tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432762024762532275.post4725144008974056361..comments2024-01-19T07:37:39.127-05:00Comments on The Dancing Donkey: If it's not one wasp, it's anotherThe Dancing Donkeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16274299120708749101noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432762024762532275.post-36837928914585092292013-08-20T19:45:29.062-04:002013-08-20T19:45:29.062-04:00I am glad you said this. Everyone says that donke...I am glad you said this. Everyone says that donkeys are so very stoic and I guess they are about many things, but they can be SUCH prima donas as well. Maybe it only shows when they feel safe enough. This was a very scary, painful and traumatic event, but the donkeys were pretty dramatic about it. The Dancing Donkeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16274299120708749101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432762024762532275.post-42307657118511819352013-08-20T08:23:52.495-04:002013-08-20T08:23:52.495-04:00I have antihistamine granules exactly for this. B...I have antihistamine granules exactly for this. But we do have ground wasp issues about this time of year all over. <br />Donkeys when injured will act as though the world has ended. One small ouie and they really act as if they are at the end.<br /><br />Walk your trails by yourself quietly. You keep your ears wide open and you can find the ground bees and avoid them. They are usually only around for a few weeks and they ARE very angry.<br /><br />In the yard we wait until they are in for the night then use a spray to poison the entrance and tunnel. When they climb in and out it effects them.<br />There nests go deep.<br /><br />We have a rule here. First one steps on the nest, second stirs them up, third one gets stung.<br />Ouch.<br />Val Ewinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11773318159420863765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432762024762532275.post-38058616892997799212013-08-20T03:08:21.994-04:002013-08-20T03:08:21.994-04:00Oh, so sorry for you and the critter kids. How sc...Oh, so sorry for you and the critter kids. How scary to have to wait and watch for a bad reaction to the stings. I've been advised to give my dog a Benadryl for a bee sting prior to getting him to a vet. Don't know if that would work for Emma and Ramsey. Damn those wily wasps! Hope all of you are okay now.ninergirl04https://www.blogger.com/profile/10793093353273510837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432762024762532275.post-15699836537339457682013-08-20T01:02:38.984-04:002013-08-20T01:02:38.984-04:00Oh How awful! Just catching up on this now. I ha...Oh How awful! Just catching up on this now. I have been super vigilant in our new bush paddock - so far haven't encountered any nests but there are lots of wasps around. I keep Apis on hand for stings - it's a homeopathic remedy that works really really well for people AND animals!<br /><br />Hope everybody is doing well ...Cynthiahttp://www.donkeydame.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432762024762532275.post-62278021432038867842013-08-19T21:21:21.396-04:002013-08-19T21:21:21.396-04:00Blimey! People go on about Australia having lots ...Blimey! People go on about Australia having lots of dangerous animals but I often wonder why when you guys seem to have a lot more nasties to deal with than we do!Keechyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13508060247369251383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432762024762532275.post-24395406387814202612013-08-19T18:58:16.400-04:002013-08-19T18:58:16.400-04:00This year I've been stung by under-ground Yell...This year I've been stung by under-ground Yellow Jackets (a type of wasp) and one bumble bee just this past friday. His sting was no where near as bad as the !$#@ yellow jackets. They are aggressive and will chase you down. The description of Tessa stepping on the nest, and then the chase sounds just like their behavior. At this time of year they are a very nasty varmint and will literally take no prisoners. <br /><br />In NC where I live, people will often be mowing the grass and get attacked. They have been mowing over/around the nest all spring and early summer without even knowing it is in the yard. <br /><br />Since your problems are out in the woods, it is probably best to avoid them and let them do their own thing. However, if you find a nest in your yard/pasture/barn area it would be best to keep your herd and other domestic critters away from them until you can 'treat' the nest.<br /><br />1) Do not use gasoline. Seems all the guys love a good fire, especially after a few stings ... but it is a pretty stupid idea. <br /><br />My weapons of choice:<br />1) a small screen from a double hung window <br />2) a bucket, some insecticide (harmful to bees !), some dishwashing detergent (also harmful to insects) and water to dilute the poisons<br />3) a broom or tool with a long handle <br /><br />Wait until dark. Let all the wasps/yellow jackets return to the nest. After they have all returned to the hole in the ground, cover with the screen. You might need to put a brick or a rock on it to weight it down. The screen keeps them confined while you pour 1/3 to 1/2 of the bucket of diluted insecticide & soap (I mix up about 2 gallons of pretty strong solution). I use the broom to carefully tip the bucket. I don't want to be standing over the hole even with a screen. Let it soak in - depends upon how well your soil takes up the solution. Tip the bucket again and soak the nest with the rest of the solution. <br /><br /> If you think you need a second bucket, you can just use a strong solution of soapy water to rinse out the insecticide. Leave the screen covering the nest overnight. The next day, after sunrise, watch the nest and see if there is any activity before removing the screen.<br /><br />I have dug nests out of flowerbeds before and from under small shrubs that the yellow jackets have killed with their excavation. They make a condo unit of nest layers that look like pancakes all stacked up. Larger nests make have different configurations.<br /><br />They can be pretty dangerous. If you can take antihistimines, it might be a good idea to have some on hand for yourself. 5 stings are a pretty good hit! The AntiHistines will help with the itch. I used white vinegar to help with the itching. I wonder what the donkeys would think about a vinegar rub-down?<br /><br />M in NC<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432762024762532275.post-18699014171810031202013-08-19T16:35:03.240-04:002013-08-19T16:35:03.240-04:00Oh you poor, poor things, I'm so glad that eve...Oh you poor, poor things, I'm so glad that everyone is ok! Our cat was stung really badly today too, I just detest wasps. The heavy breathing thing sounds like a delayed stress reaction, my mini mule does this when he had a real fright or found something very stressful, I think it is the 'come down' from too much adrenalin, takes them a while to recover but walking, eating and cooling if over heated are all good things. The Three Muleteershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05247097408523136083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432762024762532275.post-91686059575586283772013-08-19T13:10:02.896-04:002013-08-19T13:10:02.896-04:00Holy moly. That was scary. The pics of Ramsey hang...Holy moly. That was scary. The pics of Ramsey hanging his sad head say a lot. Glad they're ok.Tyche's Minderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14672047171988985103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432762024762532275.post-33024189075823734462013-08-19T12:23:47.335-04:002013-08-19T12:23:47.335-04:00My donkeys have never had this experience (yet) (k...My donkeys have never had this experience (yet) (knock on wood).<br />Miniature donkeys hail from small islands in the Mediterranean sea - Corsica and Sardinia I think. I think I will research if there are wasps, or any other stinging insects, native to that area.<br />From your description of Emma it sounds like she dealt with the venom in an internal, Zen way and then revived?<br />I'm glad you all didn't get stung any more than you did.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432762024762532275.post-8843832085957797592013-08-19T10:41:10.425-04:002013-08-19T10:41:10.425-04:00First off, we had our own encounter with wasps thi...First off, we had our own encounter with wasps this summer, my condolences. Those stings HURT and six weeks after mine, I still have a little knob of skin to remind me. I'm so very glad the donks are okay... what a scare you had! Mary Annhttp://www.calamityacres.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432762024762532275.post-51903513525356174712013-08-19T10:25:10.746-04:002013-08-19T10:25:10.746-04:00Sorry, I can't help you with your questions - ...Sorry, I can't help you with your questions - I hope you reach your regular vets easily. I'm just grateful the "kids" are OK. I've never thought about the reactions animals might have to those buggers, but I do react, especially to wasps and hornets. I know how much the stings hurt, and I get localized swelling (enormous!), redness and heat.<br /><br />Nancy in IowaMom Lhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08173057786790186340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1432762024762532275.post-47235229468675243772013-08-19T09:59:52.980-04:002013-08-19T09:59:52.980-04:00Ouch!! Interesting, albeit scary, reaction to the ...Ouch!! Interesting, albeit scary, reaction to the wasp stings. Hope you aren't too sore from the stings yourself?!aurorahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04731529798233954353noreply@blogger.com