Update on Ducklings! & Concerns

[QuakieChan]

Hi everyone! Thank you for your feedback on my prior post about my new ducklings. They're about a week old now and as mischievous as ever. They often break out into sprints around the house. I like to think that they're playing tag. They're absolute jokesters and super adorable! Pictures to come!

However as fun as they are, I do have a few concerns about them. The braver of the two has taken to occasionally pecking at his sister's eye. She obviously doesn't like it due to her little peeps when he does it, but I cannot explain this behavior! I've taken to grabbing his beak lightly every time he does it and scold him. He's a very intelligent duck so he understands that I'm scolding him, but getting him to stop pecking his sister's eye is a work in progress. Any idea why he's doing this or how i can stop it?

I've also noticed that when they're sleeping, the both of them seem to have a clogged nostril. I hear these little clicking sounds sometimes when they're sleeping and I'm worried if they can breathe properly this way. I've allowed them adequate time during their baths to blow their noses out, but it seems as if their noses are still partially clogged. Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you!

Included in this thread are pictures of my ducklings! The darker one is Dusk, he's the one that's pecking at the lighter duck, Dawn's, eye.

 

[GanderGirl]

If you can separate them or give the girl a place to hid, until she’s old enough to defend herself... try to take a qtip and wipe away some of the snot and see if it helps at all

 

[llombardo]

Do they have water to dunk their bills at all times when food is available?

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

What type of water set up do you have?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Give them something to do a non breakable mirror may get Dusks attention on his self and leave his sissy alone. If you having nice weather take them outside in a protected area let them run around some to tire themselves out. Like lil kids too much energy can cause trouble.

They are adorable. I wouldn't separate them they will be very stressed. Unless Dusk is really injuring Dawn.

 

[QuakieChan]

If you can separate them or give the girl a place to hid, until she’s old enough to defend herself... try to take a qtip and wipe away some of the snot and see if it helps at all

Thanks for replying! And you're raising a valid point, but they've been together 24/7 since they've hatched so every time I separate them from each other for the slightest bit, they'll start crying right away.

I've never tried the qtip method, thanks for the advice!

 

[QuakieChan]

Do they have water to dunk their bills at all times when food is available?

Yes, they have access to food 18/7 due to the fact that they do tend to get messy and wet their whole enclosure. However, I believe that 18 hours a day are enough to blow their noses.

 

[QuakieChan]

What type of water set up do you have?

Our water set up is this little thing right here.

 

[QuakieChan]

Give them something to do a non breakable mirror may get Dusks attention on his self and leave his sissy alone. If you having nice weather take them outside in a protected area let them run around some to tire themselves out. Like lil kids too much energy can cause trouble.

They are adorable. I wouldn't separate them they will be very stressed. Unless Dusk is really injuring Dawn.

Thank you for the advice! That sounds like really good information! Always appreciate it.

 

[llombardo]

Our water set up is this little thing right here.

They will grow out of that pretty quick.

As mine got older I switched to an old cat fountain that the pump went out in. They are still able to use it now. I put it in a shallow pan which is helping keep things much dryer