Ducks are popular on social media, and one Twitter account is leading the charge. Why You Should Have A Duck has over 440k followers and a simple mission: convincing people to bring ducks into their homes.
The page shares photos of ducks doing what ducks do — waddling, swimming, and looking impossibly cute. It has become a destination for anyone who has ever wondered what life with a duck might actually be like.
We spoke to the owners of two of Instagram’s most famous ducks, Ben Afquack and Gertrude of MyPetDucks, to find out what it’s really like to keep a duck as a pet.
Ben Afquack and the Guinness World Record
Ben Afquack is not your average duck. He has over 90k followers on Instagram and holds a Guinness World Record for being the most followed duck on the app.
His owner told Bored Panda that the best part of having a duck is having a companion that is completely different from a dog.
“My favorite part about having a duck is having an adventure buddy that is different than the dogs,” they said. “I take him swimming, and he doesn’t stay wet after. Take him hiking, and he doesn’t need a bath! I love hanging out with all of my pets, and love them all for different reasons, the duck just falls into that category and is part of the family!”
Ben goes on moped rides, hikes, kayak trips, and even airplane journeys. His owner admits this is not the usual way to keep a duck.
“I chose to do it the hard way,” they said. “There are not many people taking their ducks on moped rides, airplanes, hikes, and kayaks, so… I had to get creative when figuring out how to do these things! I think having ducks can be as easy or as difficult as you choose, depending on what you want that to look like!”
What Ducks Need From Their Owners
Ducks are not low-maintenance pets. Ben’s owner was clear that they require real commitment.
“Like any pet, they require work and responsibility, so it’s definitely something to think about before you go buy a cute baby duck at the farm store,” they said.
There are also some hard limits to what a duck can do.
“You can’t potty train a duck, so that’s something to consider,” Ben’s owner said. “They aren’t an indoor pet (although Ben Afquack comes inside when he’s wearing a diaper).”
Ducks also need attention in a way that fish do not.
“They require love and attention. They are very social animals and will get sad if they don’t get enough attention,” they said. “If they have companions, that’s their family, then they don’t need as much attention from their people. But when getting one as a pet, the amount of time you are going to be able to spend with them is something to consider.”
Gertrude the Diva Duck
Holly runs MyPetDucks on Instagram, an account with over 18k followers and more than 800 posts of pet ducks. One of her ducks, Gertrude, has become a fan favorite.
“She is a crested Pekin with fabulous ‘hair’. She is a total diva! But, she brings happiness to so many people around the world just by being her,” Holly said. “I found that she is therapeutic to those who are feeling down from mental or physical health issues. Our motto is: be the reason someone smiles today!”
Holly believes ducks make wonderful pets for the right people.
“Ducks are great pets!,” she said. “They each have their own distinct personality and are smarter than most people realize. They are loyal to their owners and bring such joy to our lives.”
“I think people who will take the time to learn about owning ducks and how to do it properly should definitely have them as pets!”
The Commitment Behind the Cuteness
Ducks live a long time. Holly warned that adopting ducklings means accepting a decade or more of responsibility.
“Ducks are a commitment. They can live to be 10+ years old. A domestic duck can NOT survive in the wild,” she said.
Ben’s owner echoed the point about preparation.
“Having ducks can be really easy, but it can also be very difficult, depending on how you do it,” they said. “There are a lot of people who have ducks on a farm and just have them as farm pets, so there is a lot of information about that out there, and a lot of products meant for doing that.”
Why Ducks Are Not Like Dogs
People who grew up watching Friends might remember Joey and Chandler keeping a pet duck in a small New York City apartment. It looked fun. It looked easy.
The reality is different.
Ducks are social animals. They bond with their owners. They have distinct personalities. But they are not indoor pets, and they cannot be potty trained.
They are also not pets you can feed and ignore. That is the message from both owners we spoke to.
The Appeal of the Duck
The waddle. The quack. The way ducklings line up behind their mother. The way a parent duck carries babies on its back while swimming upstream.
The Why You Should Have A Duck account has built a following of over 440k people who apparently agree. The page shares photos and tweets that make the case for ducks as pets, one adorable image at a time.
What the Owners Want You to Know
Both owners we spoke to want more people to consider ducks. They also want people to think before they buy.
“People should definitely consider having ducks as pets (if they are able and willing to give them the care and attention they need)! They are a lot of fun, and actually have a lot of personality and are very loving,” Ben’s owner said.
Holly agreed, with a condition: “I think people who will take the time to learn about owning ducks and how to do it properly should definitely have them as pets!”
The message is consistent: ducks are wonderful, and ducks are work.
The Hard Way vs. The Farm Way
Most people who keep ducks keep them on farms, with the standard setup and the standard products designed for that lifestyle. Ben’s owner went the other direction.
That meant figuring out how to take a duck on a moped. How to bring a duck on a kayak. How to bring a duck on an airplane.
The result is a duck with a Guinness World Record and a very dedicated owner.
Is a Duck Right for You?
The owners we spoke to are clear that ducks can make wonderful pets.
They are also clear that ducks are not for everyone.
Ducks need attention. Ducks need a commitment of 10+ years. And a domestic duck cannot survive if you simply let it go.
“I think having ducks can be as easy or as difficult as you choose, depending on what you want that to look like!” Ben’s owner said.
The Why You Should Have A Duck account will keep posting its adorable photos. The followers will keep smiling. And maybe some of them will do the research, talk to owners like Ben’s and Holly, and decide that a duck is exactly what their family needs.
Just do your homework first.
Source: boredpanda.com
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.