Sept. 16/2026

                           
Are Ducks Good Pets? What To Know About Pet Ducks

By Sandra C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP. Reviewed by Teresa Manucy, DVM

Updated Oct. 17/2024

Have you ever seen ducks swimming happily in a park pond & wondered, “can you have a duck as a pet?” You’re not alone.

If you think pet ducks might be the right fit for you, here are some tips for duck care & issues to consider before adopting a duck as a pet.

Can You Have a Duck as a Pet?

It depends on where you live. If you’re considering adding pet ducks to your family, the first step is to see if your local municipality allows you to keep ducks as pets. 

Some areas won’t permit any poultry (such as ducks & chickens) to be kept as pets. Some cities will allow only chickens, & others are more flexible. Certain areas might also only allow only a certain number of birds or restrict the hours that birds may be allowed outside.

Be sure you know what your town permits; there is nothing worse for you to be bonded to your birds & then forced to give them up because you didn’t follow local guidelines.

Are Ducks Good Pets?

For the dedicated pet parent, ducks can make great pets. They are feathered balls of personality—each one is different, & it’s fun getting to know them as individuals.

They are relatively long-lived pets; the average domestic duck lifespan is 10–15 years when they’re well cared for. Ducks also lay eggs more regularly than chickens.

Ducks also produce lots of manure, so they’re great pets to have if you have a garden to fertilize. They are less damaging on your yard & landscaping than chickens are, & ducks eat a lot of pesky insects.

The Best Kinds of Pet Ducks

If you are looking for a pet duck consider these types of domestic ducks that make ideal pets:

- Mallard ducks

- Indian Runner ducks

- Call ducks

- Pekin ducks

- Cayuga ducks

- Harlequin ducks

- Rouen ducks

- Swedish ducks

- Mandarin ducks

- Muscovy ducks

Things To Consider Before Adopting Pet Ducks

Ducks are high-maintenance pets. There’s a lot of cleanup needed, & it’s often a wet & stinky job. For example: Ducks need lots of fresh water, & they soil it frequently. So you’ll spend a lot of time refreshing their water.

Pet ducks usually are unable to fly, so they are a big target for local wildlife predators like coyotes, birds of prey, & even stray cats. This means you have to provide hawk covers, which should be placed over their pens. When outside, your pet ducks will also need to be supervised & protected from potential animal attacks.

Ducks also don't do well in colder climates. If temperatures drop below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, ducks are prone to frostbite on their feet. If you live in an area where it gets colder during winter, it’s important to offer treats that are high in fat & calories. Treats such as cracked corn, warm oatmeal, & peanuts may help provide additional warmth overnight as the food digests.

You should also provide additional warmth in their environment, such as a layer of straw to place on the coop floor. Wooden plants, benches, or stumps are also helpful in keeping ducks off the ground.

Be sure to insulate your duck house with bales of hay along the inner walls—this will limit how much cold air comes through & allows them to stay warm in their duck house

Pet ducks can also be noisy, especially when they want something. Neighbors may not appreciate the enthusiastic quacks as much as you do.

How To Take Care of Pet Ducks

If all of this sounds like a good fit for you & your lifestyle, you’ll want to take some time to set up your yard before bringing your new family members home.

Preparation is key. Finding pet duck supplies can be challenging, so time & planning is needed. Here are a few basic duck supplies you’ll need to get before bringing home pet ducks.

Duck Coop

You will need a completely enclosed, predator-proof coop for your ducks.

Ducks do not tend to fly up & perch like chickens, so height is not important. What you do need to consider is setup & floor space:

You’ll likely want to leave water in the coop with your ducks, so it’s important to have waterproof flooring & bedding material. You can use linoleum, tarps, or a rubberized floor coating to protect your floors from water damage.

You need a layer of absorbent bedding on top of the waterproof flooring, such as soft wood chips or recycled paper.

Ducks can’t jump wall into their coop, so the coop you choose should have a low opening or a wide, stable ramp to get through the entry.

Enclosed Yard

You need to have a safe place for your pet ducks to play when they are not in the coop. Having a fenced-in yard is the best solution, but know that this “free time” should be supervised because the risk of predators is still there, even with a fence.  

In addition to a fenced-in yard, pet ducks should have a secure, enclosed area that can serve as a safe place to be when you can’t watch them. This area should be surrounded with an electric fence & covered in hawk netting—even if you live in an urban area.  Many species of predators find pet ducks appealing.

Swimming Tub

Ducks love to swim, splash, drink, & bathe. Everything in their life revolves around water, which means the bigger the tub, the better.

Remember that ducks will soil their water with amazing speed, so the tub needs to be changed regularly—sometimes even several times per day. You’ll want to find a tub that has enough room for your ducks to swim but is small enough to clean easily.

A moderately large dog swimming pool, like the TRIXIE® Dog Splash Pool, works for most birds. Be sure that your ducks can both get in & get out of it easily, especially if you’re raising young ducklings that aren’t quite coordinated yet.

Duck Food

Many people choose to feed their pet ducks chicken food, but this is not recommended. Ducks have different nutritional needs than chickens, & these needs won’t be met if they eat chicken food.

Think of it this way: You wouldn’t consider feeding your dog exclusively cat food or your cat exclusively dog food, right? In the same way, ducks shouldn’t be fed exclusively chicken food. 

Instead, feed your ducks a commercially designed duck food, such as Mazuri® Waterfowl Maintenance Feed.

Duck Treats

Ducks love treats, & healthy treats that complement their diet are the best option.

Foods like fresh, leafy green vegetables are always favored. Carrots, ripe tomatoes, pumpkin, squash, oats, berries, bananas—the sky is the limit here! Corn, green beans, & Brussels sprouts are also go-to snacks.

For the most part, anything that is in season at the local farmer’s market or grocery store is probably fair game for the ducks.

Are You Ready for Pet Ducks?

Ducks can be amazingly fun & interesting pets. They do require more work—& more expense—than keeping chickens, but the payback can be worth every bit. 

Ducks tend to be more consistent about laying eggs, & duck eggs are richer & creamier than chicken eggs, prized by bakers everywhere.  

So, if you are ready for lots of baked goods & plenty of manure for your garden, pick up a good book or 2 on keeping ducks, find a source for waterfowl food, & get ready to start on a great adventure!

Pet Ducks FAQs

How long do ducks live?

When well cared for, the average duck lifespan is 10–15 years.

Can ducks fly?

Most pet ducks don’t fly, but some breeds such as the Muscovy duck, Call duck, East Indie duck, & some domesticated Mallard ducks can fly to some degree. For these breeds, it’s recommended to clip their wings to limit flight.

Where do you buy ducks?

Pet ducks can be purchased online from farms & hatcheries. Local private breeders & local feed supply stores may also sell them.

Are Ducks Good Pets? What To Know About Pet Ducks | PetMD

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Sept. 9/2026

                                  

Meet Timber, The Large Beaver Who 'Looks Like A Capybara' (& You Can Feed Him!)

By Katy Kroll  

Aug. 23, 2026 

Many people think of beavers as being relatively small, resembling a groundhog or muskrat, but in reality they are quite big, just like this guy Timber who lives at the Turtle Bay Exploration Park in California. He's so big, in fact, he could be mistaken for a capybara because of his enormous size.

According to Turtle Bay Exploration Park's Instagram post, Timber is a North American beaver who is 12 years old, weighs 48 pounds, & serves as an "animal ambassador" along with other non-releasable animals who offer a unique story to hopefully help inspire a respect for wildlife. To that end, visitors can schedule a personal encounter with the oversized rodent, who will sit on your lap & eat food out of your hand — a little more interactive than the sleepy capybara whose snoring earned the nickname "capysnora" on social media.

In the comments, one person replied to a "capybara" mention saying, "Funny enough they're a cousin to the capybara. Beavers are the second largest rodent right behind their cousin." And another admitted, "As a [Canadian], I'm ashamed to say that I had no idea they get this large. I mean, I knew they were chonky, but 48lbs?!" Now, imagine one sitting on your lap! For perspective, Timber's 48-pound weight puts him around the heft of a typical kindergartener, making his size even more surprising for a rodent that many people assume is small. Hey, at least he's tame & docile enough to be considered one of the friendliest wild animals that love humans! 

Just how large can a beaver get?

Beavers, which are technically part of the rodent family just like capybaras, can get surprisingly large. There are 2 species of beaver, the North American beaver & the Eurasian beaver, which come from exactly where their names suggest — North America & Europe/Asia, respectively.

The North American beaver, like Timber, is the continent's largest rodent, typically weighing 35 to 65 pounds & measuring up to 4 feet from nose to rump. Its broad, paddle-shaped tail can add another foot or more in length, too. A full-grown North American beaver can be comparable in size to a medium-breed dog, making it much larger than most people expect. The Eurasian beaver boasts a similar size & length, too.

A beaver's size usually varies with age, food availability, habitat, & genetics, but most healthy adults have stocky, muscular bodies suited to life in & around water. Their substantial build supports a busy lifestyle that includes swimming, gnawing down trees, & building dams. While today's North American beaver is eye-poppingly large for a rodent, it was once dwarfed by an extinct relative, the giant beaver, which lived in the same region until about 10,000 years ago & could grow to around 7 feet long & weigh as much as 200 pounds. Yikes!

Read More: https://www.cuteness.com/2238389/meet-timber-large-beaver-looks-like-capybara-can-meet-feed/

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Sept. 2/2026

                                

What You Need to Know Before You Adopt a Rabbit

By Laurie Hess, DVM, DABVP

Published Feb. 12/2019

Rabbits are one of the most popular exotic animals kept as pets these days, &—when adopted into the appropriate home—they can make terrific companions. Bunnies come in all colors, shapes, & sizes, & are readily adoptable from shelters & breeders.

They are perfect pets for small living quarters, as they don’t take up a lot of space, don’t need to go outside & are generally very quiet.

Typically cute & cuddly looking, rabbits can bond to their owners closely & respond to them by sight & sound. Unfortunately, because of their adorable appearance, too many people impulsively adopt a rabbit, especially around Easter time, without knowing what kind of care or supplies these animals require. 

As a result, new rabbit owners may ultimately become disillusioned with their pets once they realize that these animals require time & effort to care for properly. Too many bunnies are abandoned in shelters as a result of impulsive rabbit adoption.

If you’re deciding whether or not to adopt a rabbit, there are several things you should know before bringing one home:

Rabbits Have a Long Expected Life Span

With proper diet & medical care, rabbits can live 8-12 years or more—which is longer than many other small animal pets.

So, before you adopt a rabbit, be sure you are prepared to feed, house & offer attention to a pet for that many years.

Bunnies Do Best as Indoor Pets

Unlike their wild counterparts, pet rabbits live longer & healthier lives when kept inside. Outside, these prey species are exposed to dangerous wild predators, including hawks, foxes, coyotes, & stray dogs.

Plus, their thick fur coats & absence of sweat glands often lead them to overheat easily when exposed to temperatures over 80 degrees Fahrenheit. On the other hand, rabbits typically have little fur on their ears & on the bottoms of their feet, predisposing them to frostbite if they are outside in freezing weather.

If bunnies are allowed outside, they should be provided with shade if it is excessively hot & a heated area if it is excessively cold. They also must have access to water at all times when they are outside & be monitored at all times to protect them from attack by predatory wild animals.

Rabbits Need Exercise

Although rabbits don’t need to go outside or be walked like dogs, they do need time every day out of their rabbit cages.

Daily exercise aids in their digestion & prevents excessive weight gain, plus many rabbits enjoy running around & jumping on top of things. Ideally, rabbits are provided with a bunny-safe room or penned off area indoors which they can explore.

However, they should never be out of their cages unsupervised, as they are known to chew on inappropriate objects (such as painted surfaces & electrical wires) & notoriously get into trouble.

Every Bunny Has Her Own Personality

Rabbits’ personalities differ just like those of people. Some bunnies are reserved & quiet, while others are energetic & outgoing. Before taking a new rabbit home, a person considering whether to adopt a rabbit should spend time getting to know the bunny’s demeanor to make sure it is well-suited to theirs.

Rabbits Need to Be Socialized

While some rabbits are gregarious, others may be shy & try to hide when they are first adopted. Therefore, it’s critical that new owners spend time petting & handling their new bunnies to help them transition happily into their new environment.

New owners must always handle their rabbits safely & gently, being sure to support their hind legs so they feel secure & safe from injury. Rabbits whose hind ends are not properly supported when they are held can kick their strong back legs & break their backs.

Rabbits Need a High-Fiber Diet to Stay Healthy

Bunnies are herbivores (vegetable eaters) who need to consume large amounts of hay each day, not only to help wear down their continuously growing teeth, but also to provide fiber to the bacteria in their gastrointestinal (GI) tracts that break down their food. 

A proper daily diet for a bunny includes unlimited amounts of timothy or other grass hay plus a smaller amount of leafy green vegetables—including romaine lettuce, carrot tops, endive, basil, kale, cabbage, radicchio, wheat grass, squash, brussels sprouts, parsley, pea pods (not loose peas), & collard, beet or dandelion greens.

While appropriate for young, growing bunnies & pregnant or nursing rabbits, alfalfa hay is not generally recommended for full-grown rabbits as they approach 1 year of age as it is too high in calcium & calories. Hay may be provided in a bowl or from a commercially available basket or net that hangs inside the cage.

In general, rabbits should not be offered much fruit other than an occasional small slice of high-fiber apple, pear, plum or peach. Carrots are also high in sugar & should be offered only in small quantities.

To ensure they receive all the micronutrients they need, rabbits should be provided limited amounts of high-fiber, timothy hay-based rabbit pellets (no more than ½ cup per 4-5 pounds of rabbit weight per day).

Excess pellet consumption can lead to diarrhea & obesity. Pellets should not be mixed with seeds, grains or nuts, as rabbits’ GI tracts are not equipped to digest these high-fat items. If ingested, these items can cause GI upset & weight gain.

Bunnies also should be provided with fresh water daily in both a sipper bottle & a bowl, as different rabbits have preferred methods of drinking.

Bunnies Are Fastidious Groomers

Rabbits typically groom themselves often & keep themselves quite clean, so they don’t require professional grooming. However, like cats & dogs, they need their nails trimmed every few weeks, & long-haired breeds—such as the Angora—should be brushed weekly to prevent matting of their hair.

Bunnies do not generally need to be bathed unless stool sticks to their hind ends. Bunnies normally produce 2 types of droppings: fecal pellets & cecotropes. Cecotropes are partially digested foods that rabbits ingest for essential vitamins & other nutrients.

Rabbit cages should be lined with paper-based bedding (shredded newspaper or a commercially produced, recycled, paper-based products) that should be spot-cleaned daily & completely cleaned out once a week.

Bunnies can be trained easily to use a small litter pan in the corner of the cage containing a type of paper-based bedding that’s different from that in the cage. The litter box should be scooped daily & completely cleaned weekly.

Bunnies Can Live With Other Pets

While rabbits are prey species, & other commonly kept pets, such as cats, dogs & ferrets, are predators whose instinct is to catch prey. However, these animals can live harmoniously in one household if they are constantly supervised.

A well-meaning predatory pet may only want to play with a bunny by picking it up in its mouth; however, their sharp teeth, long claws & germ-laden saliva may inadvertently hurt the bunny. Thus, dogs, cats & ferrets should never be left alone with a rabbit, no matter how gentle & friendly they seem.

Rabbits Must Chew

All rabbits’ teeth—both front & back—grow continuously. Thus, it is essential that they have an unlimited amount of hay as well as safe rabbit toys, such as hard wooden blocks & sticks (like commercially available applewood branches), to chew on to help keep teeth worn down.

If not provided with safe objects to chew on, rabbits will chew on furniture, moldings, door frames, carpets, flooring, wires, & other inappropriate objects. Thus, bunnies must be supervised at all times when they are out of their cages, & all areas they have access to must be bunny-proofed in advance.

In addition, their cages should be lockable, as rabbits are notorious escape-artists.

Rabbits Require Veterinary Care

While bunnies don’t require annual vaccinations like dogs & cats, they do require annual preventative veterinary care, including checkups & fecal examinations to look for GI parasites. They also should be examined by a veterinarian as soon as they are adopted to ensure that they are healthy.

In addition, after 6 months of age, all female rabbits should be spayed, since 70-80% of unspayed female bunnies develop fatal uterine cancer after age 3.

Rabbits can be phenomenal, long-lived companions when cared for properly, but they are not right for everyone & should not be adopted impulsively.

If you learn about the care they require & have the time to spend with them, look no farther than your local rabbit shelter to find a bunny just waiting to be taken home.

What You Need to Know Before You Adopt a Rabbit | PetMD

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Aug. 26/2026

                              

Meet Gustavo, The Baby Pudu Who Has The Internet 'Overwhelmed By Its Cuteness'

By Jaz Joyner  

Aug. 10/2026 

There's a lot that goes into welcoming an animal into your space for the first time. Your first week with your new cat or dog, for example, can be full of surprises, from developing their daily routine to watching them discover their favorite relaxing spots around the house. Now, just imagine all those firsts at a zoo! The Nashville Zoo has welcomed its very own baby pudu, named Gustavo, in an adorable TikTok. This cutie's warm welcome has been viewed over 50,000 times, likely because it's just that cute!

Here's some fun facts about this adorable fawn. He weighed just over 2 pounds at birth! His tininess makes sense, too, because pudus are the smallest deer species in the world. The Nashville Zoo also shared that Gustavo got his name from the animal care team. "Gustavo is a popular name in Argentina, part of the southern pudu's native range & has meanings connected to greatness & royalty."

New Gustavo fans immediately fell in love with the little pudu in the comments. One joked that they'd be leaving with a "suspicious, pudu-fawn-sized lump in their coat," implying their wish of secretly adopting dear Gustavo, while another, overwhelmed by his cuteness, created jewelry in his honor. Seriously, though, it's hard not to adore him!

More about pudus

Here's more about pudus, the South American herbivores that are almost too cute for words. Pudus are tiny deer with 2 species — southern & northern. Northern pudus are smaller than southern pudus, if you can imagine a deer even littler than Gustavo. They've got the sweetest doe-eyes & short little legs, they average about 8 to 18 pounds, & are only 2 feet tall.

Pudus aren't fussy about their diet, eating anything from mushrooms & other fungi to vines, nuts, & berries; just as long as it's not meat or fish. They're originally from the rainforests of Argentina & Chile, & those little legs of theirs help them trek through thick vegetation. Pudus are known to be pretty solitary & cautious mammals, wary of predators. Their more social times occur during rutting (or breeding) season, when adult males "joust" with their little antlers to compete for their mates, which may not be as cute as it sounds.

Unfortunately, in a growing list of animals like the Kermode bear (a rare mammal discovered in North America), pudus are also facing new environmental threats. In fact, hunting, human-made habitat destruction, & farming have classified pudus as near-threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Births like Gustavo's are part of current conservation efforts, & they help to better educate people on the state of these adorable deer. So, tell your friends about Gustavo, & let them enjoy his adorableness, too!

Read More: https://www.cuteness.com/2232321/gustavo-baby-pudu-internet-overwhelmed-by-cuteness/

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Aug. 19/2026

                                

This Theory Might Explain Why Your Cat Sits On Your Keyboard So Often (& It's Not Because Of Heat)

By Cynthia Anaya  

12/20/2025 

It's probably happened to you a dozen times. You're typing on your laptop or desktop computer when your feline friend decides to plop down squarely on the keyboard, demanding your attention. Or, maybe you assume that it chooses to commandeer your keyboard as its resting spot because of the warmth it provides. According to animal behavior expert Dr. David Sands, the real reason involves feline scent-driven ownership (via Science Focus). This means heat isn't what's attracting your kitty to your keyboard; your smell is. 

As naturally territorial animals, cats primarily use scent to mark their turf. They use the scent glands on their cheeks, face, chin, & paw pads to claim objects as their territory. Simply lying on an object, like your keyboard, also does the trick. With all the typing you do, all the keys & crevices of your keyboard smell like you, so by lying on them, your cat is basically saying, "You're mine." It's mixing its own scent with yours.

This could be seen as a sweet gesture or compliment, depending on your perspective. After all, many pet owners would affectionately say that they "own" their pets. With that comes thoughtful purchases like toys, cozy beds, scratch posts, dog or cat treats, maybe a personalized dog or cat collar, & so on. So when your cat does something that suggests it owns you, the gesture could indicate the same sentiment.

Ways to keep your cat off of your keyboard

Seeing your kitty lie on your keyboard might seem cute the first time it happens, but if it becomes a regular thing, you'll probably want it to stop. Sure, you could just shut the door while you work, leaving your cat on the other side. However, if you're working in an open space without a door, or if your cat is determined to get in no matter what, you'll need a different approach. So, how do you get your cat to stay off your keyboard? By redirecting.

Consider creating an alternative that's just as appealing to your cat as your keyboard. Place a soft, comfy cat bed or that irresistible cardboard box near your work area & place one of your shirts in it. This gives your cat someplace else to lie that smells like you & still lets it mark its territory, without messing up anything on your computer screen. You might even want to sprinkle some catnip on your shirt to make the bed or box even more enticing.

As another option, you can have some of the best solo-play cat toys on hand as a way to redirect your cat's attention. Whip out the interactive puzzle or electronic concealed motion cat toy to keep your kitty busy & distracted. It just might tire itself out enough that it will lose all interest in what you're doing. That way, it can still hang out with you without interrupting your work.

Read More: https://www.cuteness.com/2052103/theory-explain-why-cat-loves-sitting-on-keyboard/

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