Having Mallards in Florida as Pets? Questions?

[UrbanQuack]

Hello everyone, well next year I plan on getting some ducks and chickens, to have a flock of about 10-15 birds. I'm very interested in getting mallards, but I need to be informed on some things.

1st. I know they are great flyers, but counting on warm weather year-round, and feed, do you think they would fly away?

2nd. Do I need a permit to just have them as pets, does anyone live in FL, and know the laws here?

3rd. Can I place a band on their legs?

Does anyone have mallars? Please tell me anything about them, I want to learn. And also, post pictures if you want.

Thanks

 

[xfilesnumber1fan]

I have Mallards...My can fly but have never left..I live in Missouri and they are pets..No bands and no permit needed here...

 

[NewHopePoultry]

In Florida, you need a permit for mallards, even pet ones.
Plus they are suppose to be caged.

For more info check out:
myfwc.com/WILDLIFEHABITATS/Duck_mallard_permit_list.htm-Permit info

http://myfwc.com/WILDLIFEHABITATS/Duck_FAQ.htm -Mallard Possession Rule

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
According to the Rules above ALL domestic ducks except Muscovy (&for some unexplained reason) Pekins, are considered to be Mallards since they are derived from mallards (of course Pekins are also but the fact that they are white seemed to enter into the rule making????)

 

[Duck Keeper]

Quote:
According to the Rules above ALL domestic ducks except Muscovy (&for some unexplained reason) Pekins, are considered to be Mallards since they are derived from mallards (of course Pekins are also but the fact that they are white seemed to enter into the rule making????)

Pekins are production type birds, commonly used for meat. Therefore, the factories didn't want to pay a bunch of money to buy permits to keep them, so the lawmakers decided to allow pekins.

Muscovies and mallards are considered 'invasive species' in Florida (if I'm not mistaken) so you would definitely have to ask around or inquire at your local something-or-other about laws and ordinances.

 

[Punk-Rock_Chicken]

They are VERY strict here in FL. about Mallards. You DO have to have a permit to own them. It is free but you will have to provide the permit # of the place that you get them from. EVEN if they are from out of state. They MUST have a permit to sell in FL. This is the problem I ran into AFTER I purchased mine.
They are illegal here because too many people have released them, after deciding they didn't want them anymore. The problem is if they are RAISED here they will never migrate. They stay perminently and end up breeding with the endangered Florida Mottled Duck, and are breeding them out.

 

[Duck Keeper]

Quote:
Exactly. It's too bad misguided people think they're doing the right thing by releasing domesticated birds to the wild. It would be like releasing a chihuahua to the wild, hoping it would join a pack of wolves! It's a member of the canine family, but it's been a domestic breed for so long that it's obviously forgotten how to survive in the wild...

The same goes for farm ducks.

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
According to the Rules above ALL domestic ducks except Muscovy (&for some unexplained reason) Pekins, are considered to be Mallards since they are derived from mallards (of course Pekins are also but the fact that they are white seemed to enter into the rule making????)

Pekins are production type birds, commonly used for meat. Therefore, the factories didn't want to pay a bunch of money to buy permits to keep them, so the lawmakers decided to allow pekins.

Muscovies and mallards are considered 'invasive species' in Florida (if I'm not mistaken) so you would definitely have to ask around or inquire at your local something-or-other about laws and ordinances.

At least that makes political sense. As I read the site migrating mallards aren't a problem because they leave the area before the native mottled duck starts breeding (Sort of like Florida treats tourists, come down to spend your money but we really don't want anyone young enough to breed to stick around.

)

 

[Punk-Rock_Chicken]

Quote:
Pekins are production type birds, commonly used for meat. Therefore, the factories didn't want to pay a bunch of money to buy permits to keep them, so the lawmakers decided to allow pekins.

Muscovies and mallards are considered 'invasive species' in Florida (if I'm not mistaken) so you would definitely have to ask around or inquire at your local something-or-other about laws and ordinances.

At least that makes political sense. As I read the site migrating mallards aren't a problem because they leave the area before the native mottled duck starts breeding (Sort of like Florida treats tourists, come down to spend your money but we really don't want anyone young enough to breed to stick around.

)

Yeah! But they usually do usually end up staying anyways!! LOL (we do have too many snowbirds deciding to stay...maybe they can start a law against that?? lol)

 

[UrbanQuack]

So that means that Call ducks are also "illegal" in Florida without a permit? Does this law have anything to do with geese also?