Are you interested in buying a dwarf or miniature donkey? If so, you’ll need to shell out at least $1,200. You may end up spending as much as $2,000. You may be able to get a sort of “bulk discount” by buying a young donkey in a package with their mother. This may cost anywhere from $1,200 to $2,000.
However, this is only the price of the initial purchase. There are plenty of setup costs to consider. There are also recurring monthly and annual costs to keep in mind. Finally, you’ll need to budget for potential vet costs. All in all, your first year of donkey keeping may run you anywhere from $4,000 to $7,000 on average.
How Much Does a Dwarf or Miniature Donkey Cost?
The average price of a dwarf donkey will be anywhere from $1,200 to $2,000. You may be able to buy a “package deal” of a young donkey and its mother for a price of $1,200 to $2,000.
How Much Does It Cost To Keep a Donkey?
Expect to pay $4,000 to $7,000 in your first year for vet and setup costs (equipment, housing, etc.) for your miniature or dwarf donkey. After that expect to pay $1,200 to $3,600 per year to take care of your donkey.
Setup Costs
Setup costs for a donkey will be considerable. The good news is that donkeys tend to cost a little less for setup and upkeep than horses. The less than good news is that this is still quite a large figure. If you have no idea how much it will cost you, read on. You may be in for a bit of a surprise.
First comes gear. For things like brushes, blankets, halters, shoes, and whatnot, you can expect to shell out an average of $300 to $500. You’ll also need to make sure that you are stocked up on essential items related to first aid. This particular expense may set you back anywhere from $100 to $400 on average.
Of course, you’ll also need to see to the housing of your new donkey. A three-sided shed for loafing may cost anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000. You’ll also need to give them a shed to safely store their hay in. Depending on how well made this shed is, it can run you anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000.
Training a donkey is not exactly a cost-effective affair. This can involve any number of different skill sets and activities. Many trainers who specialize in working with donkeys can charge an average of $35 per hour. The total cost of this training per week or month will depend on how much you think can afford it.
Initial vet fees are a whole other matter. This may cost you anywhere from $50 to $100 for the initial visit. There’s also the call fee to consider. Fees for castration or spaying vary so widely that an average figure can’t be given. You will definitely need to shop around to make sure you can afford to pay for this particular service.
Monthly Costs
You need to keep in mind that there will be plenty of recurring costs for keeping your donkey. These can be estimated and then added to your initial setup costs. Since you will be taking care of a dwarf or miniature donkey, you can expect these to be lower. However, depending on what region you live in, they will still be quite considerable.
The first thing you will need to account for is hay. This can run you anywhere from $3 to $20 a bale. If you live on a farm, you can obviously cut this cost by simply letting your miniature donkey enjoy the local specimens that you produce. But if you don’t, your costs can vary widely depending on where your nearest hay source is.
Farrier costs will normally run in the range of $30 to $55. You can expect to shell out on a bimonthly or, more likely, monthly basis. You’ll also need to keep your little friend snug and warm during cold winter nights. The average cost of electricity for this purpose may run in the neighborhood of $70 to $100 per month.
You’ll also need to keep your donkey comfy when they snooze. The average cost of shavings, straw, and other forms of bedding may run anywhere from $30 to $100. A bag of shavings for this purpose usually costs about $30. It will usually last a few days to a week if you portion it out in a reasonably economical manner.
Deworming usually costs about $35 per vet visit. This should take place a few times per year. An individual dewormer will cost about $10 on average. There are several seasonal changes, such as the cost of fly spray to keep the winged critters from annoying your pet. This will cost an average of $25 per individual spray bottle.
Annual Costs
Boarding your donkeys may run you about $100 to $300 per month. This will depend on where you choose to keep them and what region you are keeping them in. Added up to a yearly figure, the cost of keeping a miniature donkey as a pet may amount to anywhere from $1,200 to $3,600.
There are plenty of other costs to keep in mind. Vet costs will run anywhere from $50 for a routine check-up to over $1,200 to treat a serious illness. You should know that donkeys are very good at hiding their illnesses. By the time you figure out your pet is sick, it may well be to the point where $1,000 is definitely on the table.
How Much Land Do You Need to Keep a Donkey?
The amount of land you need for a single donkey is about 0.5 acres. Two donkeys can share an acre, while 4 will need 2 acres. Each donkey needs 1/4th of the total area.
The cost of an acre of land in the United States will vary depending on the region you live in. The average cost is roughly $3,020. Prices tend to be highest in the Corn Belt states, where an acre of land can run as high as $6,350.
