Sickly duck at local produce store...

[satay]

Whistles' face mask has started to develop over the past week.

 

[SampyArctica]

New photos...I can't get over how immense his wingspan is, I'm so in love with his wings.

It's just crazy how healthy he looks now, considering how he was when we found him. I find myself constantly getting surprised throughout the days when I'll just glance at him like I haven't seen him in a few days and just think, "WOW, he's so big!" Feels amazing.

He's roughly 63cm long now.

He's obviously not stretching them out at full-length here, but I get waves of pride whenever I look at this photo!

 

[subhanalah]

He IS getting big!
Remember his little nubbins he had for wings when you got him. Feathers definitely make the bird lol.

 

[Miss Lydia]

He IS getting big!
Remember his little nubbins he had for wings when you got him. Feathers definitely make the bird lol.

They sure were tiny and looked like chicken wings you buy at the store.. he sure has come a long way and such a beautiful boy.

 

[SampyArctica]

For sure! He's just so gorgeous, I swear I fall more and more in love with him every day.

Still no signs of attacking or any aggressive behaviour at all yet either, which is always good. Haha. He's got a red spot developing under his right eye now, I can't wait until he has the big Muscovy face mask! At what age are they usually considered 'fully developed'?

 

[nayeli]

He is gorgeous.

 

[SampyArctica]

So Whistles woke me up this morning by waddling up to the bed and pulling the covers off, then when I went to stand up, he attacked my feet/legs. He's become VERY bitey, and his bites really hurt! When he went to town on my feet this morning, I did that pinning to the ground thing until he 'accepted' it. It didn't seem to bother him too much, when I let him up again, he started wagging his tail furiously and had his 'spinach face' raging hardcore - that's just what we call it when he starts kind of panting at us with his bill wide open, he first started doing it when we gave him greens ages ago but noticed he seems to do it whenever he's REALLY happy or he wants something that's in our hands (he seems to perpetually think anything we carry must be food).

I've heard that Muscovy males tend to just have a "bitey" behaviour, so is that's what is happening, or is this his mating behaviour starting to show...?

 

[Mashallaharabia]

My Muscovy drakes have NEVER bitten me, or tried to. I've been bitten many times by one particular hen ( only this one) on her nest, but the bites were nothing; didn't hurt at all, barely even a pinch, couldn't break the skin if they tried. But I keep my ducks in a natural free-range state, except for clipping their wings so they can't fly, the flock has all ages, both sexes, they all get along well with no aggression. I handle them only to clip wings. Your duck is living a life so unnatural and so far from a normal duck's needs and habitat --raised by humans,no flock, kept in the house as a pet--that I'm not at all surprised that some very aberrant behavior is showing up.

 

[Miss Lydia]

So Whistles woke me up this morning by waddling up to the bed and pulling the covers off, then when I went to stand up, he attacked my feet/legs. He's become VERY bitey, and his bites really hurt! When he went to town on my feet this morning, I did that pinning to the ground thing until he 'accepted' it. It didn't seem to bother him too much, when I let him up again, he started wagging his tail furiously and had his 'spinach face' raging hardcore - that's just what we call it when he starts kind of panting at us with his bill wide open, he first started doing it when we gave him greens ages ago but noticed he seems to do it whenever he's REALLY happy or he wants something that's in our hands (he seems to perpetually think anything we carry must be food).

I've heard that Muscovy males tend to just have a "bitey" behaviour, so is that's what is happening, or is this his mating behaviour starting to show...?

His hormones are starting up.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My Muscovy drakes have NEVER bitten me, or tried to. I've been bitten many times by one particular hen ( only this one) on her nest, but the bites were nothing; didn't hurt at all, barely even a pinch, couldn't break the skin if they tried. But I keep my ducks in a natural free-range state, except for clipping their wings so they can't fly, the flock has all ages, both sexes, they all get along well with no aggression. I handle them only to clip wings. Your duck is living a life so unnatural and so far from a normal duck's needs and habitat --raised by humans,no flock, kept in the house as a pet--that I'm not at all surprised that some very aberrant behavior is showing up.

Have you read her whole thread about Whistles, if you had you'd understand why he is an only duck right now, and yes they can get aberrant behavior when kept as only ducks and in the house but sometimes that's the way it is till things can be changed. Sampy is working on all of it. And we are all proud of what she has done for Whistles.