# Heartbreaker update, and a Question :)



## AlpineSummit (Nov 21, 2020)

Well it has been 5 weeks now since our donkeys arrived and 3 weeks today that Pedro died. The sadness and pressure to find a stall mate has been intense here. We have a 5 month old Jack coming in 2 weeks! But let me back up a little. When Sofia came back home she was stressed and quickly caught pneumonia - again. She responded poorly, and slowly. It was feared she had Equine Infectious Anemia and she was tested for it. We sat on pins & needles for 8 days until the test came back NEGATIVE! Thank Heavens. Meantime we had been lovin her up every possible chance we had. We'd sit there in her stall on a bucket w/her several times a night just talking, whispering, brushing, sometimes I'd snooze w/her alongside me. She stays laying down when we enter now, very much at ease. Our bonds grow; we love her and we're getting it back now. She has improved markedly. She blows her trumpet every day, soooo sweet to hear! Such a sweet girl, she is  I love her deeply. 
Finally my question: Bringing home that little boy soon and we've never been set up for 2 separate donkeys but I have fashioned a small corral area so they can visit each other. But the sleeping arrangements won't be good if the lil boy needs to be separate for a while. The PLAN is both donks together. Of course, there may be problems with the new alliance at first. I do have a stall cam and can watch but if there's a problem it would take too long to get outside and deal with it. And so my plan is to carry in a half dozen bales of hay and plop down my sleeping bag and rest with the critters. That way I'm there if any issues arise (which I doubt, but hey they are animals after all)

Decent plan,,,,,,Terrible plan? 
Thanks for any insight as this is all new to me here


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## Marsha Cassada (Nov 21, 2020)

Boy and girl together? Are you planning a family??
Until Sofia is completely well, I would not put them together anyway. Also, the new boy could bring something that Sofia could catch if her immune system is not recovered.
I love your idea of the straw bales and sleeping bag. I've often wanted to do that.


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## AlpineSummit (Nov 21, 2020)

Hi Marsha and thanks for the reply 
I also like the way that you think  Me too: What if?
In this case our vet actually recommended us to a personal, local friend of hers w/16 of them! We saw them today and OmiGOSH, just beautiful and well cared for. Every shade you'd ever see together and what a selection, very dark, white, chocolate, painted, champagne? Gorgeous animals and again well cared for. So if the vet recommended them to us and vice versa, then my fears are at rest about Sofia in that regard.
Oh and I'm lovin' the hay bed idea more n more too.....
I say do it!!

oh, family? That's a maybe, in fact a probably.
edit: Meantime, trying to figure how to keep mice out of her water bucket. 3 floaters in the last wk,,,,,_ BLEH _


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## MerMaeve (Nov 21, 2020)

AlpineSummit said:


> Oh and I'm lovin' the hay bed idea more n more too.....
> I say do it!!


How are you going to arrange the bales? That sounds intriguing!


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## AlpineSummit (Nov 21, 2020)

MerMaeve said:


> How are you going to arrange the bales? That sounds intriguing!


Nuthin’ fancy, maybe 5 in a row to span the 8’ wall. Make a couch affair. Wife says it’s where I belong but sure she’ll take her turn too


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## Dragon Hill (Nov 21, 2020)

You might want to go with a bigger water bucket or not fill the one you have all the way up. Usually mice fall in if they think they can reach the water without falling in. I hope that makes sense.


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## AlpineSummit (Nov 21, 2020)

Ahhh, interesting and worth trying- thanks!


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## Taz (Nov 22, 2020)

I don't know how to keep mice out of a water bucket but I float a piece of wood in my troughs outside, the critters that get in can climb on and get out again, I've found mice, birds and even a raccoon floating before that but none since. 

I don't think you should have a problem introducing a youngster especially if you give them a day at least side by side then together outside with lots of room when they first go together. Lots of hay well spread out inside. Love the idea of sleeping with them, I've done it a few times and it's great.


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## AlpineSummit (Nov 22, 2020)

Niiiiice!
Thanks Taz 

excitement is pretty high here


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