When to be concerned?

[Vilatus]

Hi folks,

I’m just looking for some opinions. At what point should I be concerned and make a vet appointment for my bird?

He’s currently 100% fine, consistent weight, eating well, vocalizing, playing, flying, etc. But, he’s having weird poops on and off.

I’ve had some bad experiences in the past so I’m kind of paranoid. I don’t know if I should really be concerned over something like this or not. My vet has said before that poop changes can also be hormonal so?

 

[StormyPica]

Hi folks,

I’m just looking for some opinions. At what point should I be concerned and make a vet appointment for my bird?

He’s currently 100% fine, consistent weight, eating well, vocalizing, playing, flying, etc. But, he’s having weird poops on and off.

I’ve had some bad experiences in the past so I’m kind of paranoid. I don’t know if I should really be concerned over something like this or not. My vet has said before that poop changes can also be hormonal so?

Poop changes can also depend on what you feed them. If you feed red or orange fruit and veg, your bird may have an orangey poop. If you feed a lot of green veg, your bird may have greenish poop. If you feed really watery veg, your bird may have somewhat watery poop.

When to be concerned:

• Significant weight loss (or other illness symptoms) accompanying odd poop
• Bloody poop
• Extremely watery poop
• Yellow/green/discolored urates (the white part of their poop)
• No urates
• Stringy/cloudy urates
• Urates that look "curdled"
• Discolored urine (the watery part of their poop)
• Gritty-looking poop
• Lots of mucus in poop

 

[Vilatus]

Poop changes can also depend on what you feed them. If you feed red or orange fruit and veg, your bird may have an orangey poop. If you feed a lot of green veg, your bird may have greenish poop. If you feed really watery veg, your bird may have somewhat watery poop.

When to be concerned:

• Significant weight loss (or other illness symptoms) accompanying odd poop
• Bloody poop
• Extremely watery poop
• Yellow/green/discolored urates (the white part of their poop)
• No urates
• Stringy/cloudy urates
• Urates that look "curdled"
• Discolored urine (the watery part of their poop)
• Gritty-looking poop
• Lots of mucus in poop

See, this is the issue. He’s having normal poops, then super watery poops, then normal again! I’ve decided I’m going to call on Monday anyway, (vet is closed on weekends now) but it’s so weird.

 

[HeatherG]

There are such things as “stress poops.” These are loose droppings which birds may have under stressful situations where their body is trying to “lighten the load” before takeoff. There’s extra liquid in both parts of the dropping (both feces and urates) as all the water hasn’t yet been pulled out of the dropping. Parrots often have these at the vet, for instance; but the vet knows to expect this.

Birds also have loose poops if they’ve eaten a lot of wet fruits or vegetables, etc.

Willow had some perfectly normal droppings while on his basket on my lap. Then we went for an outing with his basket and I noticed some loose, watery droppings. I wasn’t surprised because the shopping mall was busy with lots of students and it was making both of us nervous. But this is one of the last days It will be warm enough for Willow to go outside, so I wanted him and me to get some sun and vitamin D.

 

[wrench13]

Always consider what the parrot has been eating. Watery veggies like bell peppers and such will produce a looser poop. Red stuff makes a redish poop, black berries and blue berries more darker. Every parront needs to be a poopologist. Know Thy Bird!

 

[Vilatus]

Hey guys, so I think this problem has developed into something… Nico went to the vet a couple days ago and got meds, as he randomly started getting a bit worse. He seems ok today but he has another appointment next week just in case!

 

[HeatherG]

Good on you for being careful with your boy. I hope there’s nothing wrong, or very little, but I’m glad you can be careful.

Willow sends you wishes of many years of healthy poops.

 

[Niner10Tango]

Hey guys, so I think this problem has developed into something… Nico went to the vet a couple days ago and got meds, as he randomly started getting a bit worse. He seems ok today but he has another appointment next week just in case!

Please keep us posted. My birds droppings are due to hormones. I have done the probiotic, organic vinegar, etc. After many tests, it was all hormones. I am in Michigan too, who is your vet? I see Dr. Cappel in Warren, MI.

 

[Vilatus]

Please keep us posted. My birds droppings are due to hormones. I have done the probiotic, organic vinegar, etc. After many tests, it was all hormones. I am in Michigan too, who is your vet? I see Dr. Cappel in Warren, MI.

He actually seems to be doing quite well today! I’m sitting with him right now for the first time today (so busy…) and will monitor his poops. Energy and mood seems to be great though.

I know my vet has suggested hormones can be an issue as well, but she also stresses seasonal influxes of yeast can cause infection. I’m in Michigan but actually go see Dr. Orosz in Toledo, OH!

 

[Laurasea]

what did they decide? And what neds did you get?

Its always best to trust yourself when you see changes that are unusual. I'm very glad you went to vet!

Cold snaps can affect birds. It happens so much and has happened to me here in Florida even tho Temps only get to high thirty and my birds inside.. but near windows. That's why I have sweeter heater which I love and promote all the time. If your bird is by a windows move back a few feet. Or if very cold out, to an interior wall.

 

[Vilatus]

what did they decide? And what neds did you get?

Its always best to trust yourself when you see changes that are unusual. I'm very glad you went to vet!

Cold snaps can affect birds. It happens so much and has happened to me here in Florida even tho Temps only get to high thirty and my birds inside.. but near windows. That's why I have sweeter heater which I love and promote all the time. If your bird is by a windows move back a few feet. Or if very cold out, to an interior wall.

To be honest, I can’t remember if she gave me an actual diagnosis this time.

Thank you, this is something I’ve fought with myself over for years. I’ve been right every time now so I guess I just need to trust myself.

Yes! I worry that perhaps he’s getting cold. I purchased a ceramic heat emitter at the recommendation of my vet, so I’m going to try that in combination with some other stuff.

 

[HeatherG]

To be honest, I can’t remember if she gave me an actual diagnosis this time.

Thank you, this is something I’ve fought with myself over for years. I’ve been right every time now so I guess I just need to trust myself.

Yes! I worry that perhaps he’s getting cold. I purchased a ceramic heat emitter at the recommendation of my vet, so I’m going to try that in combination with some other stuff.

If you kept the paperwork from the vet there should be a diagnosis, a plan and a guess at a result, or prognosis. If you wanted to you could get another copy from the vet.

I remember someone who owns a Quaker and is on this forum wrote about occasionally giving their bird milk. Birds can’t digest milk sugar and plain milk would give a bird diarrhea. Whenever I allowed Lucy to have (for example) a bit of ice cream she got a very upset tummy and runny poops.