Chalky red food around cockatiel's cage on the walls? Vomit?

[zebugman]

Hello!

I have a cockatiel named Popcorn who, this morning, had some chalky red looking food splattered on the walls this morning (pictures below, though the yellow walls make it seem like a darker red than it is, for what it's worth).

I'm confused, because my little research found that when birds vomit, they tend to get it on themselves as well. However, lil Popcorn was as clean, chirpy, happy, and flappy as ever when I let her out and held her this morning, demanding scritches and all, with no abnormal behavioural signs.

She's only two, and at last year's checkup she was in perfect health (it's about time for this year's). Should I be concerned though? Any clue what this could be a result of? It looks awful, but I'm lost because she seems as happy as can be. (Click thumbnail for full size) :greycockatiel:

(Left of cage)


(Back of cage)


(Right of cage)

 

[AmyMyBlueFront]

Do you feed Popcorn Zupreem fruity blend pellets? The splatter just looks like food thrown around. I have to clean the walls with Amy and BB also


Jim

 

[texsize]

It could be that she has an injury to her wing.
Some of my Tiels are in the habit of damaging there wing feathers to the point there is some blood.
If the started excersizing there wings with a slight bleed it might look like your pictures.

If Popcorn will let you gently extend her wings and check the very end of the wing on the underside.

If could be something you are feeding her but only you can match up the stains with the food she gets.

 

[zebugman]

It could be that she has an injury to her wing.
Some of my Tiels are in the habit of damaging there wing feathers to the point there is some blood.

She's done that before during a night fright a year ago, but I'll double check. That said, there's food bits in this, it's not like the blood drops from when she nicked herself last time...

Do you feed Popcorn Zupreem fruity blend pellets? The splatter just looks like food thrown around. I have to clean the walls with Amy and BB also

I did! Though recently it's the brown Zupreem pellets. There are a few red bits and pieces from old food mixed in though, so maybe that's it? It just seems weird that the splatters don't seem to just be dry crumbs though.

 

[ravvlet]

That looks like poop to me, are you sure it's food? If she eats red peppers it makes their poop that color, totally freaked me out the first time...

In case you are not already, it's a good idea to change their food out completely daily. I've gotten it down to where mine eat all their food (I measure it out and weigh them weekly though) but whatever they don't finish gets thrown out at the end of the day. If you're still seeing lurid colored food mess on the walls after eliminating all the colored pellets you'll for sure know you have a problem!

IF she's due for her yearly anyway you could always bring her in and get a for sure answer.