Help! My beloved chocolate muscovy drake does not like his new friend!

[newduckmadre]

Felix hatched all alone, and he gets frantic when I am gone, wants me to hold him all the time. So he would have some company, I found him a slightly younger female (I think) - she is three weeks old and sooo sweet -- but all he does is bite her! I am thinking of returning her because she must be very unhappy. I have had to separate them to protect her. What is wrong with him? How can I make him behave? Should I resign myself to his being a lone --and lonely--duck forever!?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Felix hatched all alone, and he gets frantic when I am gone, wants me to hold him all the time. So he would have some company, I found him a slightly younger female (I think) - she is three weeks old and sooo sweet -- but all he does is bite her! I am thinking of returning her because she must be very unhappy. I have had to separate them to protect her. What is wrong with him? How can I make him behave? Should I resign myself to his being a lone --and lonely--duck forever!?

How old is Felix? when introducing new duck/ducklings it needs to be slowly done. and when you put them together put him in her brooder or even better put them in an area that's belongs to neither, that way they are on neutral ground. and be ready to interfere if he gets too rough. But you can also try introducing treats when you put them together, something like dried meal worms which Muscovy's love so they are more interested in eating than each other. If this works where they begin to do well together in neutral territory then start letting them be together longer and longer till they are snuggling together then you'll know it has worked, but don't give up too quick Felix really does need a duck friend he just doesn't know it yet. and

 

[newduckmadre]

Felix hatched all alone, and he gets frantic when I am gone, wants me to hold him all the time. So he would have some company, I found him a slightly younger female (I think) - she is three weeks old and sooo sweet -- but all he does is bite her! I am thinking of returning her because she must be very unhappy. I have had to separate them to protect her. What is wrong with him? How can I make him behave? Should I resign myself to his being a lone --and lonely--duck forever!?

He is only four weeks old, but very big and I think I have spoiled him. She follows him, he follows me, and he seems to get annoyed and bite her. He is going to have to live outside in a large pen (up until now, he has lived in a huge cardboard box at the end of the bed) and he will be lonely. Perhaps we can make it so they can see each other, but are separated so that he can't bite her. It's not even mating season! He shouldn't be hormonal already! Is it too late to get them to bond? Do I need another female for him? Help!

 

[Miss Lydia]

He is only four weeks old, but very big and I think I have spoiled him. She follows him, he follows me, and he seems to get annoyed and bite her. He is going to have to live outside in a large pen (up until now, he has lived in a huge cardboard box at the end of the bed) and he will be lonely. Perhaps we can make it so they can see each other, but are separated so that he can't bite her. It's not even mating season! He shouldn't be hormonal already! Is it too late to get them to bond? Do I need another female for him? Help!

Getting another female would be good for next spring since it will help the girl you have now not be over bred, and he isn't hormonal he's just being a stinker and not use to a duck in his life, keeping them where they can see each other but where he can't bite her would be a good idea, But I have 3 13 week olds that hatched together 1drake 2 ducks and even though they love each other they do bite each other, I think it's just natural. If you decide to get another female do it now so they can all grow up together.

 

[newduckmadre]

Thank you so much Miss Lydia! I will try anything! I really just want them all to be happy and healthy. It is so hard to find information on this subject. I have a biiiig enclosed duck house and run on order, which would be neutral ground. I suppose I should get a second female for him right away. I hope this works!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you so much Miss Lydia! I will try anything! I really just want them all to be happy and healthy. It is so hard to find information on this subject. I have a biiiig enclosed duck house and run on order, which would be neutral ground. I suppose I should get a second female for him right away. I hope this works!

That would be neutral ground and if you can put them together then disappear so he can't see you, Don't go far so you can get there quick in case he gets to biting to hard but just so he can't see you. Please keep us updated.

 

[newduckmadre]

Here is a more recent picture of him:

This is where he always wants to be. He's like a child.

 

[Amiga]

Oh, he is beautiful!

And from what I have read, Felix (don't let him read this) doesn't know he is a duck. So he probably doesn't know how to treat a duck. You may need to really give him a remedial lesson in being sweet to duckies. He may not want you to be jealous. Or, he may worry that you will like her too much.

Seriously, ducks have a much more sophisticated social sense than I think many people realize.

I just about became a duck when my runners arrived a few years ago, spent the better part of a year almost exclusively with them before beginning to return to human society. I gotta tell ya, there is alot going on in a flock!!


So follow Miss Lydia's advice. Take it slow. Reassure the guy that he is your number one. Have parties every day with both of them so they can associate a good time with being near each other.

 

[newduckmadre]

Oh, he is beautiful!

And from what I have read, Felix (don't let him read this) doesn't know he is a duck. So he probably doesn't know how to treat a duck. You may need to really give him a remedial lesson in being sweet to duckies. He may not want you to be jealous. Or, he may worry that you will like her too much.

Seriously, ducks have a much more sophisticated social sense than I think many people realize.

I just about became a duck when my runners arrived a few years ago, spent the better part of a year almost exclusively with them before beginning to return to human society. I gotta tell ya, there is alot going on in a flock!!


So follow Miss Lydia's advice. Take it slow. Reassure the guy that he is your number one. Have parties every day with both of them so they can associate a good time with being near each other.

Ha ha! Parties! I couldn't help envisioning them both in little hats. They seem to be getting along better now. I'll post some new pictures tomorrow (without hats).

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here is a more recent picture of him:

This is where he always wants to be. He's like a child.

That is a precious picture.. and I didn't tell you I have a drake who mama duck didn't want so my dh and I brought him inside and he became our baby, he was so imprinted on us and the dogs that he slept in one of the dogs bed and also would get in bed with us in the evenings before night night for cuddles, Lots of old towels on the bed. When he was 3 months old we went and got him some girls 3 of them so he could grow up with them and have his own lil group since the other drake had claimed the rest. He is a very well adjusted drake now and loves his girls but still enjoys spending time with his mama and daddy, and we love that he likes to be with us. I can tell you it is very important that he bond with his ducks early so you won't have problems when his hormones kick in drakes that think they are human can be a real pain when they want to mate with their human mama. and yes it happens a lot. So good for you getting him a friend while still so young I could have avoided a lot of problems with ours if I had gotten Opies girls when he was the age of Felix.