Should I?
Recently I realized that I have only been reacting to life, and not setting some personal goals. I am very poor, however, could acquire in a few years some capital to invest into a proper home of my choosing. I am not really looking forward to the long years of work ahead of me, I will admit.
This is where the donkey comes in.
I have heard that these creatures lived almost human lifespans, and still being quite young, thought about acquiring such beast.
Does anyone have experience working with such animals? I only have experienced going on a trek with a couple of them, and they seemed to be a very personality distinct specie.
Would it be lonely without me? I am planning upon getting it when I manage to escape the city and acquire a river accessible abandoned property somewhere. It would max be left alone 3 days as a shopping trip or when gone fishing.
To me, they are amazing beings. Their faces are so expressive, and make hilarious sounds. They eat almost anything that nature provides around them. They bound to other animals and protect them all while still having a good time. I plan on making a foyer for it when it’s raining, so it can chill by the fire.
Also do they actually perform farm labor, last one told me that it was a human myth.
There are so many factors to consider and questions you have to answer for yourself.
You cannot have just one donkey. They’re herd animals and need companions. Other animals like a goat or cow might be good enough companionship but I would never suggest that. You will find stories about donkeys living alone happily but they’re a rare exception to the rule. I would question if the people claiming such have a good understanding is equid behavior.
Donkeys don’t need a ton of food but they do need it constantly. A few acres of land with edible plants is more than enough for a donkey to eat. It’s harder to keep a donkey thin and healthy than fat. However that depends on where you live. Will you have year round edible plants or will you need to buy hay in the winter? What is the price of hay in your local area and where would you buy and store it?
Donkeys need to have their feet cared for regularly. It’s entirely possible to learn how to do that yourself but what is the availability if it’s something you can’t handle? This depends very much on your local area.
Medical care is a very complicated issue. There are regular vaccines and care that every equid needs. Those aren’t very expensive and usually easy to access. Emergency care depends on your local area. If you are very remote then emergency care is whatever you can do personally. Getting outside care will be very expensive and a long wait. You have to consider what level of medical care you are able to provide and decide if that is acceptable to you.
As the donkeys get older their care will become more complicated and expensive. What level of care are you comfortable and capable of providing? How will you deal with serious issues that arise?
Living a rugged individualist lifestyle in a remote place is a totally viable strategy for some people. Donkeys do very well in rugged remote places. Millions of people around the world depend on donkeys to survive.
It sounds like you are looking for a pet and not working livestock though. That means you have to decide if the lifestyle you can provide a donkey is acceptable to you or not. What happens when something expensive comes up and you simply can’t afford it? What happens if your circumstances change suddenly? What are you capable and willing to do when there is a medical emergency and help is seven hours (or seven days depending on how remote you are) away?
If you have more specific questions I’m sure someone or myself can answer them.