Buyer protection
Contents
- Feed list: What donkeys are allowed and what they...
- Why donkeys are not little horses
- Basic feed: Straw, hay, grazing and water
- Treats: if at all, then occasionally and cut correctly
- Why donkeys should not get bread
- Laminitis: the most important feeding risk
- Movement and pasture management
- When visitors want to feed your donkey
- Frequently Asked Questions
Donkeys eat mainly straw and hay. Barley straw or oat straw forms the basis, supplemented by late-cut, high-structure hay. This is complemented by limited, lean grazing and fresh water at all times. Treats such as apples or carrots are only given occasionally and in small pieces. Bread, sweets and many kitchen scraps are unsuitable for donkeys. In the feed list below, you can see at a glance what donkeys are allowed and what they are not.
Feed list: What donkeys are allowed and what they are not
The table summarizes the most important feed items and typical treat questions. For many entries, there is a separate page with details on quantity, preparation and frequently asked questions.
| Feed item | Suitable? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Straw and hay (basic feed) | Yes, as a base | Barley straw or oat straw as a base, supplemented by late-cut, high-structure hay |
| Apples | Occasionally and in small amounts | One small piece, cut into wedges, not daily |
| Carrots / carrots | Occasionally and in small amounts | Cut lengthwise into narrow strips, not daily |
| Pears | Occasionally and in small amounts | Like apples; ripe, not rotten, no large quantities of fallen fruit |
| Cucumbers | Occasionally and in small amounts | Water-rich and low in sugar, small pieces; no substitute for roughage |
| Fennel / celery | Occasionally and in small amounts | Small, lengthwise cut pieces as an occasional exception |
| Watermelon | Occasionally and in small amounts | One small piece without rind, not regularly |
| Salad | Only a little, preferably not | Hardly any benefit; never with dressing, never wilted or rotten, no kitchen scraps |
| Bananas | Probably not | Very high in sugar; if at all, an occasional small slice |
| Bell peppers | Not recommended | Nightshade plant with no benefit; never the plant or stems |
| Bread | No | Also no dry bread: starch, sugar, lump and colic risk, mold |
| Tomatoes | No | Nightshade plant; green parts and unripe fruit contain solanine |
| Grapes | No | Very high in sugar; no vine residues, no rotten grapes |
| Plums | No | High in sugar, stones, fermenting fallen fruit; avoid grazing under plum trees |
| Chestnuts | No | Horse chestnuts are considered poisonous, sweet chestnuts are high in starch; collect up in autumn |
| Corn | No | Very high in starch; cobs and stalks can get stuck; no corn silage |
| Grass clippings | No | They grow quickly and are eaten hastily; garden waste may contain poisonous plants |
| Potatoes | No | Nightshade plant, unsuitable raw, very high in starch when cooked |
| Onions, leeks, garlic | No | Considered intolerable for equines |
| Cabbage | No | Can cause bloating |
| Avocado | No | Considered poisonous for horses and donkeys |
| Sweets, biscuits, cakes | No | Sugar and starch with no benefit for the donkey |
For all treats: cut fruit and vegetables into wedges or lengthwise strips, no round pieces and no whole fruits. Overweight donkeys and donkeys with a history of laminitis should preferably receive no treats at all.
Why donkeys are not little horses
To understand how to feed donkeys, it helps to look at their origins. Donkeys come from dry, barren regions. There they find mainly tough grasses, herbs and shrubs and have to walk long distances to get full.
This is what their digestive system is designed for: It gets a lot out of high-fiber, low-energy and low-sugar feed. What is an advantage in barren areas becomes a disadvantage with abundant feed. A donkey then quickly gets more energy than it needs. Horse feed that is appropriate for a horse is therefore usually too rich for a donkey.
Too much sugar and starch, as well as too abundant feed, promotes obesity and is considered the main risk for laminitis. Poor feeding can also promote colic. The good news: The right feeding is simple. It consists mainly of roughage and moderation.
Basic feed: Straw, hay, grazing and water
The basis of donkey feeding is straw. Barley straw or oat straw is high in fiber and low in energy and keeps the donkey busy for many hours. This corresponds to its natural eating behavior with many small portions throughout the day.
In addition, late-cut, high-structure hay is added. Young, very leafy hay is too rich for many donkeys. How to combine straw and hay, we explain in detail under Donkey Feed: Hay, Straw and Basic Feed.
- Grazing: limited and lean. Lush, young grass, especially in spring and autumn, is often too rich for donkeys.
- Water: fresh and clean at all times, not frozen in winter.
- Salt and mineral feed: as needed, in consultation with your veterinarian.
- Concentrate feed: a donkey usually does not need it. Grains, muesli mixtures or horse feed with molasses only on veterinary recommendation.
Treats: if at all, then occasionally and cut correctly
Many people want to make donkeys happy with a treat. This is understandable. But for donkeys: Treats are a rare reward, not a component of the feeding. A small piece of apple or carrot now and then is fine for a normally weighted donkey. It should not be given daily.
- Only small pieces, for example a handful of narrow strips from a small carrot.
- Always cut into wedges or lengthwise into strips. Round pieces and whole fruits can get stuck in the throat.
- Only fresh, flawless goods – nothing rotten, moldy or fermented.
- No kitchen scraps, nothing cooked, seasoned or sweetened.
- In case of obesity or a history of laminitis, completely avoid treats.
Very sweet fruits such as bananas or grapes are rather unsuitable or even completely unsuitable for donkeys. And often a nice reward is not edible at all: Many donkeys enjoy being scratched or brushed.
Why donkeys should not get bread
Bread is probably the most common feed that donkeys get from walkers – but it is unsuitable for donkeys. Bread consists mainly of starch, often contains sugar and salt and can swell into a tough lump in the digestive tract. This can promote throat obstructions and colic. In addition, stored bread quickly gets moldy.
This also applies to dry or hard bread, bread rolls, rusks, biscuits and cakes. Donkeys that regularly get bread also start begging and become pushy at the fence. You can find all the background under Can Donkeys Eat Bread?
Laminitis: the most important feeding risk
Laminitis is a disease of the hoof skin, in which the connection between the hoof wall and the hoof bone is damaged. It is very painful and can leave permanent damage. Too much sugar and starch, too abundant feed and obesity are considered the main risks. Because donkeys often hide pain for a long time, laminitis is sometimes noticed late.
Typical signs are a cautious, stiff gait, frequent lying down or a posture in which the donkey puts its front legs forward to relieve the hooves. In case of such abnormalities, call your veterinarian. You can read more about it under Laminitis in Donkeys.
Movement and pasture management
At least as important as the right feed is movement. In their original environment, donkeys walk a lot to find their food. On a small, lush pasture, this is lost: The donkey eats more and moves less.
- Divide the pasture into zones and limit the grazing time on lush areas.
- Arrange water, roughage and resting places as far apart as possible, so that the donkeys walk.
- Plan for paved, dry areas where no grass grows.
- Offer regular walks and activities.
How a lean, movement-friendly keeping can look in everyday life, we explain in the post Donkey Keeping: Sand Instead of Meadow. Also make sure that fallen fruit, chestnuts and garden waste do not get onto the pasture.
When visitors want to feed your donkey
Neighbors, walkers or children often want to give donkeys something "just real quick". Most mean well and simply do not know what harms donkeys. These measures help:
- Sign on the fence: friendly and clearly visible, for example "Please do not feed – no bread and no fruit either. Thank you!"
- Explain calmly: One or two sentences about sugar, bread and laminitis are usually enough.
- Offer an alternative: look, take a photo and – if you agree and the donkey likes it – scratch.
- Create distance: If the pasture borders a public path, a second fence with some distance can help.
And conversely: Never feed unfamiliar donkeys on pastures or farms without the permission of the owners.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main food of a donkey?
Straw, supplemented by late-cut, high-structure hay. This is complemented by limited, lean grazing and fresh water at all times.
Can donkeys eat carrots or apples?
Yes, but only occasionally and in small amounts: one small piece, apples cut into wedges and carrots lengthwise into strips, not daily.
Why should donkeys not be given bread?
Bread contains a lot of starch and often sugar, can clump in the digestive tract and gets moldy quickly. This also applies to dry bread.
Can I give my donkey horse feed?
Usually not. Horse muesli and concentrate feed often contain grains, molasses and sugar. Most donkeys get by with straw, hay and lean grazing. Whether your donkey needs something additional, you clarify with your veterinarian.
Why is lush grazing unfavorable for donkeys?
Young, juicy grass is high in energy and sugar, especially in spring and autumn. For donkeys, which are designed for barren feed, this is often too much. Therefore, limit grazing times and keep areas lean.
Can donkeys eat grass clippings?
No. Grass clippings grow quickly and are eaten hastily. Garden waste can also contain poisonous plants.
This post gives general guidance on the feeding of donkeys. If you have questions about your animal, about pre-existing conditions or abnormalities, please contact your veterinarian.
You want to do something good for donkeys without keeping one yourself? With a donkey sponsorship, you support donkey farms in Germany. And those who are curious about the food we stand for as DON DONKEY'S® can find our donkey milk here.
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