does it for attention....I smack her in the front legs, I read somewhere that is where her mom would have corrrected her



...I also try to block it with the side of my hand when I see it coming, along with a sharp NO!

Max, 2, is gelded and a "gentle"man...

I love my donks!!


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