4 months ago my cat brought in a baby mallard duckling only a few days old, it was very late at night at we assumed she was abandoned so we kept her (she was unharmed)
She grew up healthy and attached to me and my two cats (she bosses them around!), staying with me at all times and sleeping in my room on my bed,
She was brought in by my cat just a day after my grandma passed which really helped me in grieving and we named her after my grandma's nickname 'Gilly'
For almost 2 months I've been taking her out in the garden where she has a large kiddie pool to swim in and a small tub to preen in,
She has flown off twice, both times where she has been spooked but I've watched where she landed and been able to go retrieve her (she's never been given the chance to come back herself)
I should also mention at the end of our garden is a small drop into a flowing brook which leads to a river, she has never expressed any interest to go down there though.
Yesterday I left her outside with my young cat for a maximum of about 3 minutes, I heard a loud quack and ran outside and couldn't find her anywhere, my cat was inside licking herself! (my other cat, the one who brought her in, looks after her very well although I know they can't be trusted with a responsibility like that, they're only cats!)
The worst thing is that I didn't see what direction she flew in,
I spent all day yesterday and today looking all over the garden, in neighbors' gardens, all down the Brook as far as I could wade in the water, looked in the field across the brook where she once landed, and even looked in the field across the road, she is nowhere to be seen!
There is also a new reserve just a street over that is full of ducks, me and my mum visited today and called for her, she didn't respond which I'm sure she would. She would've had to fly very high over the house which I've never seen her do.
She has also never had contact with another duck, she's grown up with humans and cats so I'm worried that other ducks may kill her
I am only 16 and my little Gilly is my life,
I wanted to clip her wings but my family said it was cruel, now I know I should've just done it
I know if she does come back I will clip her wings first!
I am heartbroken, I'm so worried for her, I can't eat or sleep,
do you think she'll come back?
Is there anything I can do to coax/bring her home besides calling her for hours?
This photo was taken only 2 minutes before she disappeared, I was watching them from the window,
if only I'd watched a bit longer
She grew up healthy and attached to me and my two cats (she bosses them around!), staying with me at all times and sleeping in my room on my bed,
She was brought in by my cat just a day after my grandma passed which really helped me in grieving and we named her after my grandma's nickname 'Gilly'
For almost 2 months I've been taking her out in the garden where she has a large kiddie pool to swim in and a small tub to preen in,
She has flown off twice, both times where she has been spooked but I've watched where she landed and been able to go retrieve her (she's never been given the chance to come back herself)
I should also mention at the end of our garden is a small drop into a flowing brook which leads to a river, she has never expressed any interest to go down there though.
Yesterday I left her outside with my young cat for a maximum of about 3 minutes, I heard a loud quack and ran outside and couldn't find her anywhere, my cat was inside licking herself! (my other cat, the one who brought her in, looks after her very well although I know they can't be trusted with a responsibility like that, they're only cats!)
The worst thing is that I didn't see what direction she flew in,
I spent all day yesterday and today looking all over the garden, in neighbors' gardens, all down the Brook as far as I could wade in the water, looked in the field across the brook where she once landed, and even looked in the field across the road, she is nowhere to be seen!
There is also a new reserve just a street over that is full of ducks, me and my mum visited today and called for her, she didn't respond which I'm sure she would. She would've had to fly very high over the house which I've never seen her do.
She has also never had contact with another duck, she's grown up with humans and cats so I'm worried that other ducks may kill her
I am only 16 and my little Gilly is my life,
I wanted to clip her wings but my family said it was cruel, now I know I should've just done it
I know if she does come back I will clip her wings first!
I am heartbroken, I'm so worried for her, I can't eat or sleep,
do you think she'll come back?
Is there anything I can do to coax/bring her home besides calling her for hours?
This photo was taken only 2 minutes before she disappeared, I was watching them from the window,
if only I'd watched a bit longer
