When I got my ducks I knew I wanted them to be my friends. After all, what’s the point of having these cute little quackers at my house if I can’t hang out with them?
So far I have been mostly successful at getting them to love me. They are not as snuggly as I want them to be but we’re working on it. Aside from the snuggles though, I’ve got everything else down pat. Here are my 5 top tips to getting your ducks to love you.
5 Tips To Make Your Ducks Love You
- Handle them when they are little. Get them used to being held when they are babies. This can help ease them into it as they grow. If you never handle them and then try to pick them up once they’re grown – good luck.
- Feed them lots of treats, always out of your hands. Ducks looove snacks. Fruits and cabbage are my ducks favorites. Feeding them out of your hands makes them associate you with a good snack making it easier for them to get comfortable being around you.
- Sit down on the ground with them/get on their level. Ducks, especially little ones like call ducks, are easy prey. They don’t like big things above them. You are big. To make them more comfortable, get on their level. You don’t need to lay on the ground, but at least have a seat.
- Talk to them. Ducks will learn your voice. The more you talk, the faster it will happen. I like to say the same thing each time I go see them so they know it’s me. “Duck duck” is my go to. (I know, creative right?)
- Spend time with them. Just like any other relationship, you need to invest time into it for anything meaningful to come from it. You don’t always need to be feeding them or talking to them. Try sitting and reading a book or just enjoying the sunshine. Let them get comfortable with you being around. The more time you spend with them, the faster this bond will form.
If your ducks don’t seem like they love you yet, don’t panic. It may take some time but if you are consistent and keep them safe, they’ll come around and be your best little buddies.
