I just got three ducklings yesterday and I am going to house sit for ten days will they forget me or remember me? I spend alot of time with them and they will run up to me crawl in my hand and fall asleep. I just don't want to be forgotten or replaced. PLEASE HELP. Teil
I dunno about ten days but my ducks certainly do have memory. I move their water ten feet and you would think the world is ending because it's in the 'wrong' place. It sounds like you're making a very good bond with them so they might remember.
Can you take the ducklings with you? Birds have fantastic memory for people who are kind and people who aren't. But, I'm not sure about ducklings. I'm sure they'll be OK. I bet you're going to miss them, though.
Your best bet is to take the ducklings with you, if that's possible. But since you probably can't, just make sure you have people handling the ducks on a regular basis while you're gone. They might kind of "imprint" on humans in general if multiple people are playing with them and giving them food. That way, when you come back, even if they don't remember you specifically, they'll trust you so you can work on recreating the bond. My duck knows I'm her mom, but she seems to like pretty much all people, especially women. Right from the time she hatched, she had a lot of different people coming around to see her and hold her. Now she sees humans as trustworthy and friendly, so when I'm not around (or sometimes even when I am), she'll find someone else to bond to and follow.
Whenever I came back from a two-week vacation with my parents, my ducks seemed to remember me but were not as calm as before. They weren't as distrustful as they would have been towards complete stranger, but they definetely acted not as tame as usual and it took me a few days until they were again. But when it happened for the first time I already had my ducks for two or three months so they were already used to me as the harmless food dispenser who likes to stand around and watch. Since you got your ducklings just yesterday, they might not have bonded with you yet. But if they have, they are imprinted on you and see you as their mother. In that case you cannot let them alone for they will call for you until they almost keel over. Maybe you should make a test. leave them alone and see what happens. If they start calling ( one could almost call it crying) and cannot be simply calmed down by another person, they are imprinted on you and should stay with you. Can't you take them with you, anyhow? Ducklings can easily be kept indoors and don't make a mess like grown ups.
