HELP!!! Befriending a duck/geese.

[Lazilymarried]

Hi, I have a duck/geese, I am not sure about what it is yet. It has been little over a month that I have him.I had got a pair, but unfortunately one died a little after I got them home.After reading articles here we concluded that vitamin deficiency would have been the reason. Anyways, now I have only one-Lui and 2 love birds. Lui has been imprinting the lovebirds since the time he has lost his friend.He is quiet scared of us.It is only when I offer him some cat-food as treats that he comes close to me. I have been trying to get closer to him, but it is not happening though he is a little better than before. Another thing that I have noticed is that he is quiet calm at my mother's place and with my mother, and he runs for his life when he hears or sees my husband. Will he ever get comfortable with us? Does it take this long for them to get friendly? This is the first time we have a duck/geese as a pet and we are trying to read up and behave in a way that he does not feel threatened. Please do help.

 

[jofanx]

He needs another friend. When ducks/geese lose flock members, they become panicked and distressed, and some have been known to be so depressed they die. He'll calm down if he can have access to a friend.

 

[Lazilymarried]

He needs another friend. When ducks/geese lose flock members, they become panicked and distressed, and some have been known to be so depressed they die. He'll calm down if he can have access to a friend.

It looks like he has made friends with the lovebirds. Do they need to have a friend of their own kind to calm down?

 

[jofanx]

Yes, they really should have a friend of their own to calm down. I once hatched a single muscovy duckling and that poor thing was terrified of everything and tried attaching to my daughter, but any sound in the house caused her to panic. She was so happy once she was old enough to be introduced to the flock (which I had to do much earlier than planned since throwing herself around her brooder was becoming a daily occurrence.)

 

[Lazilymarried]

Yes, they really should have a friend of their own to calm down. I once hatched a single muscovy duckling and that poor thing was terrified of everything and tried attaching to my daughter, but any sound in the house caused her to panic. She was so happy once she was old enough to be introduced to the flock (which I had to do much earlier than planned since throwing herself around her brooder was becoming a daily occurrence.)

OK.. Thank you! I will try this now.

 

[sannabelle]

If you post a picture someone here will be able to identify what the little one is for you

And

 

[Kiki to Nana]

Hi, I have a duck/geese, I am not sure about what it is yet. It has been little over a month that I have him.I had got a pair, but unfortunately one died a little after I got them home.After reading articles here we concluded that vitamin deficiency would have been the reason. Anyways, now I have only one-Lui and 2 love birds. Lui has been imprinting the lovebirds since the time he has lost his friend.He is quiet scared of us.It is only when I offer him some cat-food as treats that he comes close to me. I have been trying to get closer to him, but it is not happening though he is a little better than before. Another thing that I have noticed is that he is quiet calm at my mother's place and with my mother, and he runs for his life when he hears or sees my husband. Will he ever get comfortable with us? Does it take this long for them to get friendly? This is the first time we have a duck/geese as a pet and we are trying to read up and behave in a way that he does not feel threatened. Please do help.

Some adapt right away, some take time and some not at all. They may not see you as a threat but that won't stop them from running away or quacking till you leave. If they come up to you and eat out of your hand then thats a pretty good indication of trust. I've had two adopted girls for over a month now and it wasn't until this week they would finally eat out of my hand and let me touch their back maybe once or twice before running away.

They don't wiggle at all anymore when I catch them but still, as long as they are fine with the flock I'm okay if they don't want to be around me.

You can try always bringing treats every time you come around, may take a few weeks but eventually they will associate you as the treat person and should keep coming.

 

[chickens really]

Hello,
The Ducks in my avatar are all rescues I saved from a pond..The Small Duck was from an auction and had zero human contact either...
Blossom the tiny Hen is about a year old...She adopted the three bigger Ducklings when they were 2 weeks old...All were terrified of people...Today they all are easy to herd and I never try to touch them...I say bedtime and they waddle back to the run...Time and patience is all thats needed..

 

[Lazilymarried]

Some adapt right away, some take time and some not at all. They may not see you as a threat but that won't stop them from running away or quacking till you leave. If they come up to you and eat out of your hand then thats a pretty good indication of trust. I've had two adopted girls for over a month now and it wasn't until this week they would finally eat out of my hand and let me touch their back maybe once or twice before running away.

They don't wiggle at all anymore when I catch them but still, as long as they are fine with the flock I'm okay if they don't want to be around me.

You can try always bringing treats every time you come around, may take a few weeks but eventually they will associate you as the treat person and should keep coming.

He has started eating (Cat-food) from my hand since a week. I have made cat-food his treat for now. It is a trouble catching him but once I catch him and make him sit with me he lets me pet him. So I guess it may take time, but he will get comfortable around us.Thank you!

 

[Lazilymarried]

Hello,
The Ducks in my avatar are all rescues I saved from a pond..The Small Duck was from an auction and had zero human contact either...
Blossom the tiny Hen is about a year old...She adopted the three bigger Ducklings when they were 2 weeks old...All were terrified of people...Today they all are easy to herd and I never try to touch them...I say bedtime and they waddle back to the run...Time and patience is all thats needed..

Oh that's nice..
I am getting a good feeling about him getting comfortable very soon now..
Thank you!