R.I.P Louis the Duck <:(

[WaterFowlMan01]

Well, as most people may know, I had 4 mallard ducklings. 1 of them, which I thought was a female, turned out to be a male. Soon after I had 2 males and 2 females. I LOVED my ducklings a lot and I spent a lot (a lot!) of money for them because I wanted to raise them to be happy ducks. 1 passed away, Louis the one who I thought was a female but turned out to be a male. He became paralyzed and some how passed away. It was as if he dislocated his neck bone (although he did not). It just happened. We had a funeral for my beloved friend and took him to the pet cemetery and floated his body off into a lake with flowers drifting aside him

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I did not want his brother and sisters to experience what happened to him, so I had them shipped to a better place (Nature Preserve) where they promised they would take good care of them. I didn't have the proper knowledge on how to help him. He has done this several times and survived, but not this time. I no longer have ducklings. I plan to start a non profit organization and create a wildlife preserve in Columbus, OH dedicated to helping birds while entertaining people. I do not want to see this or let this happen again. It was the worst time of my life to watch one of my bird friends pass away like that.

 

[veronicasmom]

I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Very sorry for your loss

 

[WaterFowlMan01]

Thank you all so much for being supportive..

You guys are very kind

 

[Amiga]

Losses like this are so hard.

 

[WaterFowlMan01]

Thank you Amiga for being super supportive. I have decided I'm going to raise more ducklings. Maybe exotic species like Teals, Wigeons, Shovelers, Wood Ducks, and etc. I'm feeling a lot better ever since I came up with that idea but, I just hope that does not ever happen again! I was in so much shock about the situation (due to me being new to caring for ducks) and I panicked. Didn't know what to do, but now I am doing research on how I can prevent that from happening.

 

[Amiga]

The learning curve is very steep, and I remember being extremely anxious for the well-being of my ducks.

There is good information here and elsewhere online (and some maybe not-so-well-advised info, too, so be careful). There is the Ultimate Pet Duck Guidebook, and Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks, and probably others.

In his book The Four Loves, C. S. Lewis wrote

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”

 

[WaterFowlMan01]

The learning curve is very steep, and I remember being extremely anxious for the well-being of my ducks.

There is good information here and elsewhere online (and some maybe not-so-well-advised info, too, so be careful). There is the Ultimate Pet Duck Guidebook, and Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks, and probably others.

In his book The Four Loves, C. S. Lewis wrote

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”

Hello Amiga, I was going through my subscriptions today and saw that wonderful quote you posted, and it brought back many great memories with my duckling Louis. I was debating on whether I should have responded to your post, because it has been a year and 5 months since you made that post. I really appreciate it, and I am really sorry it took me so long! Thank you!

 

[Amiga]

Hello Amiga, I was going through my subscriptions today and saw that wonderful quote you posted, and it brought back many great memories with my duckling Louis. I was debating on whether I should have responded to your post, because it has been a year and 5 months since you made that post. I really appreciate it, and I am really sorry it took me so long! Thank you!

No apologies necessary. I appreciate hearing from you, hope you are well. That Lewis quote is one of my all-time favorites, as it reminds me not to harden my heart just because it is broken or hurting.

 

[WaterFowlMan01]

No apologies necessary. I appreciate hearing from you, hope you are well. That Lewis quote is one of my all-time favorites, as it reminds me not to harden my heart just because it is broken or hurting.

I am doing well, in fact, I purchased some Budgerigars a few months ago and they are amazing! I hope one day I will be able to go back to raising Waterfowl because I really enjoyed it! I also enjoyed that Lewis quote, his name also contributed to the remembrance of my little buddy Louis! I'm glad you were there to share that with me!