Treats for Donkeys you can use during positive reinforcement training sessions! Yes, there are a few treats that are good and safe for donkeys.
Donkeys should not have lots of sugar or carbs. They get fat easily and with fat comes health problems. Like my vet always says.. if you keep them thin and their hooves trimmed short, you’ll eliminate 99% of potential health problems!
When using positive reinforcement type training, like clicker training, food rewards are often high value and great motivation for a donkey who hasn’t yet decided that activities with you are actually fun!
Trust me… in time they will just love the activities you do together, but at first, until the donkey trust you and understands they may need a reason to cooperate.
What are some safe Treats for Donkeys
Here is a list.. although a short one of some store bought treats you can use as rewards during training sessions.
- Flix Flax seed treats Flax has a lot of health benefits! These treats can be easily broken into tiny pieces too! I get these from amazon and love the big 9 pound bag!
- Nutra Good Low Sugar Snax Sometimes amazon has these but TSC almost always has them. Great beet pulp based treat. My guys like apple flavored.
- Uckele Equi Treats. A big favorite for my herd! Timothy and sunflower seed based treat. My guys love all flavors of this one!
- Timothy Pellets. Yes, you can just use plain old timothy pellets! They might be lower value for your donkey is he gets them everyday but most donkeys love these.
A Donkey Treat Video
I did a video for the next unusual reward your donkey might enjoy! Click the cute pic of Jeb in his Donkey ‘Boggan (‘Boggan is short for Toboggan… Toboggan is southern slang for knitted or crochet wool hat😁.. if you didn’t know )
The pic will take you to the video!
Treats for Donkeys: Orange Peels?
If you watched it you now know donkeys like orange peels! Orange peels are high in fiber, vitamin C, folate, vitamin B6, calcium and other essential nutrients. The skin of the oranges contains a good amount of polyphenols that protect against several diseases. Peels have anti-cancerous properties, due to the presence of limonene.
Now… there are some carbs in orange peels. So don’t feed to many!!! I usually only take half a peel per donkey and tear into tiny pieces. One whole orange peel is about 95 calories. 10% of that being carbs. Not bad since they are so high in fiber and other fresh nutrients the donkey rarely has access too but don’t get crazy with them!!
Half a peel tore into tiny pieces is a high value treat for many donkeys though!! I use them for learning harder skills, such as trailer loading. Mixed in with their usual rewards, they are a welcome fresh and healthy addition for the training session!
Also good to know about orange peels they:
-
Reduce Weight
Orange peels help increase your metabolism and burn fat from your body. Many medical experts recommend orange peels as a cure for weight loss. Thats a good thing!
-
Better Digestion
Orange peels have anti-inflammatory properties that help treat many digestions and gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea. Also good to note!
The Perfect Donkey Reward Pouch
Need something to carry those treats in? My husband designed this treat pouch for me and it worked so well I ordered extras! You can read all about it and its extra features here: Donkey Treat Pouch
Homemade Donkey Treats
Love to bake and have some extra time? Here’s a recipe to try. My guys love cinnamon!
- ½lb of ground flax seed
- 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp Chamomile
- 1 to 1/2 cup hot water
- Preheat oven to 350 ºF
Mix flaxseed, cinnamon together in a bowl.
Add hot water and stir well.Spread mixture on non-stick tray or cookie sheet. I spread them thin so they are get crunchy quicker.
Cut into squares before you bake.
Bake for 60 minutes for chewy treats and about 70 minutes for
crunchy treats.
You can experiment with your donkeys favorite flavorings and herbs in with this recipe!
Hope this article gives you some ideas for healthy Treats for Donkeys!