Donkeys & sweating

[want less]

We live in eastern NC (read that as very hot & VERY humid) and we have 2 horses & a mini donkey. We've only had the donkey for the last year. On days like today where it is ridiculously hot & humid out (heat index 110+) our horses are standing still and sweating. However our little mini donkey is not.

He acts fine, grazes, naps, does all his normal little donkey things. But I just realized yesterday that I have *never* seen him sweat. He is 5 years old and has no known health problems. He is not worked at all (he's a farm guard for coyotes, etc) which is one reason I've not seen him sweating due to exercise. But the horses are dripping wet today and he's dry.

Because it was late summer last year before he shed out, we body clipped him this spring. He has unlimited access to shelter/shade and plenty of water. He shows no sign of heat stress. However my Arabian mare who is his pasture mate is soaked in sweat on days like these. I've seen several occasions where the Arab mare huddles under shade in the pasture in the afternoons and naps while he prefers to stay out in the full sun & graze.

Do donkeys have a higher heat tolerance? Should I be concerned or is this normal for minis and/or donkeys?

My assumption is that if he's hot he'd be in the shade or in the barn in front of the fans... and he'd be giving me other signs that something isnt right. But of course I dont want to assume

Any and all thoughts appreciated.

 

[goodhors]

I would agree with you, that donkey does what he needs to do. If he were hot he would go to shade and fans.
He sounds bright and chipper, so I would believe he is doing fine, even if horse is sweating a lot. They ARE
different species, even if alike in many ways.

Their different hair seems to allow donkey to manage heat very well, in many climates. They can slick it down,
fluff it like a cat, to allow more or less body insulation. 100F or more is common
in Egypt or mid-Eastern countries. They all get pretty hot, but the donkeys keep going in work with no issues.
Large ears allow good body heat dispersion, like desert rabbits do with their enormous ears.

Our mule LOVED being hot. I am sure it came from the donkey side. She had a funny hair coat too, coarse like donkeys.
She would lay out, flat on the ground absorbing the rays on the hottest of days. She was sure to do both sides in the sun.
We always said it was so she could save the heat for winter days which she hated. Donkey's developed in those
really hot climates, so bodies are well developed to manage heat of all kinds. Donkeys think things out, using
good sense to keep healthy in heat.

 

[greenacres]

Our donkey HATES the cold here in Nebraska, but is fine in the heat. As long as he has dirt to roll in for his "bath", he's good. His buddy the fat little Shetland sweats like a pig and stands in the water trough in the summer and we can't get him out of the snow in the winter.