# Mini Donkey shivering



## Bonnie's Mom (Dec 19, 2005)

My sister has owned a Mini donkey for many years. I think he is about 10 now. She also has always owned 2 or 3 full sized horses. Her donkey Scooter gets cold so easy. I say it isn't normal. He has to be blanketed if it is under 30 degrees which is alot here in MI. Or he shivers. He still shivers with his blanket on. He is not thin, in fact has always had a weight issue and I feel he is not over fed. He has crested neck from being overweight which the vet says is normal for donkeys who get fat. My question is can Mini donkeys have thyroid problems or cushings? He doesn't and has never shed out well, always very slow and late in shedding. Is that normal for a mini donk? He is kept indoors everynight in a stall in a large old wood barn with other horses in their stalls, clean bedding daily, the works. He has the easy life. Her other horses don't ever get cold, just Scooter.




here is a link to Scooter pic.

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5cc3...016102UZMWLVsxo

Thanks for any insite here. We are in lower Michigan. I have a mini horse and she hasn't been cold at all. Never see her shiver in these temps.

Tracy

Bonnie's Mom


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## Shari (Dec 19, 2005)

I have been told that donkeys shed out different from horses. That is what I have been seeing with Ella.

She sheds out late summer,, and gets a winter coat late too. Everyone I personally know with donkeys.. they all do the same thing.

I do know she is healthy as a ...donkey!





Ella Shivers and I have to blanket her in the winters. They are wet and cold here.

Miniature donkey's were bred and raised originally to take the heat not the cold.

It is not good for donkeys to get over fat. There is no need for them to be that way.

Problem people find is, they are very easy keepers,, too easy and people over feed them.

The folks over at ADA are always willing to answer questions.

http://www.lovelongears.com/

added* Did look at the picture of him., and he in no way looks fat to me.. compaired to mine he looks thin.

Could be just shadows making him look thin.. am not sure??


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## Bonnie's Mom (Dec 19, 2005)

That is a bad picture of him. Only one I could find on short notice. He is definatly not thin although I thought the same when I looked at the picture of him. He has fat pads on his butt and his neck is broken from fat deposits. I agree there is no excuse for letting any animal get obese. My sister doesnt even let Scooter have full run of her pasture in the summer as it would be too much for him. He gains on Nothing!! He gets grass hay and a tiny handfull of feed just to make him want to come in at night. Gets wormed regularly with her horses. I don't get it either, that is why I am always telling her to see if he could have a problem like thyroid. She and I have always felt they are better desert animals than Michigan though. He likes the heat and dust in summer.

Tracy


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## shminifancier (Dec 19, 2005)

Well if he is shivering He is cold..Put a blanket on and still cold Put a heavier one on..And up the Hay level at feeding time. Hay creats heat in the body..

Now the donkeys I have had always grew nice winter coats as much as donkeys can anyway



And where I bought my minis donkey was from a farm that they were out in large feilds, and had an 3 sided shelter for them. So they weere rasied in the cold temps and grew a nice hair coat for the winter as I do not put mine in at night or as far as that go I never put them in I have a 24/7 shelter and leave it nature..Mother Nature grows larger capilaries in the ears so that more blood flow can get to the needed places like the ears etc,.


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## shminifancier (Dec 19, 2005)

Well if he is shivering He is cold..Put a blanket on and still cold Put a heavier one on..And up the Hay level at feeding time. Hay creates heat in the body..

Now the donkeys I have had always grew nice winter coats as much as donkeys can anyway



And where I bought my minis donkey was from a farm that they were out in large fields, and had an 3 sided shelter for them. So they were raised in the cold temps and grew a nice hair coat for the winter as I do not put mine in at night or as far as that go I never put them in I have a 24/7 shelter and leave it nature..Mother Nature grows larger capillaries in the ears so that more blood flow can get to the needed places like the ears etc,. I saw no shivering in any of the donks I have had...And of course the mini horses looked like wholly Mammoths


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## Shari (Dec 19, 2005)

Your right Tracy.. a thyroid test wouldn't hurt.

Even if it came back normal,, at least you would know.

He could just be one of those animals that gets fat on looking at grass. I have a couple of those here!

Sounds like he needs a Grazing muzzle.





Have no idea what I am going to do this spring... we get so much grass.

I guess will end up putting a few of my creatures in grazing muzzles too for awhile.

Will ask the Fjord folks what they use. They told me in the past but I have forgotten. There is a really good brand many have been very pleased with.


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## Bonnie's Mom (Dec 19, 2005)

Thanks for the input. He has a heavy blanket but maybe it is time for a new one or different kind? She only has the one. I will tell her to up the grass hay and try that. Still looking into any other reasons.

I will say my sister must have good ground/pasture, we always say if our horses need weight to send them to her pasture. Although she did have a mare of mine for a year who could eat a ton of hay and not get fat and she didn't gain, just stayed the same while there.





Tracy


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## luvmycritters (Dec 19, 2005)

Cover that little boy up Bonnie!



I am know expert in the donkey field, but I do know that they like to be WARM! ( Learned this from my mini bud who just so happened to let me buy her mini donk and other little critters! That would be Corinne - our forum adminastrater ) A lean-to wasnt suffecient for my Jasper... So I ended up putting him in wth my girls... if I were you I would put a blanky on him...Just my little two cents worth. Good luck! Lori


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## beaminewbie (Dec 20, 2005)

I have a friend that raises donkeys and she had told me that thyroid problems are somewhat common in donkeys!! I just got one a couple of months ago that has a terrible coat, and I am going to get her thyroid tested after the holidays!!!


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## Bonnie's Mom (Dec 20, 2005)

Hmmm that is interesting. I really "hate" to look for problems but I have always felt this donkey has something going on...besides just getting cold easily. My sister has an older pony and horse that both have cushings. So just what she needs is a donkey with thyroid issues... ah well they are all getting older and things like that come up.





Tracy


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