Piddle Pad/ pupy pad question

I know I've seen a lot of people on this forum, using piddle pads for their ducks, they're disposable, hold a lot of moisture, and tend to be a lot easier to handle than laying out towel after towel for baby ducks, I've also noted that hardly anyone has any problem with this method of temporary bedding. My ducklings are 8 days old now, and they seem to be chewing and tugging on EVERYTHING, no matter how much food I give them (some of my friends suggested I start giving them greens and fruits). This wouldn't be a problem, if they wouldn't do it to their piddle pads, especially when they get wet.

I recently found a clear gel-like substance coming from the wet areas of the piddle pad, it doesn't smell bad, if anything it smells sweet; but I can't tell if my ducks are eating it, or just tasting it (they usually have it all over their bills) and if I'm the only one having this confusion. I wan't to go back to using piddle pads as its the cleaner, cheaper alternative, but if its going to prove harmful to my ducklings I'd much rather use something else.


Any ideas?


~Kaala

I went back to old towels - my ducklings would rip the pad open and eat the insides!

I have heard of ducklings eating the pads with fatal results.

I only used piddle pads the first few days with the Ducklings.
Mine never tore open the pads. I never even thought of that? Mine were tearing up the wet cardboard I had up around the brooder so I moved them out to the chicken coop till I get my new chicks. I use pine shavings and straw inside a kitty litter pan as a nest. Now I am building a Duck run and using my new dog house as a Duck house.

I haven't had any issues with pad eating. But my ducklings have some sort of fiber/vegetable material available 24/7.

cayugaducklady said:

I haven't had any issues with pad eating. But my ducklings have some sort of fiber/vegetable material available 24/7.

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It doesn't seem to be hurting them, but in my heart when they start eating the piddle pad I can't just let them do it. How do you give them the right supplements 24/7? do you just have an hour ever day you pour some new material in? or do you leave a bowl out for them?

Its very on and off with my ducks, as they tend to only nibble on the piddle pad when they are due for a feeding, or when their water dish is empty, so they keep me well informed on what they need at the time, but I do need to start giving them the healthy greens and fiber more often.

They have food bowls out. I refill as needed. Typically refill in the mornings before I leave for work, check immediately when i get home, check before supprt and then again before bed.

My ducklings tend to eat more after a swim, mega splash session or outside time.

I didn't have any exposed edges on my puppy pads. They were either covered by their bed/brooder heat sources or bowls. THe only part exposed was the white pad part. I've been using them since March and none have been eaten or torn.