Bring my biting Duck out in public? (DYI Duck Muzzle)

[Tyler392]

I have an Indian Runner duck who is 2+ Years old but for half of the year he is vicious and bites everything that moves Me, my Mom, my Dad, my dog, rarely attacks the chickens he lives with the only thing he won't bite is my pet Tortoise that my duck is too scared of. I want to take him to the park tomorrow but how do I prevent him from biting is there some way to make a DYI duck muzzle that works and won't hurt my duck. I just want to take him outside of the backyard/house without him eating everyone's toes. I do have a full body dog leash for small dogs that would work for my duck.

 

[Pyxis]

You shouldn't bring a biting duck to the park. Keeping his mouth closed would just be cruel so a muzzle is a bad idea. Ducks pant to cool off. It looks like you're in AZ, which is very hot. Keeping him from being able to pant could result in him developing heat stroke and dying.

Really you shouldn't be trying to bring any aggressive animal out into a public place. Just as someone shouldn't bring an aggressive, biting dog out you shouldn't bring your duck. Speaking of dogs, if the park allows pets (and it sounds like it does because you want to bring your pet duck) people will probably have dogs there. Some dogs like to kill ducks. It wouldn't be safe for your duck to be around strange dogs that might like nothing more than to turn him into a chew toy.

As to his biting, does he have a mate? Male ducks will sometimes get aggressive and bite during their breeding time because their hormones are flowing, which for domestic ducks like your runner has been increased to be at least half the year. If he had some proper mates he might be less aggressive.

 

[Ravynscroft]

I absolutely and 100% agree with Pyxis... no aggressive animal should ever be taken into a public setting... especially if there is the possibility of another animal scaring, hurting or chasing them in any way... a fearful aggressive animal, be it duck, dog or anything else is extremely dangerous... there is no way to predict what they may or may not do...

Plus, yes, the heat is a major factor for ducks... they wear a down coat under their feathers 24/7, 356 days a year... panting and drinking cool water is their only recourse to cool down...

And it does sound like he needs at least 1 mate, bachelor flocks can do well together, but in my experience a lone drake does not... frustration causes them to act out, and that sounds like why he is biting in the first place...

Please, do not endanger him or others, people or animals, by taking him into a public place...