I'm getting a pet zonkey soon and I was wondering if there was anything I should know?

Question

Okayy, so I found a site online with a zonkey, my family went up to the farm and saw it, and now we bought it && its coming on September 6th. So, is there anything I should know about zonkeys? I read up as much as I can, but what do they eat? Like anything special that zebras like? Or can it just have oats and hay? Thanks! Just basically let me know anything most sites and stuff doesn't say :).

Answer 1

I think they eat donkey and zebra food.

Answer 2

You should definitely keep the zonkey away from mountain ligers

Answer 3

They are very different from horses.

Good site for reading

ttp://www.spotsnstripes.com/ZorseInfo....

They are very strong willed and need someone skilled in Zebra behavior to train.  I think they are more like the Donkey than the horse in nutrition but I would ask the breeder what they have been feeding and follow that unless you know the food is not correct.  Since zebras are kind of like the donkey in that they are big grazers and not used to eating high protein foods like the legumes, you may follow a diet more consistent with a donkey food.

What a neat animal to care for.  Congratulations!

Pasture grazing is nice, but caution must be taken to observe the condition of the animal. Donkeys tend to get obese on constant grazing and should be rotated off into a controlled area if their weight climbs too high. These are a desert animal and are not meant to eat lush greenery on a constant basis. With hay available in the winter or in pen situations a clean grass hay should be the basis of diet. So called “hot” hays such as alfalfa should be used in extreme moderation particularly with miniatures as they tend to be a little strong. A good mixture of alfalfa and timothy or a clean oat hay is preferable. A feed analysis should always be run so that the available nutrients can be determined. Remember that the appearance of a hay does not reveal its actual feed value.

A grain mixture is usually a supplement to pasture and hay especially in the winter. A good 14% grain mixture is available commercially already prepared for horses. This should be fed in moderation based upon the weight of the animal. Miniatures are particularly susceptible to overfeeding of grain and generally do not require any at all in the summer months and should be moderated to probably 1 pound or less per day each in the winter. It is hard to resist those big brown eyes when it comes to feeding, but keep in mind the health of the animal is in your hands.

The single most important feeding practice is to keep a constant watch on the condition of your animals. Animals can become obese just as humans and suffer from the same sort of ailments connected with humans who are overweight. Animals not receiving the proper nutrients can rapidly loose weight. The time of year plays an important factor in animal nutrition as well. Winter feed needs to be higher in energy and fat than those used in the summer to provide more heat.

Answer 4

You need to ask the people you are purchasing the zonkey from if he has any special nutritional needs or possible health problems.