My Friend Recently Got A Pet Duck Which I Thought Was Originally Quite Cruel. However He Seems To Be Happy Enough And Now I'm Considering Getting One Myself. Can Ducks Make Good Pets?

My pet Indian Runner duck just passed and I am heart broken.  Raising children, we've had an assortment of pets that lived their lives out with us - we loved them all but I have never gotten so attached to a pet as I did to my duck, surprised me that I even fell harder for him than my beloved dog. He imprinted on me and loved me right back.  I'd run around the yard laughing as he would chase me,  he was always at my side as I dug in my garden and knew the sound or look of my car and would rush to greet me. Baby was intelligent, understood much of what I said and was affectionate. My neighbors were amazed by him.  I'm pretty sure there has to be another "Runner" in my life.  GO FOR IT, GET YOURSELF A DUCK!

Ducks can make extremely good, comical pets but they can be quite noisy. This limits who can have one, as closely built up residential areas are never usually ideal. They need a mixture of grains and pellets and they need plenty of space to roam around in.

You may have a problem with keeping them safe at night however, as foxes can easily get to them. So you should always have a protected area that they can roam around in at night. This could be a fox proof run or pen.

They also lay eggs so it could save you a penny or two every morning and apparently they are great for baking with. To stop them from being too noisy you should keep more than one together as most noise comes from female ducks looking for a mate.

There are many different varieties of duck to get too and the smaller the duck, the less damage to your garden. Ideally you should have a pond so that smaller ducks can swim around, however shallow water is ideal for any duck as they like to clean their feathers and drink from it.

Overall, ducks can and do make good pets but you should make sure you have the space before taking on the commitment.

I disagree with this answer from Leader. I've had a pet pekin duck for three years - he is outside during the day (in a 10' x 8' kennel with a kiddie pool and doghouse inside it) and in the house with us at night. We put up mirrors in his kennel so he thinks he has

Ducks make good pets but are outdoor animals not inside animals I have two indian runners, they have a open (no top) enclosure with Chicken wire, a pond and a rabbit hutch (poppy den-pets at home) that they sleep in at night, I put them water in a bowl in their hutch at night and as soon as I come out in the garden with the water they go stright in their hutch, I have two dogs (yorkshire terriers) and two cats and they get along fine through the chicken wire when they see each other sometimes the cats jump into their enclosure and the duck normally chases the cat and goes to bite it, and the cats just run off or sit on top of the ducks hutch and watches them and neither the dogs cats of ducks ever fight, they all get along. Ducks are funny to watch, mine are male and female, they mate everyday and lay a egg everyday, which taste lovely! They do make good pets, ours come up to me when I go outside and let me pick them up, they do poo a lot, I put newspaper then plastic sheet (like pond liner) then more newspaper then hay in their hutch they all warm and cosy at night, the hutch has a cover to keep wind and rain out! They are called alvin and theodore! If you have the time and space then they are good pets and they eat ALL the bugs from your garden!

I had a duck when I was in my teens. He was wonderful. He followed me everywhere. He never pooped on me when I held him. He always waited until I put him down. He walked on a leash (cat leash). When I held him he wrapped his neck around my neck and cuddle his head against my neck. He came when I called. I have talked myself into getting one. The diaper idea is WONDERFUL!

I have a muscovy duck and trust me they are not like most people say they are so loving I have a younger nephew who is 4 and he goes out the back garden and plays fetch and swims in the paddling pool it is so cute

Yes they can make great pets but you will need lots of time to look after them you will also need to fox proof pen and a small dog kennel to keep 1 or 2 in at night time but no more than 2 the pen needs trenches and o roof you also need a good bit of space . If you have a dog it must be used to ducks or chickens before you get the ducks try bringing it to a farm to see how it reacts to the ducks if he ignores them that is great and if you do have a dog it can also keep away foxes is about good look with the ducks and take good care

Muscovy ducks make the best pets, as they are very quiet, which makes them suitable for urban areas...I have raised Muscovy ducks for the past 5 years and have found it to be a very enjoyable and fulfilling hobby.