Muscovy Questions!

[Mikmt]

I work at a ranch/drive through zoo and I adopted a Muscovy duckling that someone had just dropped off to our office in a box... He/she is probably about 6 days old now and I only know the basics about them, mostly just reading about them online. But I have noticed his beak started off with a white tip almost like a Polka dot on the tip of his beak and it is slowly fading away and his beak is turning more red and getting darker. Does this change quickly as they get older ? I’m not sure if this is normal but it’s been a very noticable change in the short week that I’ve had him. Just hoping it’s not lack of nutrients or something ? I’ll take any help I can get with this little guy! He’s extremely happy and seems healthy! I posted 2 pictures, the lower quality pic is the day I got him and he has the white on his beak. The other pic you can see his beak is more brown and red.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Muscovy generally do have a section of the tip of the bill be a different color than the rest of the bill, so I would say that's normal. I haven't had a duckling that color so it should be interesting to see it feather out.

 

[hmarg06]

The white tip looks to me like its egg tooth. Those fall off in the first few days. You'd notice the red color more underneath after it's gone. He looks normal to me. It'll be fun to see how he feathers out.

 

[Miss Lydia]

X3 !
He is adorable

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Very cute!
Their tips do change and this looks normal to me.
They only dropped off one duckling?

 

[Mikmt]

Very cute!
Their tips do change and this looks normal to me.
They only dropped off one duckling?

Yes, they only dropped one off... I wasn’t there at the time so I never got to talk to the original owner on how he came about or if there were others!

 

[Mikmt]

Muscovy generally do have a section of the tip of the bill be a different color than the rest of the bill, so I would say that's normal. I haven't had a duckling that color so it should be interesting to see it feather out.

Ok great! Thank you for the info! Also, I will be moving to Florida in 2 weeks and from what I understand it is illegal to release them in the wild, however there are muscovy ducks everywhere along the canal my house will be on. Will I have to keep him from going in the canal and interacting with the wildlife? I’m going to feel so terrible if I have to keep him secluded from everything and not let him get to enjoy what the other muscovies are doing. Someone else told me the wild ones will probably not interact with him because of the human contact ?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Ok great! Thank you for the info! Also, I will be moving to Florida in 2 weeks and from what I understand it is illegal to release them in the wild, however there are muscovy ducks everywhere along the canal my house will be on. Will I have to keep him from going in the canal and interacting with the wildlife? I’m going to feel so terrible if I have to keep him secluded from everything and not let him get to enjoy what the other muscovies are doing. Someone else told me the wild ones will probably not interact with him because of the human contact ?

I know nothing about the wild muscovy in Florida except they are an invasive species. It could be illegal to let him go. It might be better to find him a new home. I'm sure those wild muscovy don't live too long either.

 

[casportpony]

The white tip looks to me like its egg tooth. Those fall off in the first few days. You'd notice the red color more underneath after it's gone. He looks normal to me. It'll be fun to see how he feathers out.

X2 on the egg tooth.