Slightly better typing ability now, so a text update:
I know I had friends from around the world in Spain, Wales, England and Canada (as well as North America and Australia) who were following the story! Lucky Basil to already have people who care about him all over the place! I hadn't thought about taking it to the newspaper, but it could be a great idea just to let people know that they shouldn't just abandon eggs if they find them because
what if??
As for if s/he'll want to go back to the wild, I'll let him decide that when he is older of course! There's lots of predators around here (I lost most of my previous pet ducks, geese, chickens and guinea fowl) to foxes, snakes, feral cats and wild dogs, so I would be very scared for him... but for now I will just help him as best I can and hopefully help him grow up into a strong and beautiful Wood Duck!
I'm frightened about this first night! Our brooder box doesn't have a lid at the moment, and I think bugs might get in for the light. But I don't want to put a lid on because I'm not entirely sure about the fire-safety of the lamp we're using (but Basil seems to love cuddling it!). Even if I used my other lamp, I think it would still stop me from putting a lid on because it clips onto the side and isn't self supporting.
The other thing I'm noticing although I don't know if it is normal for baby ducklings, but WOW can he JUMP! He is almost jumping right out of the brooder box in the picture! He crouches down and wiggles his tail and then springs super high. Perhaps he is practicing for the wood duck hatchling rite of jumping out of the tree hollow or something, but it's amazing that he has so much energy. He takes long naps now at least, it's taken him quite a while to stop and sleep, but in between when he is awake he peeps and peeps until I come and sit near the brooder and put my hands in (and then he snuggles in oh he's so cute and small and soft!!!), but sometimes he is jumping up high and getting the claws on his toes tangled in the towel and he wings up hanging by one leg. He seems to be able to get himself down (because one time I went to rescue him but he got himself down), but I'm not sure if I should be more worried about this? I don't mind the jumping so much as the strain it might put on his leg if he twists it wrong.
He hasn't eaten anything yet although he dabbles a little at the water I put in there but mostly shakes his head at it and flicks it everywhere. He picks and pecks a lot at
anything that he sees, from fingers to fibes on the towel to tissues, as though he's hungry, but I offered him some cooked up wholegrain rolled oats and he sort of shook his head and spat them out, and the same when I offered him some minced up brocolli and beans. I still don't have any duckling starter, but I thought he might like the greens-- perhaps it's just too early for him to be hungry.
He sure is active though, and despite not eating he's already done two large poops which is pretty impressive! I guess he's passed the yolk out or something, and that's just the start of a future filled with duck poops, hahaha XD
