Water woes

[Amykins]

I realize this is probably an exercise in futility, but does anyone have any tips on how to give my houseduck more access to water without turning my home into Sea World?

Wobbles used to go on walks and take dunks in the lake behind my house, but considering it's a canada goose nesting area and there's an avian flu scare, I don't dare allow him outside until the epidemic has subsided. But Wobbles doesn't like taking daily dunks in the bathtub, and his bill is becoming dry and chapped from the lack of water.

He enjoys "bathing" in his water dish, but all that accomplishes is getting water all over the place! If he'd only enjoy his bathtime, there wouldn't be an issue. But since he wears a diaper I can't give him constant access to a water pan or pool for obvious reasons. I have some health issues and a schedule of my own I need to maintain, so I can't just drop everything and put him in the tub when he decides he wants to take a dip, after all.

So, yeah, I'm in a pickle! Anyone have a duck as weird as this little guy, or have some clever, unique solutions to this strange problem? For now all I can do is use vitamin E oil and vaseline to help his poor chapped bill. It's helping, but obviously it's no substitute for water contact. I have a humidifier in my room, but it only does so much.

 

[needlessjunk]

How about doing the whole milk jug/container with a lid and hole thing? He can dip his head without crawling in. I ended up using a gallon sized vinegar bottle with a hole in the side for my ducklings till they were larger than him.

 

[Amykins]

Hmm, I'll give that a try! The only problem would be how to keep the cats from drinking out of it. I could put it on a ledge, but if I do that Wobbles will simply push it over and get my new carpet thoroughly waterlogged. That's his new thing...he discovered he can knock things over, the heavier, the better!

 

[crazyfeathers]

Could you fence off an area in your yard and put a baby pool inside?

 

[Amykins]

Could you fence off an area in your yard and put a baby pool inside?

I don't have a yard. I do have a back porch, but my HOA is the worst thing on planet Earth and forbids any "unsightly" things on it. We're not even allowed to put flower pots on the railing or plant tall shrubs to hide any potential ugliness that it may be hiding! ...I know, right?

 

[Amiga]

We have a watering station . . . maybe you could set something up like that.
This catches all but a little bit of the splash my Runners make. In the depths of winter, this is where they bathe.

 

[Amykins]

We have something similar, but like I said his new hobby is spilling heavy containers and making messes.

I'm also a bit worried about him going in there with his diaper on, there are few things more unpleasant to clean up than a waterlogged, poop-filled diaper! Especially when Wobbles tries to nip and shake the stupid thing as you're trying to get it off of him.

 

[Tevyes Dad]

What did you find out? I was thinking, do you know why Wobbles doesn't like the bath tub? If it is too deep, you can lower the water. Maybe you make it too warm / cold for him. My ducks are happy in the tub when I run straight cold water (Brrrrrr) don't like the warm as much. Is the surface too slick - a no-skid shelf liner might fix that. Maybe it doesn't have enough peas in it

I would think if you could figure out what the objection to the tub is, that would be the easiest. Or you could put something he likes to swim in inside the tub. Then the splashes would end up in the tub.

Also, he could be getting hormonal drake bill (I am sure that is not what it is really called). I thought something was wrong at first with Tevye and Kaine. There bills got real red on either side and started looking chapped and peeling. And they have access to and use a kiddie pool almost every day. Looking around this forum, I found out that happens to drakes. They are both starting to look better, but it isn't pretty. I just went out and took this picture of Kaine:



Between the bill and him losing his green head so he can go cammo mode and molt, he is quite self-conscious so we won't tell him I posted his picture.

 

[seashoreduck]

We have a watering station . . . maybe you could set something up like that.
This catches all but a little bit of the splash my Runners make. In the depths of winter, this is where they bathe.

There are several weighted dog bowls that would fit well into a setup like this...and if you put a lid on it...or even a screen over it in the shape of a lid (like a canopy or teepee) it would discourage the cat from sharing.

 

[Amykins]

What did you find out? I was thinking, do you know why Wobbles doesn't like the bath tub? If it is too deep, you can lower the water. Maybe you make it too warm / cold for him. My ducks are happy in the tub when I run straight cold water (Brrrrrr) don't like the warm as much. Is the surface too slick - a no-skid shelf liner might fix that. Maybe it doesn't have enough peas in it

I would think if you could figure out what the objection to the tub is, that would be the easiest. Or you could put something he likes to swim in inside the tub. Then the splashes would end up in the tub.

Also, he could be getting hormonal drake bill (I am sure that is not what it is really called). I thought something was wrong at first with Tevye and Kaine. There bills got real red on either side and started looking chapped and peeling. And they have access to and use a kiddie pool almost every day. Looking around this forum, I found out that happens to drakes. They are both starting to look better, but it isn't pretty. I just went out and took this picture of Kaine:


Between the bill and him losing his green head so he can go cammo mode and molt, he is quite self-conscious so we won't tell him I posted his picture.

I won't tell him if you don't. He's got the 'green bill' from hormones, but between his flaky feet and his bill we agreed he needed more watuh. It's not that he hates water, not at all! But it has to be on HIS terms, ha! As I mentioned I have health issues so I can't always be there at his beckoned call when he finally does decide he wants to take a dip. If I just plunk him in the tub when I can, he'll just pout and stand there for up to half an hour before he finally relents and does anything. Half. An. HOUR.

There are several weighted dog bowls that would fit well into a setup like this...and if you put a lid on it...or even a screen over it in the shape of a lid (like a canopy or teepee) it would discourage the cat from sharing.

Weighted dog bowl? That's a thing that exists? I am intrigued... *rubs non-existent goatee*