A change in your bird’s behavior means that there is something going on with the bird. If you notice a change in your duckling’s behavior you’d be right to be concerned
This article explores why your ducklings are sneezing
Table of Contents
Duckling is sneezing:
Sneezing can be caused by a variety of things, this is true for humans and for ducklings. If your little bird is sneezing then reasons for this include:
Something in the bird’s nose:
Ducklings have to clean their nares (their nostrils) on a regular basis, one way they do this is by dunking their head in water and blowing air out to clear their nares.
If a duckling doesn’t have access to clean water then it may develop a blocked nose.
Sneezing is another way of getting rid of any dirt, debris, or obstructions in the bird’s nares. Birds may sneeze once or twice a day to clear their nostrils.
What to do:
If you haven’t given your bird access to clean water then debris may build up in the bird’s nose and cause the bird to sneeze. Help the bird clean its nares by offering a variety of water bodies that the bird can use to clean its nares.
A pond can be used by the bird can use to clear its nares but ducks are also happy to clear their nares in kiddie pools.
When offering these bodies of water to your duck, make sure that is deep enough that the bird can dunk his whole head in
Illness:
Another reason why your duckling may be sneezing may be because the bird is ill. Frequent sneezing can mean that the bird has a respiratory disease or infection.
A respiratory disease or infection will usually be accompanied by a number of other symptoms including fluffed-up feathers, watery eyes, lethargy, wheezing, the bird keeping its eyes closed, difficulty breathing, and voice changes.
The bird may be suffering from a number of diseases, infections, or ailments including a fungal infection, a bacterial infection, a viral infection, or a parasitic infection.
What to do:
There are a variety of ailments that may be plaguing your bird, and figuring out what your bird has can be time-consuming and difficult if you are not a vet.
This is why it is recommended that you take your bird to be seen by a vet for diagnosis and treatment.
The vet will need a complete and detailed history of the bird’s eating habits, behavior, environment, and how the ailment has progressed.
The vet will be able to determine what is wrong with the bird once they have this information, have done a full physical exam on the bird as well as has done tests on the bird.
Once the bird id diagnosed the vet will then be able to either give the bird antivirals if the bird has a viral infection, antibiotics if the bird has a bacterial infection, antifungals if the bird has a fungal infection, or antiparasitic medications if the bird has a parasitic infection.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other duck related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: What Can I Give My Duck For A Cough?, Duckling Is Coughing After Eating, Baby Duck Not Eating Or Drinking, How To Calm A Duck, Why Do Ducks Leave A Pond?