Pet Ducks: Affectionate Companions

4 minutes

Written and verified by the lawyer Francisco María García.

Last update: 22 December, 2022

Pet ducks can be very affectionate, especially when they receive the right care. These birds need their food, hygiene and habitat well taken of in order to be healthy.

Pet ducks: Responsible care, first and foremost

Did you want to have a different kind of pet? You should keep in mind that every animal is a living being that are gifted with intelligence and sensibility. A pet, regardless of his age or species, needs and deserves to be treated with care and respect.

When you adopt an animal, it becomes the owner’s responsibility to guarantee proper living conditions. To do this, you have to cover an animal’s preventive medicine, food, and hygiene, and give it the proper environment.

Advice for taking care or pet ducks

The following are practical tips for raising pet ducks in a healthy and responsible way.

Pet ducks: Characteristics, needs, and basic care

The term ‘ duck ‘ is a generic name for more than 150 species belonging to the Anatidae family. Among the best known are swans, geese, mergansers and geese.

They are characterized by having rounded bodies, flat and wide beaks, short legs and webbed feet. Their life expectancy can vary between 10 and 15 years, depending on the species, the care they receive, and the conditions of their environment.

They are noticeably good swimmers and do it by exhibiting an elegant and serene posture. When on land, they look more awkward because they walk crookedly and irregularly.

Behavior and Sociability

Ducks prefer to live in groups or in couples, because they are very sociable animals. Due to their sense of community, flocks of ducks mourn when a member dies.

They tend to spend a good part of the day looking for food and storing it away. At night, they harmoniously gather up to sleep together in a group.

Therefore, when adopting a pet duck, you must provide it time to coexist and socialize with other ducks. These animals need company to live and grow healthily.

Proper hygiene

It’s very common to see a duck grooming his body and nest. They usually have fun grooming and beating their feathers, or sanitizing their home from impurities and dirt. It’s also important to keep their feeder, trough, and home clean. Ducks are naturally clean and can easily get sick in a dirty environment.

Currently, there are diapers specially made for pet ducks, to prevent them from urinating and defecating all over the house.

Diet

In the wild, ducks have a very varied omnivorous diet. About 80% of his daily diet consists of vegetables: fruits, vegetables, seeds, legumes and varied grains. These usually obtain animal protein by consuming small insects and fish. An adult duck consumes between 150 and 200 grams of food daily, depending on its species, sex, age and habitat.

Commercial foods for duck breeding do exist, however most are intended to have the animal gain weight. Therefore, you shouldn’t give them to your pet duck, and choose a fresh and natural diet instead.

It’s important to make sure food is accessible to the animals during the day, as well as fresh and clean water. Clean the containers and change the food on a daily basis.

Environment

The tendency to keep pet ducks in apartments is growing. Because it’s indigenous to fields and farms, an apartment isn’t really the right place to raise a duck. However, ducks do have the ability to adapt and its owner’s dedication can give it a happy life.

Ideally, you should have an outdoor space, with a water source (a lake, a swimming pool, etc.). Ducks enjoy swimming and grooming on a daily basis, and they need to walk around freely and exercise their muscles quite often.

You should buy a rabbit or chicken house to provide them shelter and protection. The size will depend on the amount of ducks and the dimensions of your home.

Be careful with fads: animals aren’t objects

Animals are also the victims of fads and trends. Therefore, some species are suddenly popular as pets at certain times.

It’s important to remember that animals are not disposable objects or toys for children. Depriving an animal of its freedom and condemning it to dangerous conditions is an act of selfishness. Also, it represents a huge risk to its health and the well-being of its species.

Therefore, before choosing a pet duck, you have to prepare your home and organize everything for its arrival. At the same, be a good example to others and say no to animal abandonment and abuse!

Shivaprasad, H. (2014) Herramientas de diagnóstico y prevención. California Animal Health y Food Safety Laboratory System. Recuperado el 27 de enero de 2022, disponible en: https://www.asav.es/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/3-1-Patologia-de-las-aves-una-revision-Shivaprasad.pdf
Ruiz, J. P. A., & Labatut, M. F. C. (2005). Manual de crianza de patos. UC TEMUCO: Chile.

The contents of My Animals are written for informational purposes. They can't replace the diagnosis, advice, or treatment from a professional. In the case of any doubt, it's best to consult a trusted specialist.