Panting duckling? Don't think he's hot...

[aduckstolemyheart]

It looks like one of my ducklings, the Pekin, is panting a lot lately. In situations where I am pretty sure he cannot be overheating. It looks just like it's panting. It's bill opens and he moves it up and down just like I have always seen my ducks do when they get too hot, except that the temperature is around 70 and their light is not on.

Any other reason a duckling would pant?? Georgie is about 5 weeks old.

 

[Amiga]

Stuffy nostrils?

Maybe there is some schmutz (how do you spell that?) in his nostrils. Has he been able to bathe lately? Or at least dunk his entire head in water and snort, to clean it out?

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

Ya know, he has had water, but he did not get to bathe yesterday, because it was freezing here and rainy for two days, so the babies have been inside. I usually throw them into the bath tub once every evening, because they keep just filthy in no time. lol However I was out of town yesterday and had to get a duck sitter for the day.

I wonder if that's it? I don't see anything obvious, but he's pretty dirty so I will just go plop him in the tub for a bit and let him dip his head in there 100 times like he always does! Hopefully that will help.

Thanks!

 

[maralynn28]

I would try Amiga's suggestion
One of my babies was doing that too...I thought maybe she was choking or something so I took her to the water and gently dunked her head in...after that she actually took a drink and seemed fine again. I don't know if that's what it was, or if I helped, but if it was the problem I wonder why she didn't do it herself.

 

[Amiga]

When I am concerned, I give my ducklings a dose of vitamins in their water. Do you have duck vitamins? Or, perhaps just a yummy finely shredded salad, for a boost.

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

No vitamins, but they do have time to forage daily (well most days besides today! Darn weather!) And I also give them some scrambled egg twice a week along with fresh greens.

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

It's official, Amiga nailed it. He has a stuffy nose! I heard it after his bath today, when I was drying him. I hear it, as he breathes through his nose, it sounds squeaky and stuffed. He is not having any discharge, and have not heard any coughing etc. Just a stuffy nose. His appetite is fine, and I would not have figured him as sick, but now I think he may have a little something.

What causes just a stuffy nose in ducks, or is this just the start of something more? What should I do for him preemptively?

 

[Amiga]

Duck noses can get stuffed with dust from bedding, bits of fluff and feathers, lint, crumbles, and probably a host of other things.

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

Yeah, I imagine they could. Would a good bath not have worked that stuff out of there?

 

[Amiga]

Depends on how much stuff is in there, and how packed up it is. Sometimes they need a few opportunities to vigorously rinse and snort.