Ducks! Quack Quack!

Does mr johnh think the same?

Not sure I get the force feed them comment

 

mo

in a sense I do. I'd probably stump up for some treatment.

Mrs johnh comes from a rural background in sw france and there they have a very different attitude to pets/animals than most of us brits. her family are mostly farmers of one sort or another. so dogs are for company and safety and when it gets sick you get another one. no one puts animal down as we do - they drop dead ultimatly and get buried in the garden. they don't neuter cats either but tend to put them on the pill. if a litter comes up that isn't wanted they drown them.

the force feeding thing is a foie gras reference ( mrs johnh's grandmother produces it).

my local sainsbury's does good fresh duck for 10 quid each. very good they are too.

btw i quite like live ducks - my two year old loves them

 

Ducks are comedy. I'd like some but unfortunately so would the cat.

 

anex want a duck but got a cat - get a goose.

 

Something I've noticed from having these around is how comical they are. Daffy and Donald seem to capture a lot of their character quite well.

Our two have quite different personalities to each other. The female is quite a wimp. Got a massive quack on her when she wants food, and nags the **** out of the male if he wonders off without her. He on the other hand is right little hard nut! Not sure if he's brave or just stupid. His quack is quite quiet and squawky, but he seems to try and wind her up so she'l let out the big one. Every now and then he has an atempt at flying. Often straight into a window. I think he's attacking his reflection. I've shown him a mirror a few times and that keeps him amused for .......... well. till I take it away.

they DO crap everywhere though.

 

Auntie Ants claims to know someone who has litter trained her pet ducks (and Auntie Ants doesn't lie, so it must be true).

 

Q: Can a duck be potty trained?

A: No, ducks do not have the physical anatomy required (a sphincter muscle), so they can't "hold it" until they reach a litter box or designated area. You can, however observe their patterns and learn when they do most of their pooping and schedule their indoor visits around that time. Or you can diaper a duck using a variety of materials, including baggies, Preemie disposable diapers, or a diaper harness, custom made by Nancy Townsend. Contact her directly for pricing and ordering information

 

Aha. Maybe Auntie does not lie, but is misinformed. Mind you, makes you wonder why any animals including us have the physical anatomy required at all. Before we lived in houses who gave a shit, so to speak? ie. What was the evolutionary benefit of evolving an anus? Any evolutionary theorists out there care to comment?

 

Most mammals, humans included, tend not to shit where they eat or sleep. It's a hygene thing that, presumably, gave those animals that evolved this way an advantage over those that didn't.

I would guess that it's not as important with non-carniverous creatures or those that can shit from a great height or into water.