Pitiful Duckling

[TAWhatley]

Originally Posted by Pidgey

All I can say is it might be necessary to restrict how much he gets to eat at first as it might be very easy to overload his system. Best of luck, Terry.

Pidgey

Yeah .. I did already think of the food intake issue, Pidgey. This little one is so far down that one huge meal of good stuff could probably kill it. I neglected to post originally that I am also giving this young duck vitamins and minerals.

It has had a nice warm bath and got blow dried with the hair dryer. I was able to get most of the gunk off the head .. it was nasty .. like semi-solid snot. I don't think the duckling had ever been in water or even had enough water to submerge the beak so it could snort out and clean the nostrils. That little sweetie snorted and rubbed the head on those naked wings to beat the band .. also tried to use the feet to clean/preen. Given the fact that it really can't use the legs and that most of the toe nails are gone, I had to give it an A+ for effort .. it knew what it was supposed to do .. just couldn't do it.

Terry

[Trees Gray]

I'm so sad to see this poor little thing, my heart aches.

Thank you for doing your best for this sweetie, now at least it will get the nourishment and attention it so desperately needed and didn't get.

I can't imagine that Easter is just around the corner....

[TAWhatley]

Originally Posted by little bird

There is one positive for this little creature.....if it survives.....and I'm betting it will under Terry's devoted and capable care. This little guy will always live in Terry's sanctuary.....there is no way anyone could ever part with a rescue they bring back from so close to the brink.
The AVIAN WELFARE COALITION has been trying to get laws passed that forbid the sale of live animals through Pet Shops as the shop employees for the most part are totally ignorant of the care of the animals they are selling. The AWC has had some success in the area of selling un-weaned baby parrots and they are working hard to get more protection for all animals sold in pet stores
The fault of the buyers in this case is questionable.......what kind of advice were they told by the sellers? Perhaps they were following the stores advice to the letter. While common sense tells you something is not right when a baby animal looks this way......at least they surrendered the baby to be cared for. If only there was a law that you could not own an animal until you had learned what you need to know to care for it......that will not soon happen. In this crazy world of ours.....we aren't even required to know how to care for a human baby before having one.

Thanks, Nona. I'm glad there is some headway being made with the young parrots. Though the lady with the duckling didn't want to tell me where she got it, I'm pretty sure it came from Village Pets in Santa Ana. This pet store is notorious for selling ducklings and chicks with no instructions or good information for the buyers, and obviously, very little concern about what ultimately happens to the little creatures.

Myself and others have for years taken flyers to them with care/feeding information and have begged the owner to stop selling these little birds .. not much cooperation there. For sure, the help has really no clue and do more harm by giving incorrect information than if they just told the truth and said they didn't know.

Then there's the duckings, quail, and chicken chicks hatched in school classrooms each year .. I'll just wait for those to start coming in before I start ranting about that ... SIGH ...

Terry

[mr squeaks]

Originally Posted by TAWhatley

Yeah .. I did already think of the food intake issue, Pidgey. This little one is so far down that one huge meal of good stuff could probably kill it. I neglected to post originally that I am also giving this young duck vitamins and minerals.

If has had a nice warm bath and got blow dried with the hair dryer. I was able to get most of the gunk off the head .. it was nasty .. like semi-solid snot. I don't think the duckling had ever been in water or even had enough water to submerge the beak so it could snort out and clean the nostrils. That little sweetie snorted and rubbed the head on those naked wings to beat the band .. also tried to use the feet to clean/preen. Given the fact that it really can't use the legs and that most of the toe nails are gone, I had to give it an A+ for effort .. it knew what it was supposed to do .. just couldn't do it.
Terry

That sounds encouraging, Terry...with time and TLC...I bet this little cutie will become WONDER DUCKY!

I don't know anything about the recuperative powers of ducks but will he re-grow toe nails?

Love, Hugs and Scritches

Shi

[TAWhatley]

Originally Posted by EgypSwiftLady

If you name it give it a good strong name.

Thanks SwiftLady! The people called it Cool Duck .. we'll come up with something better and more fitting.

Terry

[TAWhatley]

Thanks, Shi, Sue, and Treesa .. I appreciate your kind comments and best wishes for this little duck "person".

I've gotta get off my soap box for a bit here or will drive everyone completely nuts!

Terry

[Margarret]

I just saw this thread Terry, thank heaven that baby is in your care. He is probably warm, clean and fed for the the first time since he hatched. It's hard to see how a person can be so ignorant to not see something was wrong with that baby. It was probably mauled regularly by the six year old and it's friends and sibs as well. I could just scream!!!!

Margaret

[Rooster2312]

I can't actually bring myself to view your link as I get really upset looking at poor victims of animal cruelty as does everyone else here, but I'd like to wish you the very best of luck with this little one who is in my thoughts and prayers.

Lindi

[Snowbird Sue]

Terry, take care of yourself too, and you are more than welcome for the compliments. I have ZERO tolerance for child abuse and animal abuse. Like I said before, GOOD LUCK, you are going to need all you can get for this one.

[TAWhatley]

Thanks, Margaret, Lindi, and Sue! Yes, the little one is as clean as we could get today without unduly stressing, also warm, also fed. We'll see from here, but this will not be an easy case. Too much damage has already been done. Still, ducks are tough .. not as tough as pigeons in my experience, but still pretty tough birds. Should this one live, it will have a forever home either with me or with my beloved friend, Kiem, who does only special needs ducks.

Terry

[Pidgey]

Well, I'm pretty hopeful given his behavior while you were cleaning him. At least he's got heart!

Pidgey

[maryjane]

I'm not looking at it either as I have enough bad dreams about poor little guys like him.....I'm so glad that lady had to move and that made her seek out a home for it. Good luck with him and Renee is right, I don't see how we aren't bailing you out of jail for decking someone!! I don't know if I could hold back 100% of the time, if I dealt with them as often as you have to.

[zimmzimm3]

I think this could be the case of the ugly duckling I think he may not look good now but he will turn out beautiful in your care. Thank You for caring send my good wishes to the ugly duckling

[TerriB]

Originally Posted by TAWhatley

...The people called it Cool Duck .. we'll come up with something better and more fitting.
Terry

If it's a boy, how about Cool Hand Luke, considering the harrowing start he's had in life, yet still in there fighting!

Originally Posted by Margarret

...He is probably warm, clean and fed for the the first time since he hatched...
Margaret

Thank you SO MUCH for being there for this little waif!! Sure hope that your tender loving care gives him enough support to recover!

[Vasp]

Oh my God! And I thought Moody was in bad condition on peas, corn, beans, carrots, barley, triticale, rabbit pellets, apple, poultry pellets, black sunflower seeds, milo, and cracked corn! Wow, I guess I do feed her a lot. Wow... Poor baby. Moody, though her feathers are not perfect, at least has somewhat-pretty white, smooth feathers and a nice fluffy neck and clear blue eyes!

What a poor duckie... Wow... No one should buy any animal on impulse. With ducklings and other birds, it seems there isn't a wealth of knowledge up for grabs, like with dogs and cats.

Poor baby!

Moody, at about the same developmental stage as that DUCKLING (not gosling), looked like this:



I can't believe that happened to that baby. Thank you so much for bringing that beautiful, needy creature in.