my duck ate the little rubbery end of a pair of earbuds?

witchypaz · May 18, 2020

hi! i feel bad that this has to be my first thread here.

i have a 3 month old fawn runner duck. she's very mischievous and grabbed a pair of my earbuds to run away with them. by the time i got to her, she had the little removable soft piece that goes into your ear in her mouth. when i tried to open her bill, she swallowed it easily.
thankfully it wasn't metal, but will she pass this? or will it cause an obstruction? she's fine and playing now, but she has a fragile digestive system and i'm worried.

if anyone could give insight, i would be grateful! thank you!

Elie And Her Flock · May 18, 2020

Since it's soft it most likely won't cause obstruction, but keep a close eye on here to spot any behavior change. I recommend immediately adding molasses to her water to flush out the earbud as quick as possible. Watch her poop, and if it doesn't come out in 48 hours or so you should probably seek medical attention.

witchypaz · May 18, 2020

Elie And Her Flock said:
Since it's soft it most likely won't cause obstruction, but keep a close eye on here to spot any behavior change. I recommend immediately adding molasses to her water to flush out the earbud as quick as possible. Watch her poop, and if it doesn't come out in 48 hours or so you should probably seek medical attention.

is vegetable oil a safe substitute for molasses? even if only for a day - i can get to the store tomorrow and pick some molasses up.

Elie And Her Flock · May 18, 2020

witchypaz said:
is vegetable oil a safe substitute for molasses? even if only for a day - i can get to the store tomorrow and pick some molasses up.

The whole point of molasses is that it encourages diarrhea, so that the toxins in the earbud as well as the earbud itself get flushed as quickly as possible. Feeding your chicken vegetable oil will not have the same effect. However, it may act as a lubricant for the earbud and encourage it to go down easier. Hope this helps!