Injured Duck

[chris330r]

I registered here to ask about this as I don't know what to do for the poor guy...

I live on a pond where there's lots of Muscovy ducks that live here. The same family of about 10 or so ducks have been here for years. One of the large males got a fishing hook caught in the red part of it's bill. (Those red bumps that are all along the side of their beaks and heads.)

It seems to have penetrated it's beak and tongue as well because he cannot eat anymore. I toss bread to him and he tries to eat it but can't get it down past the hook, and coughs it out of his moth and walks away.

Up close I can see it's a 3 pronged hook and penetrated pretty deep. The rubber fish attached to it it still hanging off it too. It's just a nasty and sad thing to see. For the past week he's been like this and seems to sleep right under my bedroom window which breaks my heart because it seems he wants me to help but whenever I get close to him, he runs away.

I tried looking up animal services here in the Orlando area where I live and e mailed one place, but no luck. I'm hearing impaired so it's impossible for me to pick up the phone to call different places to get help.

Will he just starve to death like this if he can't eat? And how long will it take? I hate to see him in such pain and misery every day. And there's just no way for me to catch him and even if I did, i'm no surgeon and would probably do MORE damage if I tried removing the hook.

Should I just leave him alone and let nature take it's course? I live next to a park and have lots of neighbors that have surely seem this poor duck and it seems no one even cares to help him. Any advice is much appreciated.

If I can i'll get a picture to add here.

 

[crazy4ChickensNducks]

It should be quite easy to get the hook out, I would grab a friend and a net, capture him and have somebody hold him in a towel and slowly take it out, even if you see some blood the duck will be fine, muscovys are survivors!

 

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC!

Do you think you can catch him?

 

[Jpat]

As a purebred smalltown redneck ive had lots of hooks in every part of my body

You use needle nose pliers to hold it and wire cutters to cut the tips off the hook because 99% of fish hooks are barbed on the ends and pulling them out causes damage


The hard parts catching him. i assume hes week from not eating and they are slow on land. you need a buddy to help herd him away from the water

I can run and catch my ducks they arent fasrlt

Goodluck! your doing the right thing

 

[chris330r]

That's the thing. I don't think I can catch him. He's a big duck (male) and he gets close to me when I hold out the bread, but as soon as he sees me reach out for the hook, he sprints away quickly.
It's like he doesn't want me to touch it which tells me he's in pain. Possibly he'll get weaker from not eating and it'll be easier to catch him? What about diseases? Could I catch anything by touching him, especially around his tongue and beak?

 

[Jpat]

That's the thing. I don't think I can catch him. He's a big duck (male) and he gets close to me when I hold out the bread, but as soon as he sees me reach out for the hook, he sprints away quickly.
It's like he doesn't want me to touch it which tells me he's in pain. Possibly he'll get weaker from not eating and it'll be easier to catch him? What about diseases? Could I catch anything by touching him, especially around his tongue and beak?

You could get salmonella but its no more of a chance than the fresh food ilse at the grocery store. Just wash up afterwards

If you can corner him with a few friends it should work

they flap harder than you think so a big bear hug around his wings is good, and they have big claws and like to scratch so wear a coat

Bring an old blanket and wrap him up from the neck down

 

[casportpony]

*Excellent* advice from @Jpat

 

[chris330r]

Thanks. He's gone now but usually comes back around the end of the day. I only have basic pliers, so will have to get a pair of wire cutters. I certainly don't want to cause more damage to him.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Wire cutters and please take care of this it would be such a shame for him to die of starvation. I have Muscovy walk slowly behind him into the corner of a building and have help with you I'd say at least 2 more so you can each walk slowly and herd. Or find someone with a very larger fishing net even a blanket will work. After you get the hook out clean the wound as well as you can salty warm water will even work. But please help him this breaks my heart.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

I registered here to ask about this as I don't know what to do for the poor guy...

I live on a pond where there's lots of Muscovy ducks that live here. The same family of about 10 or so ducks have been here for years. One of the large males got a fishing hook caught in the red part of it's bill. (Those red bumps that are all along the side of their beaks and heads.)

It seems to have penetrated it's beak and tongue as well because he cannot eat anymore. I toss bread to him and he tries to eat it but can't get it down past the hook, and coughs it out of his moth and walks away.

Up close I can see it's a 3 pronged hook and penetrated pretty deep. The rubber fish attached to it it still hanging off it too. It's just a nasty and sad thing to see. For the past week he's been like this and seems to sleep right under my bedroom window which breaks my heart because it seems he wants me to help but whenever I get close to him, he runs away.

I tried looking up animal services here in the Orlando area where I live and e mailed one place, but no luck. I'm hearing impaired so it's impossible for me to pick up the phone to call different places to get help.

Will he just starve to death like this if he can't eat? And how long will it take? I hate to see him in such pain and misery every day. And there's just no way for me to catch him and even if I did, i'm no surgeon and would probably do MORE damage if I tried removing the hook.

Should I just leave him alone and let nature take it's course? I live next to a park and have lots of neighbors that have surely seem this poor duck and it seems no one even cares to help him. Any advice is much appreciated.

If I can i'll get a picture to add here.

Thanks for being willing to try to help him! We've all heard the stories of people who won't get involved (in various scenarios where help is needed), and we should strive to be better than that.

Wishing you the best of luck!!