PLEASE HELP Slug diet worrying me.

[maralynn28]

It's not the number, but the SIZE that is bothersome.
So apparently the rain this last week has caused some monster slugs to come out, seriously never seen them so big. Today alone my best slug slurper ate 2 that were the length of my hand outstretched and the size of a small pinecone when balled up.

I'm very happy that she's loving these 'treats' that I am so willing to part with, but it really worries me...she seems to have a difficult time getting them down. She drinks water and shakes her head and it usually works, but this last time she started foaming this gross yellow goo from her mouth and the other ducks kept pecking her in the face to eat the goo.

Looks like her bill is all slimey too, she flung plenty of goo around, but I don't know if her nostrils will get clogged and if water is enough to clean them out.

Also, I'm actually worried she might choke on one.

I'm very proud of my slug napper but should I discourage this until she's a bit bigger and can handle it? Or should I let her enjoy her natural talent and is there something I can do to help her break down the slime?
She's growing her feathers in faster than the rest of the crew too...I'm assuming all the extra slug protein.lol.

 

[Pupsnpullets]

I don't really know what to say other than 'you go, girl!' I think she'll probably be ok.

 

[columbiacritter]

LOL!!! Mine have grabbed banana slugs that take them FOREVER to get down then they are covered with nasty slug slime. BLEAH!! Than they go after another one. When I was moving a pile of rotting wood they were eating regular size slugs as fast as they could.

Don't worry, so long as the slugs aren't covered with slug bait your ducks can eat as many as they can find.

 

[katharinad]

Mine are gulping tree frogs. They sometimes get stuck in their mouth and shaking is not cutting it. I've seen them actually stepping on a frog leg just to get them back out of their mouth. Only to see them seconds later giving it another try until they succeed. Followed by a load of dirt and water. They never had an issue once it is in their crop. Makes you wonder. I guess yours even love the taste of the slug slime. We are lucky we don't have slugs out here in the Oregon mountains. To dry out here. Had a load in Maryland until I planted herbs. My neighbor later complained about an invasion. Wonder where they came from?

Katharina

 

[maralynn28]

Yay That's nice to know. I checked on her again tonight and she looks like she's ready for more slugs. There IS a problem though...she's growing faster than the others due to her AWESOME foraging skills, and has developed some wing issues. I'm now searching prev posts on how to properly tape wings, based on Storey's description she has lazy wing AND twisted wing...unless they look the same?

Poor baby, I guess I have to learn all new things now.

 

[katharinad]

Call your vet and ask if you can buy 3M Vetrap from them. It sticks to itself, does not stick to feathers, allows the birds chest to move, and comes in several colors. The human version from 3M is called Coban , but cost much more.
Katharina