The Internet has decided that capybaras are terminally chill, meaning they get along with all other animals. During the Year of the Rat, we have covered cats, dogs, and chickens. Lots of capybaras get along with them, but not all. Now we’re doing ducks (and geese!) and it’s possible we have found the one animal they truly love. And, Lordy, there are tapes!

Dobby adored his hens, but the ducks were special. He grew up with Norman and Cubicle the geese who outpaced his rapid growth and became his first guardians. There were even a pair of wild mallards that came in to spend their day with him.

A pair of wild mallard ducks hang out in the back yard. One day, Mr. Mallard showed up limping and looking pretty beat up. He went into Dobby’s pen and hunkered down so I fed and watered him in there while Dobby watched over him. Mr. Mallard stayed three days and two nights in Dobby’s pen (overnight!) and leisurely took flight when he was strong enough. Capybaras are tolerant, it’s true, but I think Mr. Mallard was a special friend of Dobby’s.

Birth control with birds is simple, you just take the eggs away. Ducks have deep nests and they are sneaky so an accidental hatch is inevitable. Winky the duckling’s mom rejected her, and the other ducks chased her until she grew up and chased them. In between, I got stuck holding the bag duck. Dobby loved sharing his milk with Winky and they were friends while she grew up.

It’s not just Dobby, though. JoeJoe loved ducks, too. People love JoeJoe loving his ducks, too. Look at the views on this video!

JoeJoe has lots of great videos but he will be remembered for the ones in the bathtub with his ducklings.

But wait, there’s more! The The Pipsqueakery is a rescue specializing in rodents and rabbits. They have hamsters, chinchillas, and guinea pigs galore, but recently graduated to capybaras. Steve was their first gigantic surprise.

Ducky, though not technically a rodent, had come into rescue around the same time as Steve. Steve calmed considerably once he bonded with Ducky. They have similar hobbies and like the same food. What more can anyone ask for in a buddy?

Pipsqueakery soon had another big surprise, named Irwin. Capybara #2 came in with his support animal, a goose named Bindi. One of the first days at The Pipsqueakery, Irwin decided to create an indoor pond for Bindi. Thoughtful Irwin turned the water on in the sink and left it running all night. Capybaras love water!

Here is a mini-video of Bindi examining Irwin’s new harness:

JoeJoe still manages to steal the show, after all these years. Scroll forward to 3:00 if you’re not sure whether or not JoeJoe loves his ducks:

Maybe just one more short but funny JoeJoe video:

Dobby is gone, but his presence is still felt in many ways here at the Funny Farm. Norman, Cubicle and most of his ducks and hens are still here. Mr. and Ms. Mallard are gone for the season but I saw their family fly overhead and they will soon return. The big swimming pool is gone and the late summer dragonflies buzz by, wondering where they are supposed to live now. The goldfish have been redistributed among the smaller duck ponds. This watery world is full of memories.

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As always, many thanks to Cody Kennedy for the use of his videos. I couldn’t possibly continue these Year of the Rat blog posts without his help and enthusiasm. His YouTube Channel is like quicksand, beware of sinking into its depths! Check out Cody’s shop, Crazy Cody’s Creatures YouTube channel, and Patreon. He’s got these great t-shirts with ducks chicks and JoeJoe on them. If you squint they could be ducks.

Ducky, Steve, Bindi, and Irwin appear as a courtesy from The Pipsqueakery non-profit rescue. You can find them at Facebook, too. Looking for rabbit/guinea pig/chinchilla t-shirts? Try the Etsy shop for buttons, pins, stickers and more.

You can support Stacy’s Funny Farm by shopping at Georgia Dee’s Gift Shop. You can also donate directly. Stacy’s Funny Farm is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

You can always help all capybaras by donating to The ROUS Fund for Capybara Veterinary Medicine at Texas A&M.