# Is My Mini Donkey Pregnant?



## AbbySmith (Nov 15, 2020)

*Update:*
I think they are bred. My dad is pretty sure they are, and they have a lot of lower belly fat.


----------



## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

No, you can't tell, unless they're in quite late pregnancy, by looking at them. The only way to know at this stage is by ultrasound. Yeah, that's one of the costs that are part of breeding. No, apparently it's dangerous to try to breed a beast if it may already be in foal, and if the female loses the baby, if she does so before about 9 weeks, it should be OK, but if later than that, it's possible she will need a curet, or end up with an infection, so from what I've learned, seems like an ultrasound to confirm pregnancy at around 2 weeks, then one at around 9 weeks are most important.

Yes, they have LOTS of fat! And yes, it's obviously fat. Not surprised they're obese if they're in such a rich paddock as you have pictured and have free access to hay. It could be too much for a horse, let alone donks, who have evolved for an arid, sparse environment. Do you know that's extremely bad for their health? Esp if you're wanting to breed them, just like humans, obesity causes many complications with pregnancy too. So... if they are not yet bred, I'd be getting them into healthy shape before you even consider it. If they are bred already, time to start them on a diet, to get them as healthy as possible, to hopefully head off problems! Another important factor is good nutrition - it's highly likely, unless they've already been on appropriate supplementation, that they are deficient/imbalanced in many nutrients, and this will effect mother & baby too.

Sounds like you have a very steep learning curve, needing to learn ASAP about appropriate care of donkeys, as well as learning about pregnancy & breeding, and suppose having babies will be new to you as well. I feel like I'm in a steep enough learning curve myself, as while I have many decades experience with keeping & training horses, professionally as well as privately, but I've never thought to learn a lot about breeding, thinking I'd never be in a position it would be appropriate to do... until this year. So, I've been studying hard! I also have some good experienced people around me, and some good vets. My girl had her last ultrasound a couple of weeks ago, at 10 weeks & all is going great so far - dunno if it's just me, or it's the 'glow of pregnancy', but she seems all the more beautiful lately too!


----------

