By Clara Lincicome | Reporter
After their required first year living on campus, students often look forward to the new world that is off-campus housing. With newfound freedom, students are known to take advantage of the opportunity to get a pet, as creatures other than fish and service animals are not allowed in residence halls. When walking on and off campus, you are sure to see a student walking a dog, the most common furry companion for students.
But there is a new pet trend in town, and it is a bit less conventional. Many students have been buying ducks to keep and care for in lieu of the typical dog, cat or fish.
Coppell junior Adam Singer has two fully grown ducks, Dooley and Fred, and made the decision to buy the two on a whim.
“I wanted to get an animal. I wanted something that could be outside so it wouldn’t bother my roommates as much,” Singer said. “I decided that ducks were the best option.”
Singer ordered the ducks from a family-owned farm in California and had them shipped and brought to his door within two days. He explained the purchase as fairly cost effective, spending around 70 dollars on the experience.
Sunnyvale sophomore Landry Hunter had a different duck-to-door story. She said she was thinking about purchasing one for a couple weeks prior to meeting her duck, Douglass, for the first time.
“A few weeks before I got him, I mentioned to my roommates how I thought it would be super cool to get a duck because it would be unique and random,” Hunter said. “A couple of weeks went by, and a girl messaged in my sorority group message saying, ‘Hey, I have a duck, I can’t take care of it, does anyone want it?’ And I was like, ‘Absolutely, why not?’ just for the spontaneity of it.”
While owning a duck does not share the same responsibilities as those regarding a dog or cat, they do require daily TLC, students said.
Singer described his experience with Dooley and Fred as “messy” and “unique” and said, “I think if you want to get a pet that stays outside, ducks are the way to go. But they can be a big responsibility.”
The daily routine of taking care of ducks includes feeding them, consistently checking on their water and cleaning their living areas, which are typically outside.
Both Singer and Hunter agree the best part of owning ducks is getting to share the experience with friends.
“It’s always exciting to show people,” Singer said. “Other people get really excited, and that’s really fun.”
As for Hunter, she said her experience raising Douglass has taught her important life skills and something she would recommend.
“I love having a duck as a pet, it’s a great conversation starter and it’s been super fun to get to learn the responsibility of taking care of an animal,” Hunter said. “It’s something new and exciting.”
