Donkeys typically eat a mostly straw and hay diet. These are robust animals with solid stomachs.
They’re not picky eaters, but caregivers enjoy feeding them seeds, vegetables, and fruit as treats and as a way to mix up their diets.
First, it’s essential to know what donkeys can and can’t eat to avoid getting sick. A lot of people wonder whether donkeys can eat bananas.
Donkeys can eat bananas as long as they aren’t rotten. Donkeys can eat peels, stems, and all.
Bananas are a terrific, sweet snack that won’t spike their blood sugar too much. The peels give them plenty of fiber and minerals to keep them feeling good.
Feeding donkeys bananas is a fantastic way to introduce the animals to friends and children.
The shape of the banana makes it so people can feed at a distance without worrying about dropping the food or being bitten by an overeager animal.
Here’s some interesting information on how to feed your donkeys bananas and other things you should know about giving them fruit as a treat.
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Why Are Bananas Good for Donkeys?
Bananas are high in potassium and magnesium. It’s a good fruit for humans and animals because bananas promote healthy bones and muscles. They’re great for recovery after exercise.
You can feed your donkeys bananas after a long day of grazing or a workday where they’re pulling items or learning new behaviors.
Bananas are also a good source of vitamins C and B. These vitamins provide support for the immune system and are a decent source of antioxidants.
Finally, bananas are a preferred sweet treat for donkeys because they’re relatively low in sugar. For example, you’ll get a lot less sugar from a banana than from an orange.
For what they are, bananas strike a good balance between calories and nutritional value.
Banana peels are suitable for donkeys because they’re full of fiber.
Also, banana peels are rich in vitamin B12 and magnesium. In addition, they’re good for the heart.
Although banana peels are too much for human stomachs and teeth to handle, a donkey can easily consume them as part of a banana snack.
How to Feed Your Donkey Bananas
The way you feed your donkey bananas usually depends on their temperament.
Some donkeys love to be fed by hand and will enjoy human interactions. Other animals become skittish around people and won’t come near regardless of the treat waiting for them.
If you’re friendly with your donkey and can feed them by hand, then you can chop the bananas into small pieces.
Cutting them down to bite-size helps the donkeys chew the peel better before they swallow them. In addition, it helps reduce any choking hazards.
When you try to feed a donkey an entire banana whole, they sometimes mash it in the middle, splitting the peel and sending banana mush flying.
Even if you can’t get close enough to hand feed, you should cut the bananas into smaller pieces and put them in a bowl or toss them in their feeding area.
Avoid giving your donkeys any rotten bananas. Many people shy away from eating browned or riper bananas because they don’t look appealing, or the texture is too soft.
Despite the brown color, these bananas are usually sweeter, so your donkeys will still love to eat them.
Don’t give your donkeys any bananas with obvious mold or rot on them. The same goes for bananas with bugs in them.
Instead, just throw them away or put them in the compost heap. It’s not worth the risk of getting your donkey sick.
Why Bananas Are a Great Treat
Bananas are a great treat for donkeys for several reasons. Along with other fruits and vegetables like carrots, they give donkeys vitamins and minerals and taste great at the same time.
Here are some of the biggest reasons to choose bananas as your next donkey snack.
They Don’t Cost Much
Bananas are some of the most affordable fruits you’ll find in the grocery store.
The shelf-life of bananas is fairly short, so you’ll find good deals on ripe bananas because the stores want to sell them before they bruise to the point where people won’t buy them anymore.
You can buy a good number of bananas for a few dollars and use them as treats for your donkeys for days.
Low-Sugar
Relative to many other fruits, bananas have a lower sugar content. They aren’t as sweet, so you don’t need to worry about how many bananas you feed them.
Of course, anything in excess could become an issue. Make sure bananas are an occasional treat instead of a diet staple. Most donkeys should be eating mostly hay and straw.
Good Incentive
Donkeys are smart but stubborn animals. If you want your donkey to learn how to respond to commands or any other sort of behavior, you can use bananas as a training incentive.
They’ll calm down and act properly when they know a banana is coming their way.
Feed Them to Humans or Donkeys
You never have to worry about your bananas spoiling if you have donkeys. Most people don’t want to eat a banana with bruises, but we also don’t want to waste fruit.
Unfortunately, bananas often come in large bundles. After one or two bananas, we still have a lot left and don’t know what to do with them!
When you have a donkey, you have a friendly animal that will always be willing to take care of your extra bananas.
You can feed them to your donkeys regularly with peace of mind knowing they’re a healthy treat that gives them vitamins and minerals. They are also a good source of fiber.
Conclusion
Finding treats for your donkey isn’t easy because you never know what will upset their stomachs. Thankfully, bananas are a mild fruit perfect for slowly introducing new foods to animals.
Start by giving them small amounts and see how your donkey reacts. Bananas will likely become one of their favorite snacks!