Keeping and Caring For Duck as a Pet

Raising a duck as a pet

Duck as a pet is a good idea because Ducks are adorable birds, you can raise them directly at your home if you have enough space and time to give them the attention they need. Ducks make good pets for you and your children, but they need special care to survive. Ducks are not like most pets that you can let alone thrive. Ducks need attention to their diet and daily activities for them to survive in the environment you provide for them.

What is the behavior of a duck?

Ducks are social animals that like to be with other ducks, so they can get used to being with humans, and consider them as their partner and a much-loved being.

They are adapted to live in water, on land, and in the air, being able to travel hundreds of kilometers each year during their migrations. In-flight, they fly in formations that reduce air resistance, so they can fly at a speed of 95 kilometers per hour. it’s one of the fastest birds.

They use body language and vocalizations to communicate with each other. But when they live with humans, this body language is also used to send a message to their owner, for example, they may be hungry or want to play.

What are the characteristics of a duck

before you thing to have Duck as a pet first you need to know that At birth, most ducks share the characteristic of being yellow, with feathers that look like very fine hair. They do not reach the color of their species before having made their first molt.

There are many varieties of colors within the same species, and some have transcended more than others, such as the mandarin duck, which is one of the most characteristic as a pet. But there are others who have made a name for themselves among the lovers of this bird , such as the red duck or the species known as the domestic duck, which is intended to live with humans, even if it counts as its wild variant.

Care of Duck as a pet

Domestic duck needs a clean environment

In order for our domestic duck to fully benefit from its well-being by our side, it must live in an environment with impeccable hygienic conditions , here are the steps to follow to do this:

• In its shelter, it will be necessary to deposit a little sand on the ground in order to facilitate the collection of droppings to be carried out from time to time.
• It is also important that the pond water is always as clean as possible.
• During the night, it is recommended to remove the food that the ducks did not eat during the day in order to prevent it from turning and that the ducks do not end up with poisoning.

Feeding ducks

Ducks are omnivorous and have a great appetite (twice as much as hens for example). Adult ducks find their own food in the ground (earthworms) or by eating grass. You must serve them in addition to grain such as oats, corn or wheat, greenery in the form of grass or salad. These food supplements particularly concern diving ducks that do not eat grass but fish and other aquatic animals.

However, be careful not to feed ornamental ducks for too long with corn. They could eventually become overweight. Ducks also feed on leftover vegetables or small insects. They will also effectively get rid of slugs and snails that attack plantings in your garden.

Ducks are large consumers of water, about ½ liter per day each. Drinking water is also essential for them to swallow their food. Keep the water always healthy and clean.

Duck health

Ducks are among the most robust farmyard animals. They are fairly resistant to diseases and parasites, unlike other animals. However, you should still watch for any signs of poor health such as ruffled feathers, changes in the ingestion of food and water, fatigue, or bloody diarrhea. A sick duck should be quarantined and treated quickly.

Duck veterinary care

If we take the proper hygienic-dietary measures, your ducks will not need any special veterinary care, however, it is important for you to know the symptoms that may indicate disease in the duck :

• Nasal inflammation, redness or nasal secretions
• Abnormal feces, very hard or very soft texture, with a yellowish, reddish or black color
• Breathing difficulty
• More spiky, opaque or dirty in appearance
• Redness or discharge from the eyes.
• Loss of appetite
• Attitude changes from usual.

Faced with its symptoms, it is important to bring your duck to the veterinarian as soon as possible because it could suffer from an illness and need emergency medical care.

The arrival of the duck at home …

If you welcome a duckling at home or have a Duck as a pet, you should know that during the first 4 to 5 weeks after its birth, it must absolutely be sheltered in a dry and warm place, like a cardboard box for example.

At this period of its life, you cannot leave the duck in the water because its plumage is not developed enough and you would endanger it.

You will have to shelter your duck inside your house until its two months, then it will have to start to go out, always in favorable climatic conditions, then gradually, it will start to adapt to the habitat outside the home .

Can I have a duck in an apartment?

The truth is that it is not the best thing to do. raising a Duck as a pet needs freedom to move around in a large area, at least with a garden and enough space to swim.

however, it would not be impossible to raise it in an apartment. Many people have achieved this with great success and made it the ideal pet. However, in this case, remember that they need a place to swim every day, either a surface or a large aquarium in which to dive.

The duck needs space

Before welcoming any animal, you will need to do a responsibility test with yourself and your family and really understand what it means to live with an animal. You will need to be able to provide him with everything he needs to live happily, and you will also need to take into account that the life expectancy of the duck ranges from 13 to 15 years .

If you do not have a garden at home, adopting several ducks as pets is impossible, in captivity, the domestic duck needs the following to be happy:

• Space where he can walk and run freely.
• A chicken coop or duck shelter of appropriate dimensions so that the duck can take refuge in bad weather, or simply when it needs rest. This space will also be important to prevent ducks from being exposed to attack by other predatory animals.
• Ducks love water, and access to an adapted aquatic space is absolutely essential for them, this means that in your garden, you will need to have an artificial basin or better still if you are lucky, a small pond 

Duck as Pet price

if u think to buy a duck as a pet you will be surprised because as a pet professional I can tell you its the cheapest pet you can have the highest price for duck is almost 40 $ and most of the prices it can be from 8$ to 35$, well it depends on the type of duck

What does it take to care for a duck?

Surely there is nothing more tempting than having a duck as a pet, especially if you are looking for something different. Don’t you think you should think twice, though? First, there are some things you should consider:

• These birds require very special care, they are not like a dog and a cat. And if you live on a very large lot, they will need constant monitoring.
• In some areas, there is nothing to worry about, but if you live in an area with predators, they usually hunt ducks. You will, therefore, have to build their house with many security measures to prevent them from entering.
• Ducks are birds that can have very rare diseases and few veterinarians can treat them. Not to mention that there are few veterinarians specializing in birds. You should know if there are any in your city, as this could be very expensive.
• Ducks love to swim, so you have to offer them a place to do it. If you don’t have a pond, or at least a garden to install a pool or aquarium, it might be cruel to have it on the ground.
• They are very prone to fattening, so you need to give them a very specific diet. Keep this in mind before deciding to take this animal.
• It is true that some people have successfully raised ducks with other animals such as dogs. But that doesn’t mean it will happen the same way with all dogs. Likewise, you have to be very careful with felines, as these are two species that seem very difficult to get along with.
• The sound that ducks can make can often be quite unpleasant. Especially if you keep it locked up, a very negative point for this bird.
• They can end up being as heavy as dogs when they want something. They don’t have much trouble climbing anywhere when they get used to using their wings, and they can give you a lot of “beanbag” when they want to eat or want to go out and play a little. Therefore, always keep in mind that a large part of your free time will have to be spent taking care of your bird and giving it the love it requires.

Types of ducks to keep as a pet

best ducks for pets

1. Mallards, mallards as pets can be easily distinguished and are found on a large scale in the U.S.
2. Peking ducks; Peking ducks are also known as white Peking ducks. They are domestic ducks.
3. Muscovy ducks, Muscovy ducks as pets are very popular because raising them is inexpensive and less time-consuming.
4. Runner Ducks; Runner ducks are compared to the wine bottle because of their shape and long legs. They are often formed by exhibitors and yield lots of eggs. for me its the right species of ducks to have it as a pat.
5. Rouen Ducks; The Rouen mallard ducks resemble but are slightly larger in volume. They cannot be used primarily for egg production.

Raising ducks as pets with dogs

Raising ducks as pets with dogs is not a very good idea, as dogs can run around and harm your ducks. You will have to take care of ducks in your case, there are all the dogs around, keeping them in large containers, where they will be safe at night. More information on birds and bird care.

Raising duck as a pet is very simple. But you have to take care of cleanliness, as you will find their droppings and feathers scattered all over the yard. You should also keep the pond water clean to keep it from parasites, which are harmful to ducks. Learn more about hatching duck eggs.

We have now learned all about duck as a pet. They are cute and proven good pets. So you can go ahead and get these lovely birds at home, and have a good time watching and playing with them.

source : https://oiseauxexotiques.info/