Wild Canadian Gosling Not Growing

[duckylover2201]

There is a pond located behind my house and there is a 1 month old baby duckling (NO SIBLINGS) that is just not growing barely at all. There are a few ducklings that belong to a different family that were born about two and a half weeks after him and they are now the same size as him and one is a little bigger. He is about the size of a 1 week old gosling. He is the sweetest little duckling and I named him Herbert and now every time I call his name he comes and stands at my feet. HIs parents are also very sweet and never get upset with me about picking him up to sit in my lap. I believe that he has partially imprinted on me considering the fact that he is not afraid of me. I have brought him home twice and spent time with him and checked under his wings for pin feathers which I did not end up observing. His parents are extremely good at caring for him but the first day I brought him home it was because he was flipped over by another goose and being attacked. I was just wonderin what you guys thought about me keeping him and feeding him a starter/grower formula from my local feed store (I already purchased it but he wont eat it at the pond). Thanks!

 

[Pyxis]

Wait, is this a duckling or a gosling? I wouldn't take it. It's illegal to take it, and if you do take it, you'd have to keep it - they only learn to fly south by following their parents so if you tried to release it later, it would die because it wouldn't be able to find its way south for winter. Also, you'd have to constantly keep his wings clipped because just because he doesn't know where he's going doesn't mean he won't fly off, and then he'd get lost and probably starve. If he's not growing but there are others there in the same environment that are, that means that he's probably getting all the proper nutrients he needs to grow and just isn't - this might mean there's something wrong with him and there's really nothing that can be done in that case.

 

[duckylover2201]

Its a gosling. I actually technically own the geese by law. The geese actually don't fly south for the winter and haven't for years. They always stay at the pond no matter what. A gosling was just about killed by a snapping turtle down there today and we were able to release her after taking her for some treatment at a local exotic vet. My fear is that he will not be able to grow and thus die from an attack or die like many of the goslings have (we aren't sure why). One of the smallest ducklings down at the pond got bitten on the neck today as well buy a larger goose and Im so glad I was there to free the poor baby! The geese always follow me home and wait outside for me to feed them after I come back from the pond

 

[Pyxis]

Oh well if you own him, that's different lol. In that case, do what you think you need to do to get him as healthy as possible.

 

[duckylover2201]

I just wanted to make sure the poor baby had the best chance of survival yet the last thing i want to do is make his parents distraught if he gets taken. I know that he will be ok staying with us because he loves sleeping underneath my hair all the time! Do you think thathe has a better chance if I provide him with veterinary care and feed him starter/grower food?

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[nj2wv]

welcome to BYC !!