Can Indoor Ducks Play with Outdoor Ducks? :-D

[Quackmire]

So I know the simple answer to that is.... "Why not?"

I have a temporary 'foster' duck that is living outside, and my pride and joy indoor duck, Q. The two have never met, and poor Q has been sequestered to the house only since the foster duck had mites somethin' terrible, and I didn't want him to share his little carry-ons with Q.

Well the mites are cleared up. He has been here 3 weeks. Now Q would like to go outside and play in her duckpond (baby pool) again. I'm wondering if I can allow them to swim together?

Q is a non-aggressive muscovy girl, and the foster is a big pillow of a pekin male. He is twice her size, but he is also blind and gimpy, so I don't see him being successfully aggressive with her.

I'm more concerned about 'outdoor duck cooties' like internal parasites or what have you. Is there any reason I should now allow them to intermingle (supervised of course) or swim together while I'm out doing yard work?

Thanks.

 

[Birdcrazy]

If there's no mite risk for Q I cant see why not

And I'm sure he wouldnt want to be aggressive to her? More like mate her?

Is Q your avatar? She is very beautiful

and nice posing!!
I wish mine would sit still

 

[Quackmire]

I wondered if Q might get Patchy's motor runnin',

but I won't let that happen, much to my son's displeasure.

That boy loves all animals, especially babies, and the thought of little Q's runnin around just gets him all giddy. Not happenin'. One indoor duck is a houseful. lol

I may take her outside today and let them swim together. I know she'll be happy. She has voiced her disapproval of being stuck strictly indoors. She doesn't LIKE being outside for more than 30 minutes at a time or so, but she does seem to notice when she doesn't get that.

I have checked him daily for mites and after the second treatment I've seen none. And I've given it enough time for any eggs that were on him to cycle into adults if they were going to.....

Gotta make sure the camera is charged.... It should be interesting, I'm pretty sure Q has no idea what other ducks are.

Yep, that's Q in my avatar, thanks! She's a good girl, .....most of the time.

 

[Quackmire]

Actually, I have one more concern....

Patchy has bumblefoot. Yes he is being treated for it. I realize it is a form of Staph, so I wonder if it is transferable to Q if it is currently scabbed over?

Thanks.

 

[ejctm]

Staph lives on most human skin quite happily without causing any trouble and we don't even know we are infected. It is usually when our immune systems are low as a result of other illness, stress, etc that a staph infection can take hold and cause a problem needing antibiotic treatment. Chances are, Q has already been in contact with staph through her close contact with humans and living in your household (no offence, it is not an issue of cleanliness, merely part of the "lodgers" that we carry around with us, along with dust mites and eyelash mites, etc).

If the infection is scabbed over on the other duck's foot I would not worry about it too much, although I would probably not put her in the same water if he had an open sore. Having said that, if she is healthy and has no sores on her own feet, she is unlikely to get any infection problems.

Staph is everywhere, it only takes hold in a bird foot when there is a scratch or sore or something like that to get inside and under the skin.

Gross I know, but there it is!