Can you release a pet duck into the wild?

Question

My roomate and I have 2 ducks in our apartment and they will soon be full grown and too big to keep. If we find a pond will they be able to survive in the wild

Answer 1

Just like the human infant's brain imprints behavior in infancy, so does a bird's. If your ducks were raised by people, they will probably suffer horribly outside (especially in the middle of winter).

Here's a solution: call your local ASPCA -- also, post your ducks in the avian section of classified ads. Here are some links to get you started:

Some of the ladies or gentlemen from my favorite bird club raise non-psittacines and non-cacatua. If you tell them that you're trying to rehome your birds, and if any of them are close, you may find a great home for them there. I'll link you to the "Other Birds" board: http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/forumdisplay.php?f=19

Under no circumstances should you let these pets loose outside of you care at all about them. An animal shelter will best be able to house them and hook them up with families who want them, if you can't find them homes. Here, also, are the sites I advertise some of my infants on:

http://www.avianbreeder.com/
http://chats.upatsix.com/chats/
http://www.birdbreeders.com/
http://www.babybirds.com/form.html
http://www.livedeal.com/search?zip=15201&category=1963&queryCatyName=Birds&browse=1
http://www.adpost.com/us/?db=us_pets&website=&language=&session_key=&add_item_button=on

Answer 2

A Lot of good answers. We have ducks also. We release them in the spring as we have a 2.5 acre pond(of water) at the back of our property. They will eat grasshopper and such on their own you don't have to encourage them to do this I think it is just a natural thing for them to do, But we do bring them up near the house in the late fall as they are right domestic ducks can not fly the same way that wild ducks do.In the spring ,summer and fall the ducks can get away from predictors as they can swim much faster but in the winter the ice is frozen, so the ducks cannot get away as fast. The pond also brings predictors such as fox&raccoons. Unless you live in an area that has open water all year round I would say no to this, You must have some type of children's petty farms in your area who would be happy to take them.............good luck

Answer 3

Domestic ducks are frequently not able to fly, and can't defend themselves from predators. They are also ill equiped for finding their own food and shelter.

Please take your ducks to a farm. Most farms are more than willing to adopt good animals, and you'll know they are well cared for. My duck farm started with two unwanted adoptees that were brought over by a neighbor many years ago.

Besides, it's usually illegal to introduce non-native species into the wild where they can breed with wild ducks and dilute the gene pool and compete for limited resources.

Find a farm, and I bet they'll even let you visit your ducks whenever you want.

Best of luck.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

I have released two tame ducks into a lake where there were other ducks. They lived for several years. I could always tell which ones they were since the male had a crooked tail and the female always stayed with him.I have been surprised at the number of people that have tried to tell you that the ducks will NOT survive! I raised these two from Easter of one year to the end of the next summer They honestly did fine. They are not as dumb as some people think. For several yrs. they came to us when they saw us. As I said, the male was rather strange looking and didn't look like the rest of the ducks in that lake. They probably lived longer than they would have if I had continued to care for them in the pen in our back yard.

Answer 6

I don't think so. First u pampered the ducks. Ducks would usually stay with their parent and learn the habits of their parents by finding food and hunting. By u giving these ducks food, they will expect food to be given to them in the wild. It would be totally mean for them. That would be like putting a 5 year old in the middle of nowhere.

Answer 7

That is a very bad idea! Not only is the chances of survival for your pets very slim, domestic ducks cause problems for wild ducks. They take away the wildies food, and if they cross breed it can be disastrous! Find a good home for your little mates!

Answer 8

Give your ducks to a rescue organization.
Turning ANY domestic animal to the wild is cruel. You're giving them a possible death sentence from the get-go.
.

Answer 9

No they have been raised as pets and will starve or be attacked in the wild. You shouldnt have bought pets you cant care for. You now need to find them a good home who wont abandon them. Bird rescues exist so try them first.

Answer 10

They will most likely not survive....especially if they were raised in an apt. Why would you get pets that you could not care for? Try to find a local humane society or avian rehab that will take them and find homes for them...or find someone that keeps chickens/ ducks, etc. in your area that would willing to add them to their collection.