Stressed and squealing duck

[Ellyhutch]

My almost-one-year-old Muscovy has been acting really weird this week. She lives inside and has been running around the house like she is being chased and squealing like a pig like she's terrified. It's really stressing me out. She is laying normally and acting normal otherwise. Any ideas?

 

[Everose]

Some essential oils can be super toxic and have been know to cause crazy behavioral and neurological symptoms in animals, that's why I asked.

If your duck hasn't been exposed to a lot of tee tree oil, I'm thinking she might be responding to a change in her environment.

Have you added any new fixtures to your house or has there been any new ducks around her? Does she do this at certain times of day or when someone does something that bothers her?

 

[KaleIAm]

She sounds stressed to me. If my duck were stressed I would put her in a quiet dimly lit room.

 

[KaleIAm]

She already lives in a quiet dimly lit room! I have been taking her out of her pen when she is squealing in it and putting her on the couch with me, but she ends up flying back in it half the time. It's so odd.

Hmmm... Teach her deep breathing exercises? Sorry, I'm not sure then!

 

[KaleIAm]

It's possible. I try not to take her out too much because she flies off into the neighbor's yard sometimes.

Would you consider trimming her flight feathers? Then you could safely take her outside for nature walks. My ducks live for nature walks.

 

[Ellyhutch]

Would you consider trimming her flight feathers? Then you could safely take her outside for nature walks. My ducks live for nature walks.

I have considered this. But she seems to love flying so much that it is a trade off. Which might she love more? I am moving to Oregon in two months, and I plan to trim them then so she can enjoy nature without flying too far.

 

[Everose]

This might seem like a weird question but, do you diffuse essential oils or use them a lot?

 

[Ellyhutch]

This might seem like a weird question but, do you diffuse essential oils or use them a lot?

I don't. I used to diffuse them a bit, maybe once or twice a week, but it's been several months.

 

[Ellyhutch]

Some essential oils can be super toxic and have been know to cause crazy behavioral and neurological symptoms in animals, that's why I asked.

If your duck hasn't been exposed to a lot of tee tree oil, I'm thinking she might be responding to a change in her environment.

Have you added any new fixtures to your house or has there been any new ducks around her? Does she do this at certain times of day or when someone does something that bothers her?

That's part of the reason I stopped diffusing them. Thanks for thinking of it.

No changes other than the weather?! My only thought was that maybe the longer days, her getting older, hormones, whatever could be the reason. But truly, no other changes at all, unless she's sensing that I'm about to go out of town for a week.

 

[Everose]

I wonder if giving her a lot of exercise would help. I don't have muscovy but I know they can be a little rotten and usually they seem very active, so maybe she's not getting enough stimulation?