Have you ever wondered why donkeys make that loud, wailing cry? If you’ve spent time around these creatures, you’ve likely heard their loud, mournful-sounding ‘hee-haws’ and ‘nee-haws’ and wondered what prompts such a sad vocalization.
If you’re short on time, here’s the quick answer: Donkeys cry or bray for many reasons, usually to communicate with other donkeys and express emotions like loneliness, frustration, pain or distress.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore why donkeys cry in more detail, including the causes, context, and meaning behind their unique vocalizations.
The Reasons Why Donkeys Cry
To Communicate
Donkeys have a wide range of vocalizations that they use to communicate with each other and humans. One of the most common donkey cries is called “braying.” Donkeys will bray to signal excitement, anxiety, frustration, impatience, or to call out and locate other members of their herd.
It’s thought that each donkey’s bray is unique, allowing them to identify each other. So when a donkey brays loudly, it may be simply “shouting” to another donkey over a distance. Donkeys also whinny, chatter, roar, and make softer mewing sounds to express different needs or moods.
Even shedding tears can be a means of non-verbal communication for donkeys.
When in Distress
Donkeys may cry due to stress, fear, or anxiety. Some stressful situations that can cause a donkey to weep include physical abuse, unfamiliar environments, social isolation, unfamiliar people or animals, loud noises, extreme weather changes, or any other perceived threat.
Donkeys are very social herd animals, so isolation and separation from other donkeys is very distressing for them. Their tears are thought to be an appeal for comfort and companionship. Donkeys may also cry when bored or under-stimulated.
Providing enrichment activities can help alleviate boredom and distress.
When in Pain or Discomfort
Donkeys often cry when sick, injured or suffering from physical discomfort. Common health problems like colic, laminitis, infections, arthritis, dental issues and hoof abscesses can cause significant pain. Donkeys have a stoic nature and tend to hide signs of pain.
But recurrent crying or tearing up can be an indication that the donkey is hurting or unwell and needs veterinary attention. Gentle handling, massage and pain relief medication prescribed by a vet can help to ease their discomfort.
When Frustrated or Impatient
Donkeys can become frustrated or impatient and vocalize their unhappiness through crying. Situations like waiting for food, inability to access food or water, being prevented from joining other donkeys, or being restrained may result in crying protests.
Humans need to learn to interpret different donkey cries to understand what the donkey requires and avoid frustrating them unnecessarily. It’s also important not to reward crying behavior, as this reinforces the behavior. Instead, gently reassure and reward calm, settled behavior.
When Lonely or Separated from the Herd
As very social herd animals, donkeys can become extremely distressed when separated from their bonded companions. Donkeys often cry loudly to call their friends back. Tears are thought to elicit a nurturing, comforting response from other donkeys to calm the distressed animal.
Donkeys may also cry due to grief when they lose a close companion. Ideally donkeys should be adopted in compatible pairs to avoid isolation stress. Regular interaction with people, equine friends or even barn animals can help satisfy their social needs.
Interpreting Different Donkey Cries and What They Mean
The Classic ‘Hee-Haw’
The classic “hee-haw” bray is one of the most recognizable donkey sounds. This loud, raspy call is often portrayed in TV, movies, and books as the stereotypical donkey noise. But why do donkeys make this sound? The hee-haw serves several purposes for donkeys:
- Calling out and locating other donkeys
- Expressing excitement or alarm
- Communicating territorial boundaries
- Attracting potential mates
Donkeys have powerful vocal cords that allow their brays to travel up to 30 miles! So that distinctive hee-haw carries far and wide across the countryside. Donkeys will call out louder and more frequently when separated from their herd members.
If you hear emphatic hee-hawing coming from your donkeys, they may be looking for their buddies. 👫
A Low, Guttural Bray
A low, guttural bray means your donkey is feeling chilled and glum. Donkeys make this somber sound when they are cold, bored, or dissatisfied with their circumstances. It’s like a donkey sigh to express their melancholy mood.
If you notice your donkeys braying in a low, sad way, make sure they have adequate shelter, enrichment activities, and companionship. A few pats, carrots, or apple slices wouldn’t hurt either to cheer them up! 🥕🍎
A Loud, Noisy Bray
Nothing gets a donkey excited like the prospect of food! The loud, noisy bray is often a sign your donkeys are eager for their next meal. This impatient braying can start minutes before their regular feeding time.
Donkeys may also make loud brays of anticipation when they hear the crinkle of a treat bag or the clang of food buckets. Their braying takes on a demanding, insistent tone like “Feed me now!” 😆 Satisfy their needs ASAP to silence the hangry donkeys!
A Softer Nickering Sound
That sweet, soft nickering you hear is a donkey’s way of communicating affection and recognition. Donkeys reserve these gentle nickers for their favorite people and animal companions. Your donkeys may quietly nicker when they see you or another cared-for herd member after a period of separation.
It’s their way of saying “I’m glad you’re here!” or “I missed you!” ❤️ Make sure to return the sentiment with plenty of pets and kind words.
Understanding the meaning behind different donkey vocalizations will help you decipher your herd’s needs. Whether it’s food, shelter, company, or comfort—listening to your donkeys’ brays provides helpful insights into keeping them happy and healthy.
With a little patience and donkey know-how, you’ll get better at interpreting those hee-haws in no time! 😊
Providing Proper Donkey Care to Prevent Excessive Crying
Ensuring donkeys receive proper care and attention is key to preventing excessive crying or braying. Donkeys are highly social animals that can become stressed or anxious when separated from other donkeys or kept in isolation. Some tips for preventing crying include:
Provide Companionship
Donkeys are herd animals and need companionship of other donkeys. Keeping a single donkey alone can lead to loneliness, boredom, and stress. Having two or more donkeys together provides social interaction and contentment. Some gentle interaction with human owners can also be beneficial.
Offer Adequate Space
Donkeys need room to move around comfortably. An enclosed space that is too small can cause frustration. The typical recommendation is a minimum of 400 square feet per standard donkey, preferably with access to a larger pasture or paddock as well.
This gives them adequate space to walk around and reduces anxiety or distress.
Provide Proper Shelter and Bedding
Having access to a sheltered area with dry bedding allows donkeys a place to rest comfortably away from weather elements. Bedding materials like straw or wood shavings should be kept clean and dry. Proper shelter and bedding helps donkeys avoid health issues like colic or hoof problems that could otherwise cause discomfort and crying.
Offer Activity and Environmental Enrichment
Donkeys appreciate toys, objects, or activities that stimulate natural behaviors and curiosity. Things like salt licks, scratching posts, feed puzzles, or hanging treats can all provide mental enrichment.
Rotating or adding novel safe objects to their environment also wards off boredom by giving donkeys new things to explore.
Monitor Diet and Hoof Care
Providing a balanced diet formulated for donkeys supports good health and digestion, preventing issues like colic that lead to crying. Well-maintained hooves prevent painful problems like abscesses or overgrowth that could cause discomfort.
Working with a veterinarian or farrier ensures donkeys receive appropriate nutrition and hoof care.
By giving donkeys proper space, companionship, shelter, enrichment, diet, and hoof care, owners can greatly reduce stressors that prompt episodes of crying. Content, healthy donkeys will bray far less than those with chronic anxiety, pain, or isolation. If excessive crying persists even in donkeys with good care, a veterinary exam can check for underlying causes.
Understanding the Donkey’s Unique Nature and Expressions
Donkeys are truly unique creatures. Here are some key things to know about their distinctive nature and how they express themselves:
Gentle Yet Stubborn Reputation
Donkeys are often seen as being gentle yet stubborn. This stubborn streak comes from their strong sense of self-preservation. Unlike horses, donkeys will stop and think things through if they sense potential danger or feel pushed too hard.
While this can seem stubborn, it’s just their cautious nature coming through.
Very Social and Affectionate
While they can be independent thinkers, donkeys crave companionship. They form strong bonds with other donkeys and with people too. Donkeys enjoy being groomed, petted, and shown affection. They’ll often nudgy you for more attention.
Extremely Expressive
Donkeys communicate in various ways. Their big ears swivel to listen and express feelings. A donkey may flatten its ears back to show displeasure or annoyance. Vocalizing is another form of expression. Donkeys use different brays, whinnies, and squeals to convey different emotions from excitement to stress.
Why Donkeys Cry
When a donkey makes a loud braying sound, it may sound like crying to our ears. Donkeys don’t actually shed tears when they bray though. These vocalizations can mean a few different things:
- Braying when greeting people or other donkeys shows excitement and affection.
- Loud brays are used to search for lost herd members or call for a mate.
- Braying with ears pinned back often signals annoyance, pain, or distress.
So while we may interpret a loud donkey bray as “crying,” the donkey is just using its voice to express strong emotions and communicate with others. Learning to read their body language helps shed light on what different brays might mean.
Intelligent yet Quirky
Donkeys are highly intelligent animals. They are great at solving problems and have excellent memories. Yet they have some quirky habits too. Donkeys may bray for no apparent reason, play with water hoses, nibble on random objects, or kick up their heels spontaneously.
They certainly have their own unique personalities!
Conclusion
In summary, donkeys have a very wide vocabulary of brays, hee-haws, and other vocalizations they use to communicate important messages. By understanding what certain cries mean, we can better meet these sensitive animals’ needs for companionship, comfort, and proper care to limit distress.
So next time your donkey starts to bray mournfully, listen closely – he may just be asking for your attention!
