Owning a pet duck

So I have a pet duck, his name is Walker and he is an Indian Runner Duck. Where ever we take him we always get asked about him and people adore him. What we get asked the most, is what is like having a pet duck.

First of all having a pet duck is like nothing you would expect. We got our little walker when he was a couple of days old and spend as much time with him in the first couple of days as possible. A duckling is soft fluffy and super cuddly. They love snuggling you! We chose to get one so he would imprint to us. Some may say that is cruel, however we always have someone with him even now that he is big. He is rarely alone. Within hours he was following us around the house and cheeping happily at us. We continued to spend as much time with him as possible as a result, he is imprinted to us and still follows us around even now that he is full grown. Now ducklings are noisy and messy! We had Walker inside for the first 8 weeks before we let him be free range outside. So if you get a duckling, don't expect to have clean carpet and expect to have duck food and water everywhere because they shake their heads as they eat. They also chirp constantly if you are not around. They were our only issues with Walker and the chirping stopped as he got older and the messiness isn't an issue because he is outside the whole time. Having a pet duck is such a great experience because they are loving and loyal just like other pets.

Food

Ducklings need a lot of water and it needs to be accessed at all times because they need it to swallow their food. We fed him chick starter which we bought from the breeder to start with. Now he is outside most of the time he mainly eats bugs, dirt and grass. 

Housing

We had Walker inside for the first 8 weeks before we put him out to free range around the back yard. He knows where he can and can't go and never ventures far but he is much happier in the yard free. We tried caging him while we weren't home but he didn't like it and as a result he wasn't as friendly towards us. Since he has been 100% free range he is so much happier and friendly. 

Temperament

Friendly and sweet but also territorial. He doesn't like unknown things in his yard and chases them away. Towards people he is kind and loving, shy at times but very friendly. 

Life Span

Ducks can live anywhere from 3 years right up until 12. So don't get a pet duck as a novelty, only if you are willing to make that kind of commitment.  

Here are a few photos of him growing up.

And this is him all grown up a big snuggly duck!

If you have any further questions please feel free to ask!

Breed of the Week: Great Dane

So for this weeks breed of the week I have selected a favorite of mine from the Mastiff class, the Great Dane.

The Great Dane, also known as a German Mastiff, although large in appearance is usually regarded as a gentle giant because of their calm demeanor. This breed of dog rarely barks or becomes aggressive, only doing either of these two things if necessary. The Great Dane has so many wonderful qualities such as loyal companions. Unfortunately, because of this dogs size on average, Great Danes don't usually live past 10 years old, this is just an average as some Great Danes have been known to live to 13 years old.

Training is essential for a dog of this size for many reasons. An untrained dog of this size can be unruly and create problems when he is fully grown. It is not recommended to use a Great Dane as a jogging dog, especially when they are a puppy. Their bones and joints need time to grow and function and jogging and jumping while young could hurt their joints in the future.

Always remember when buying a puppy to either pick a  reputable breeder or a rescue. Backyard breeding is not recommended.



Male Great Danes can easily weigh between 50 -90KG ( 120-200 pounds) and reaching heights of 76-86 cm (30-34 inches) with females reaching between 45-60KG (100-130 pounds) and growing to 71-81cm (28-32 inches).
 Like most large breed dogs, Great Danes can suffer from hip dysplasia, bloat and heart disease.

The personality of these dogs is sweet, affection and gentle. They are often mistaken as being dangerous because of their size, however this is simply not true. To ensure the good nature of a Great Dane, early socialisation is needed. This needs to be done early and consistently, just by taking your puppy to a dog park, for walks and in and around lots of people allows them to socialise and learn the skills that they will need as an adult.

Highlights of the breed:

• Gentle giant, kind, affection and eager to please.
• Sadly, the majority of Great Danes are short lived.
• They need a lot of space because of their size.
• They are good with children.
• Easily trainable.

All in all, the Great Dane is a fantastic breed of dog with his only downfall being a few health issues and a short life span. 

I am in no way an expert of dog breeds, all of this has come from research.

10 Adorable Bunnies

So everybody loves bunnies, and if someone tells you they don't, you need to stop talking to that person immediately because you don't need that kind of negativity in your life.... You need these adorable photos of bunnies!!!!
. 

Baby Giraffe

Follow on twitter
@animalspot1

Baby Polar Bear

Cats in Pots

DUCKS!!!

Not all of these ducks pictures are mine and the ones that are mine is my duck, his name is walker... after the walking dead.
ENJOY :)

And here is some of my Walker.