Help bonding?

[kada6305]

I have 3 ducklings and just got them last wed. They turned a week old on sat. I seem to be having trouble to get them to bound with me? They are very scared and timid. Although I did manage to get them to eat some. smashed banana from me tonight. They always run away, hate being handled. I have 2 8 month pups and a cat so I'm nervous about letting them out of the brooder. Maybe that's what's causing them to not bound with us? Any help will be greatly appreciated. They get swims everyday, supervised. I never had ducks before. They are Mallards also.

 

[BickeringToast]

I have 3 ducklings and just got them last wed. They turned a week old on sat. I seem to be having trouble to get them to bound with me? They are very scared and timid. Although I did manage to get them to eat some. smashed banana from me tonight. They always run away, hate being handled. I have 2 8 month pups and a cat so I'm nervous about letting them out of the brooder. Maybe that's what's causing them to not bound with us? Any help will be greatly appreciated. They get swims everyday, supervised. I never had ducks before. They are Mallards also.

We have multiple dog here from 5lbs to 80lbs so I am not about loose ducklings either! Our 4 (3 weeks) get a supervised swim in the tub every evening and since the beginning I have closed myself in the master bath with them afterwards and let them roam around. They are green pea addicts but for the first week were not willing to eat from my hand if I put it in the brooder. But if I sat on the floor with them and held out my hand they had NO reservations! Now they are thrilled if I reach into their cage. They only want me for my bathtub and green peas!

Only one of them is at all happy when picked up.

 

[kada6305]

We have multiple dog here from 5lbs to 80lbs so I am not about loose ducklings either! Our 4 (3 weeks) get a supervised swim in the tub every evening and since the beginning I have closed myself in the master bath with them afterwards and let them roam around. They are green pea addicts but for the first week were not willing to eat from my hand if I put it in the brooder. But if I sat on the floor with them and held out my hand they had NO reservations! Now they are thrilled if I reach into their cage. They only want me for my bathtub and green peas!

Only one of them is at all happy when picked up.

they arent old enough for the peas yet. they were not so sure about the bananas either until rascal tried them and they all went nuts, fed them from my hand. hmmm maybe I should use the bathtub then ! I just use one of the plastic bins you can buy from walmart. i think we got a 15 gal. here are some pictures of them ( sorry, can't help it! cant get over how big they have gotten!) all pictures are taked today, 9 days old.


Rascal


Love this shot rascal in top left. the pink and purple on bottom, pink and purple still no names but pretty sure they are females..we shall see in a few weeks though

 

[kada6305]

here you can see how much the have grown in the past 5 days, last two taken today, the top Left taken first day and the top right taken 2 days ago..

 

[BickeringToast]

They are just adorable!

My 4 do not actually live in the tub, but they have a large rabbit/guinea pig cage that I keep in the master bathroom. The room has heated floors, 2 hear lamps and easy access to their 'swimming pool'

 

[kada6305]

Yeah I figure they didn't live in there! Haha we got the biggest container bins at Walmart, 50 gallon I think? And are using that for my three. Cut big square in lid and covered hole with chicken wire. Woke up with rascal screaming because he jumped out.,,was middle of living room good thing dogs were in crate.. Cat was deathly afraid of him lol . And we use a 10 gallon bin for swimming... Which they are going to outgrow any day now so will have to try for tub lol

 

[BickeringToast]

Luckily the tub in this bathroom is pretty big or my giants would be bursting out! I think the key to bonding with them, for me, was being on the floor with them made it easier for them to get the courage to come to me for the treats. And there's another reason the bathroom has worked.....all evidence of 4 loose ducklings was so much easier to clean up on a tile floor!

 

[kada6305]

well big news!! I had rascal in kitchen with me for some one on one time while dogs were outside, easy floor cleanup in kitchen too lol. Anyways He kept following me around! imprinting? I take it he is starting to like me? I was so excited!