Is My Duck Scared Of Water??!!

[kyla]

My duck absolutely refuses to go in our pond. The only way he will go in is if I throw him in. But then he gets right back out. What can I do?! We got him so we can clean out our pond.............

 

[Kevin565]

1. Do NOT throw him in. You are just scaring him more.

2. Ducks do not clean out ponds very well. Are you hoping for him to eat aquatic matter?

3.. Not all ducks enjoy water. It's perfectly normal for him to not want to go swimming.

 

[jak2002003]

Clean out the pond?! He will poop in it and pull up any plants, also dabble about in the banks and make holes and mud pits. Ducks love making a mess!

Don't worry about him being afraid of the water. Mine were like that for ages, but eventually instinct will take over the he will find out how good it is for himself.

Don't throw him in, that will make him more frightened of you water - and you.

If he is a muscovy duck, they don't swim as much as other ducks, perhaps only bathing a couple of times a day.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

not to mention a solo duck wont do much for a pond. Ducks are flock creatures and need the company of other ducks. As Kevin mentioned some just dont enjoy water as much as others. To continue to traumatize the bird by throwing it into the water isnt a good idea. We have a drake who hates water, he will bath, but doesnt like deep water.

Often with natural ponds duck sense danger and refuse for good reason to not enter the water.

 

[Mike Winters]

how big is the pond it could have seen a snapping turtle or pike and it made nervous of water that it cant see through

 

[jak2002003]

I just remembered my duck suddenly became afraid of the water and would not go into the lake at all. They would waddle around the banks and keep stretching their necks over the water. Even sneaking down to have a drink, then running back up the bank.

Then my ducks started disappearing at the rate of one a week. One night I found out why they were disappearing and why the ducks were afraid of the water..........it was a huge python! It was in the process of swallowing a duck - out of reach in the water.
After that I had to re home most of my ducks and just kept a pair as pets in my garden - away from the lake.

 

[kyla]

Well we got him to eat the algae in the pond.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

that doesnt mean you shouldnt provide proper housing, food, another duck to be with. It also doesnt mean throw the lone duck into the water. Not all ducks will "do" what the human want them to, this needs to be understood from the get go. Housing, feed, and all proper care should also be understood long before adding any animal to your care.

 

[jak2002003]

Maybe you do have good housing and feed for you duck. I have to say that a duck will not eat algae! Where did you get that idea from? It ill eat aquatic plants and water animals mostly.

How is he doing? how old is he? How big is you pond? You do have somewhere to keep him safe at night right? He will eventually discover the joys of the water on his own - you don't have to teach him.

 

[kyla]

All of our ducks before has eaten the algae before. IDK how old he is. Our pond is between med and large. We feed and water him and put him up at night.