Taking Care of Your Donkey Companion – Part 3
In this last of a three-part series on caring for your donkey, we will focus on providing your donkey with the right type of food.
Avoid Overeating
First, it is important to take steps to ensure your donkey does not overfeed and become overweight. Typically, donkeys only need to eat native grass and barley straw in order to stay healthy. They are, however, natural browsers and enjoy eating bushes, berries, fallen fruit and anything else that they may find in their natural habitat.
Allowing your donkey to eat too much lush and foreign grass can lead to weight gain as well as a variety of health issues. One potential health issue that can result from overeating is laminitis, which is an inflammation of the laminae in the foot. Therefore, if you allow your donkey to free-range in a lush pasture, you should take steps to control the grazing or give straw or hay instead.
Nutritional Needs
To keep your donkey as healthy as possible, it should have a diet that is rich in fiber while also being low in starch, sugar and protein. You should avoid giving treats to your donkey on a regular basis, as they have a tendency to put on extra weight very quickly. Too many treats can also lead to a verity of stomach issues. If you do want to give occasional treats, keep it limited to apples, carrots and bananas.