My neighbors have two mini donkeys and we seldom hear them bray. They seem to only bray when they are unhappy about something, I think.

My experience is that donkeys bray when they are happy about something. I don't know about mini donkeys but when I bring a new donkey home they are very quiet until they are sure they are in a safe place. They are quite sensitive animals.

I currently have two and they bray when I come home from work! Probably in anticipation of being fed and when I come back from riding my horse! Then we get big brays and lots of excitement!

I have never had a donkey bray all day long and become bothersome to neighbors. They are simply communicating.

Have fun with your donkeys! They are so clever and smart!

I have 3 mini-donks, the youngest one ... Merlin ... brays for me on weekend mornings since I don't have to get up at the crack of dawn and feed them and then get ready to go to work.

It's funny, his Dad used to be the one to tell me it's time to feed them, but when Merlin was a year or so old, he took over that duty.

They also bray occasionally when they are wildly galloping thru the pasture, running for the pure joy of running. I love watching them do this.

They are awesome animals.

Here's a picture just after he was born ... he's 5 now.

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Here's both the "boys" ... Dad (Cosmo) is in front.

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Awesome and handsome!! Thanks for sharing your photos with us.

We had a miniature show up at our place, very gentle. He stayed around for about 1/2 a year, and t h e n the neighbors found him! Seems they're grandkids 'misplaced' him.

This is my standard donkey Dominic. We rescued him from the slaughter auction four years ago. What a prankster he is. He is white (believe it or not) and has a rose blanket. He's smart and cute!

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This is Tillie. She is 24 and I have had her since she was a yearling. She is the Grand Dam of my farm and very attached to her horses.
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Awww .. nhsuzanne ... great pictures too. I just love my donkeys, they are definitely pranksters.

I forgot to mention that Merlin's Mom in the top photo is my Sambina, Sam for short. She definitely rules my small herd. She ignores the "boys" when they do silly things.

Am having my barn floor redone soon and am fixing the one empty stall so I can add a little jenny sometime in the future.

A friend had a mammoth donkey many years ago, now those are BIG donkeys!

OMG, I have seen Mammoths and their ears are taller than you minis!!

A friend had a mini mule named Jack. When he was a baby, all his antics were cute and funny - like running up and stealing your gloves or hat! But when he got a little older, he became a juvenile delinquent - mean little bugger. Now he ran up to you with gnashing teeth. Stand right up on his hind legs and try to stomp you! If she didn't feed him when he wanted fed,he tore his stall to pieces. Eventually, a little surgery corrected some of that behavior. ha.
I think the funniest thing was watching him play with his big rubber ball in the paddock. Run with it just like a soccer player and carry it around and toss it.

Mine play with a rubber ball, and an old tire. It is fun to watch them play.

People need to train animals, like they train their kids. Those "cute" behaviors will turn into problems in the long run. Hope he's better mannered now.

Tillie looks as tho she could be the cover girl of a mini donkey magazine! Dominic looks sweet. Poor little throw-away, you did good nhsuzanne.

Well good news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today High Five Brayed for the first time.I was out playing with them and then left the corral and started for the house and much to my surprise he started braying.He wanted me to come back and pay more attention to him.They have been with us here now for 5 weeks. I guess he just wanted to get comfortable. Hope he keeps up the good work.

LOL!! Must have startled you. Aren't they wonderful? You need to post some pictures....

That's great news. It's true, they really have to be comfortable with their surroundings.

Having had one mini donk (Okee) who was so lonely that whenever he heard me around ouside the house he brayed. He brayed to be fed,he brayed for my attention. I finally realized he was lonely so I got him a partner (Dokie) and since then life here has been Okee Dokie, but now they bray about the same time every day about feeding time and when anyone strange comes on our property.

I must say they have to be the cutest animals on earth. My trainer had never trained a donkey but loved the idea of a challenge and is head over heals in love with them. My favorite line from her was "If I didn't think I would be laughed out of the ring I would start riding donkeys in shows they are the smarter than any horse I've ever trained"

It's too bad your trainer won't actually challenge people by doing exactly that.

I've seen people compete on mules.

When I retire, I'm going to teach my "boys" to drive and enter local competitions. I'm sure I'll get the same reaction as your trainer mentioned, but I don't care.

Got my donkey hugs this morning, gorgeous morning today.

This isnÂt about donkey braying but since we have all donkey lovers here I wanted to share this really cute story that happened last night.

At the back of my pasture is a very old and active fox den. (this is an uneasy alliance given I have a flock of chickens but have never had a problem) Each year we watch a new brood play and grow. Each year it gets better and better and this year is no exception. Last night the two horses and two donkeys, Dominic and Tillie pictured above, were out grazing and the kits were out at the back of the pasture romping. They would sit up straight with curiosity and slowly approach one or the other donkey, almost tip toeing. When the donkey would take a step towards them they would run back to the other side of the fence! It was really funny. At one point, Dominic picked a spot to roll near the fence. He pawed the ground and dropped to have himself a good roll. All the while the kits watched from the safe side of the fence! After Dominic was up and walked off, one of the fox babies went to the roll spot and flipped her/himself down and rolled and rolled with the other doing the same! It was too cute. They are like cats and dogs all at the same time!! In a short time Mom came back and rolled there too! I wish I could have gotten pictures but wasnÂt able to get good ones. This picture was taken of last yearÂs brood.
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Awww.... great story, wonderful picture. I haven't seen many fox this year, had a fox den and cubs about 4 years ago. It was great.

I always have fun watching my mini-donks running the deer out of their pasture. It's like a stand-off to see who will move first.

These are our boys Little Skeeter and High Five. They could star in their own Mini Donkey commercial, "Got Oats"?