Alicia grew up at a farm where she got the opportunity to care for special needs ducks and geese for nearly 40 years. She believed that if an animal was not in pain or suffering, they should be given a chance to live a happy life.
She had been caring for a duck named Tiddles. When he was just 3-weeks-old, Alicia had a heart attack. So, while she was recovering from her own health issues, she found that Tiddles started showing signs of not being able to walk correctly. He was also losing control of his legs.
The duck was diagnosed with spinal deformity. That was the time when the bond between the two actually started. Tiddles had a huge personality and was one of a kind. He was the most extraordinary thing that had happened in Alicia’s life.
Tiddles needed special care and couldn’t be left alone. One day, he fell onto his back, and Alicia had to be around to turn him over. In addition, the duck had a fear of water. He did not like to swim, which created issues with cleaning his nostrils. So, the owner had to help the bird. She gave Tiddles a big bowl of water so that he could clean it out.
Tiddles was born on Alicia’s property. He would not have survived without the help of his kind mom. Sometimes, seeing him in that condition was really tough for Alicia, but that made him special. The bird had adapted to his new life quite well. He had the best toys, and his favorite was the dinosaur. He was very spoiled, but Alicia ensured that he got to spend time outside with other ducks.
The owner thought that Tiddles was one part duck, one part dog, and one part human. He was brilliant, loving, responsive, and very inquisitive. He went bushwalking every day with Alicia and loved the time he spent with his mom. However, he was not very people-friendly and loved snack time. Alicia still did not know where his fear of water came from. Usually, water just runs off a duck’s back.
However, he did tend to get very waterlogged, and she thought that had added to his fear of water. He used to go out swimming earlier, but now the bird hated going for his weekly baths. He needed to be cuddled for two hours after the bath to calm him down. He loved to be cuddled, and Alicia thought he was just like a pet dog who wanted to be around his owner. Alicia was happy to have Tiddles around him, and he was her whole world.
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