- Aug 6, 2011
- 1
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Hi everyone! Call me Pideaux. I'm 27 and living with my disabled mother for the time being to help her out some in Indiana. :3
For the past four months I've been keeping my eye on these forums and researching your thoughts and ideas on particular behaviors by using Google. Been wanting to join and finally got around to it today. ^.^
I know it's never reccomended to only have one duck, but that's just simply the way things work sometimes in the end. Which is what happened in my case. I work with a mentally challenged girl in her home and around Easter time, her parents decided it would be a grand idea to buy a small flock of baby mallards. They apparently didn't think it was a good idea to purchase proper feed, heat lamp or provide other things necessary for the chicks well being. Within a day, 3 of the 5 died from what I imagine to be malnutrition/starvation and simply the cold. So, being the great person I am, I told the people to let me take the last two or let me call Animal Control, their choice. :B
The whole plan was to raise the babies until they were mostly feathered. To find a good home for them, someone with ducks already would be perfect. Things never go as planned though.
The sibling died the next night, sick from being forced in water by the mentally challenged girl (she can't help it, though - This is the parents fault). I was left with Sammi, alone. The unused bathtub with heat lamp, ect was no longer sufficent for her. She demanded to sleep in a box next to my bed with her mirror or in my actual bed, snuggled up with me. >.< - Why didn't I buy another to keep her company? Because, my logic was, just a few more weeks and I'll be rid of her - No need to make myself do double the work. xD
My mother is physically disabled so after a few days I would return home from work not to see the duckling in the nice cozy box I provided her, but on the living room coffee table with treats, towels to lay on and toys. Days, weeks passed. Eventually I heard my mother discussing the duckling with her friend. And asking me if she thought we should keep cute little Sammi. I weighed out the pros and cons for her, told her that it was going to be one spoiled rotten duck and exceptionally needy not having another duck to share a home with.
Yeah - I was right. xD
We ended up keeping Sammi, she's going on 5 months right now and I couldn't be happier - neither could she. Free roam of a house, fresh fruits, vegitables, mealworms and crickets. A pool outside was purchased for her as well as a bathtub full of water for when it gets too hot. She's the biggest spoiled brat I've ever encountered, but I must say - I wouldn't have it any other way <3
With my work schedule and my mothers disability, it is nearly impossible to even consider another duck unfortunately. My mother has a kind heart where I have a strict and logical one - I love my babies, but I treat them like the species they are. My mother can't even consider putting Sammi in a cage for an hour to go to the grocery store, let alone fix a pen up outside for her "She'll be so lonely without us!", she says. xD
Treating a duck like a duck has made Sammi... affectionate towards me. Flirting, rubbing her neck along my legs and arms - Needs to be sitting behind me while I'm on the computer every night. It's cute and I don't try to look into the meaning too much. xD
Here's a few pics of my girl - The first is a favourite of mine. Nuke, my dog has taken quite a fancy to her. He grew up in a home where I continually fostered animals so has little interest in any new species or dog that he meets, he's seen it all. xD
http://pideaux.deviantart.com/gallery/30448322#
Sorry for such the long message, apparently I'm very talkative today. :B
For the past four months I've been keeping my eye on these forums and researching your thoughts and ideas on particular behaviors by using Google. Been wanting to join and finally got around to it today. ^.^
I know it's never reccomended to only have one duck, but that's just simply the way things work sometimes in the end. Which is what happened in my case. I work with a mentally challenged girl in her home and around Easter time, her parents decided it would be a grand idea to buy a small flock of baby mallards. They apparently didn't think it was a good idea to purchase proper feed, heat lamp or provide other things necessary for the chicks well being. Within a day, 3 of the 5 died from what I imagine to be malnutrition/starvation and simply the cold. So, being the great person I am, I told the people to let me take the last two or let me call Animal Control, their choice. :B
The whole plan was to raise the babies until they were mostly feathered. To find a good home for them, someone with ducks already would be perfect. Things never go as planned though.
The sibling died the next night, sick from being forced in water by the mentally challenged girl (she can't help it, though - This is the parents fault). I was left with Sammi, alone. The unused bathtub with heat lamp, ect was no longer sufficent for her. She demanded to sleep in a box next to my bed with her mirror or in my actual bed, snuggled up with me. >.< - Why didn't I buy another to keep her company? Because, my logic was, just a few more weeks and I'll be rid of her - No need to make myself do double the work. xD
My mother is physically disabled so after a few days I would return home from work not to see the duckling in the nice cozy box I provided her, but on the living room coffee table with treats, towels to lay on and toys. Days, weeks passed. Eventually I heard my mother discussing the duckling with her friend. And asking me if she thought we should keep cute little Sammi. I weighed out the pros and cons for her, told her that it was going to be one spoiled rotten duck and exceptionally needy not having another duck to share a home with.
Yeah - I was right. xD
We ended up keeping Sammi, she's going on 5 months right now and I couldn't be happier - neither could she. Free roam of a house, fresh fruits, vegitables, mealworms and crickets. A pool outside was purchased for her as well as a bathtub full of water for when it gets too hot. She's the biggest spoiled brat I've ever encountered, but I must say - I wouldn't have it any other way <3
With my work schedule and my mothers disability, it is nearly impossible to even consider another duck unfortunately. My mother has a kind heart where I have a strict and logical one - I love my babies, but I treat them like the species they are. My mother can't even consider putting Sammi in a cage for an hour to go to the grocery store, let alone fix a pen up outside for her "She'll be so lonely without us!", she says. xD
Treating a duck like a duck has made Sammi... affectionate towards me. Flirting, rubbing her neck along my legs and arms - Needs to be sitting behind me while I'm on the computer every night. It's cute and I don't try to look into the meaning too much. xD
Here's a few pics of my girl - The first is a favourite of mine. Nuke, my dog has taken quite a fancy to her. He grew up in a home where I continually fostered animals so has little interest in any new species or dog that he meets, he's seen it all. xD
http://pideaux.deviantart.com/gallery/30448322#
Sorry for such the long message, apparently I'm very talkative today. :B
