Ducks and other pets

[GloryGirl]

We just got our ducklings Friday. 3 welsh harlequin hatchlings.

After doing what research I could find on making things safe, I decided to introduce them to our 2yr old Border Collie/Husky mix. He can be pretty high strung at times and a bit hard headed, but he's really smart. The goal was for him to get a smell, but not touch and then just lay and watch. He's been known to hunt small animals in the yard and tried to chase wild ducks when we were out for walks. (I didn't let him.) I have never seen him try so hard to please me and do exactly what I wanted as he did during that meeting. It was a complete success and he really wanted to go back in the room a little while later, but he settled down very well when I called him away. I'll still closely supervise him around them, but hopefully he'll get the point that these ones are not his playmates or toys.

As regards the cat who's a 20 lb Maine Coon, I don't know if I should do any introduction or not? Any ideas? If I wait till they're grown they may be scared of each other, but the ducks will be living outside when they're big enough and the cat is indoor only.

Also, does anyone have experience with ducks and guinea pigs? I'm wondering if we could build a relationship there so that we don't have to move the guinea pig pen out every time we take him outside, but could put him in the enclosure with the ducks maybe?

Thanks for your input!

 

[carcar80]

My Doberman is always gentle with babies. Enough for a general intro, anyway. My JRT, well he is just watched like a hawk around babies and I lean more toward distraction with him to keep him from getting too interested.

My cats were always WAY too quick to pounce on tiny babies so I didn't let them anywhere close. Once the duckling were feathered and of some size the cats lost interest.

Guinea pig, I have no clue. But if the ducks will end up outside anyway, I wouldn't waste much time with intros to cats and pigs.

Now that my ducks are grown and outside, my Dobe does like to chase them. But she has never hurt one, and she easily could. (edit)- she's just obsessed with things that fly, so she does a half-hearted run, just enough to cause them to go airborn- then she follows them to the water's edge. Takes a lil dip sometimes in warm weather with them.

 

[duckboy123]

i wouldnt put the Guinea pig in the duck cage mainly because of the mess the ducks make that would get on the pig. whether they would get along like just out in the grass would depend on the pesonality of the animals