# Bathing help?



## Donkeylover110 (Jan 23, 2009)

My mini donkey is scared of water ( like a bath ). When ever I tie him, he keeps walking around the object. I even tried having someone hold his head. He doesn't mind the shampoo, just the spraying water. I can understand him being scared, so I try not to be angry at him. Any solutions?


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## Emily's mom (Jan 27, 2009)

Sorry to say that I've never even tried to bath my donkeys, I do think that my not so nice son has sprayed the donkeys in the summer because he says they were "hot"



, but I wasn't home to witness!!

Did you try warm water and a bucket?...no hose.


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## Donkeylover110 (Jan 27, 2009)

I have never really tried that, though I have considered it. I guess it doesn't matter since it's too cold any way ( 20s)



. Thanks for your help!


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## Emily's mom (Jan 27, 2009)

My husband just reminded me that we do not use the spray thingie when we wash the horse, so maybe it is the spray thing that the donkeys do not like.


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## dragonfur (Feb 5, 2009)

Try just letting the water run from the hose, no sprayer. They have amazingly sensitive skin for creatures with such hard heads! I don't know that it hurts, but it certainly seems to be unpleasant!

BTW: My mini donk gelding tells me that donkeys melt when they get wet! He was going after one of the horses that had bugged him until he got mad. He'll hurt them, so I have to intervene. I had the water sprayer in my hand (cleaning out water troughs--such fun) so I just turned it on him. Got him in the back legs, and he just sat down. So, I guess they really _do_ melt when they get wet!

(He doesn't like to get out in the rain, either, and he won't roll in the mud. Are all donkeys like that, or just him?)


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## MeadowRidge Farm (Feb 6, 2009)

I know with my girls and guys, if I am cleaning out water tanks and its nice and hot out, I turn the hose on them, since they always are so nosey to see what I am doing... once the water hits them, they will run out of the way so they dont have to get wet. They must think they will melt too. I also noticed mine wont roll in mud, but they will stand out in the rain, if its a nice light rain, but if its a heavy downpour ...there out of there!

I dont use a spray on my donkeys, I have a soft brush that attaches to the hose and I just let the water trickle on them and eventually turn the water on full. I dont use cold water, but warm. They HATE cold water, but seem to stand alot better if I use warm. ALot of times its the hose that they are terrified of. They seem to think its some big green snake that is going to "get them", once they are use to the hose moving around, it makes things alot easier.

Corinne


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