NEW BABY DONKEY ARRIVES AFTER 13 MONTHS OF WAITING!

FINALLY!

The gestation period for mini donkeys is anywhere from 10 to 14 months so it is very hard to know exactly when a new baby will arrive. This little guy took 13 months and he is a winner!

Our newest baby donkey has arrived safe and sound. I found him trying to get all 4 of his legs coordinated so he could stand up, at 10:30 the other night in the barn with his mom, Smoochie.

It was Smoochie's first baby, and while she loved him to death and could not stop licking him, there was no way she was going to let that child nurse!
That area of her body was OFF LIMITS! She had no idea that she held the milk he needed to get going and make it in this new world. She would kick at him every time he tried to head in that direction or went behind her.

After about 3 hours of frustration on all 3 of our parts, I intervened and tied her up 3 ways until she had only 3 legs to stand on. Then I had to wait for him to find the right spot. Once he latched onto that teat he was a happy baby. I let him have as long a drink as he wanted and then I untied her and went to bed! By this time it was 2:30 in the morning! The next day ,when I went down to the barn, Mom and Baby were doing fine. Smoochie was allowing him to nurse with no problems.

He is now 2 weeks old and runs around the pasture like a little "wild man". His little tail is straight out and he flies along the ground. He loves to buck and jump up on his hind legs. I am trying to figure out the best name for him. It always takes me a while to come up with what seems to me to be the perfect name for the new animals around the farm.

Come out and visit. He is outside with his Mom, his Aunt, and his Grandma on good weather days.