 
By Lori Goodman  Considering owning a duck or giving one as a gift? Please read this. 3 minutes now will save
time and trouble later.
Baby ducklings are irresistable for the first 2 weeks. They lose their "cute and fuzzy look" as they prepare to get their first feathers. For the next 4 weeks they eat, poop, cheep and sleep. The mess, the work, the noise and the smell can be overwhelming. Ducklings outgrow their cage or box at about 2-3 weeks of age. This is when most are thrown away, or dumped into local ponds and lakes, because their care gets increasingly difficult. A duckling for Easter? By summer you will have a full grown duck. Ducks live 10 to 15 years, sometimes longer. Once a duck "imprints" on humans, you can't release them into the wild without sending them to their death. A duck is not a novelty or a toy you can set aside when you're done playing with it Ducks sold in pet stores, domestic ducks, are not physically or instinctively equipped to live in the wild. Domestic ducks have been bred in captivity for hundreds of years. They have weak legs, their body weight is too heavy to allow them to fly. Unlike their wild duck cousins, domestic ducks cannot fly to safety. They cannot migrate to food when existing food sources disappear in the winter. Without human intervention they often starve to death. Most people mean well, but they mistakenly feed ducks bread and crackers, leading to malnutrition and other health problems. Food that humans leave for ducks attracts vermin that carry deadly disease. Duck dumping creates complicated problems for wild ducks and their natural habitat.
Ducks are not a suitable pet for a child. Taking care of ducks requires time, effort and comittment. Unless you can provide excellent supervision, keep ducks and kids apart. If you have an existing pet, think very carefully about introducing a duck. There are exceptions to the rule, but the rule is that dogs and cats instinctively see a duck as dinner, not a companion. A dog that plays well with a duck for years can attack your duck at any time. Your neighbor's pets, wild raccoons, rats, and other predators can pose a safety threat to your duck. If you work long hours or travel a duck is not a good pet for you. Ducks need attention, and they will quack to get it - often in the middle of the night, disturbing your neighbors. It's not easy to find a "ducksitter" and boarding them is far more difficult than finding accommodations for a dog or cat. Keeping a duck caged is unhumane. A duck is an "exotic" pet. That means your average cat and dog vet will not be able to help you in an emergency. Finding a reputable exotic vet is difficult. If you can't afford to pay expensive vet bills, a duck is not the pet for you. Some people think a duck would be a "cool pet" to own, especially teenagers or parents of small children who think a duckling would be a cute gift for Easter. Stop and think. A duck is not a novelty or a toy you can set aside when you're done playing with it. You cannot dump a domesticated duck into a wild environment and expect it to survive long. It upsets the natural balance of the lake or pond. You might be thinking: "What's one duck going to harm?" Try thousands of ducks, each and every year that people dispose of after they begin to get difficult to care for. These ducks breed with domestics like themselves and wild ducks alike. The problems caused by duck dumping often end with euthanization. (capture and kill). Do not contribute to this growing problem. Get a duck ONLY if you are willing to make a 10-15 year committment to care for the animal properly or not a recommended plan but better than release is to set up in advance a place to bring your duck if it doesn't work out, such as a no-kill farm. When cared for properly, ducks make wonderful pets. 
More information on Easter Ducks: • Prevent Easter Cruelty to Animals • Abandoned domestic ducks and geese left to fend for themselves • Easter No Holiday for Throwaway Pets • Real Animals Don't Make Appropriate Easter Gifts • Should You Buy an Easter Animal for a Pet? • Washington Times: Just Say No to Easter Pets • Letter: Easter pets need lasting care • Easter Ducklings: A Duck's Worst Nightmare? • CDC: Salmonella hadar Associated with Pet Ducklings
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