Normal bird poop or not?

[Kaedyn]

I hate to post this image, but I'm a bit concerned that this isn't healthy bird poop. I'm sure you've all seen your fair share of it anyway. Is this just a normal variation or is this bordering on bird diarrhea? The only thing he's eaten recently that's not an everyday food is sweet potato, but it's not something he doesn't eat on occasion. Everything was looking normal until about 2 days ago. It typically isn't this green or liquidy.

 

Any opinions?

[Shamelessmuse]

Has it constantly been like this? If not, how long has it been like this? Has it been missing the white stuff?

[judygram]

It is missing the white part, might be time for a vet visit, there should be white parts to the green.

[Kaedyn]

I noticed it about 2 days ago. I don't know about the missing white, since he was on the shower perch at the time and the tub was wet. It wasn't until tonight when he was sitting on his play perch that I could get a good look. There are a few smaller drops he's left since I posted that photo which do have some white. They are still the same green.

[Ronda477]

Droppings actually consist of three recognizable parts: feces, clear urine and a white urine called urates. You'll want to get a good idea of what each part looks like normally for your bird and monitor all three daily so you can report any serious changes to your vet. Generally, the feces part of the dropping should be green or brown. It should be solid and coiled like a snake, segmented or in pieces. The urine portion of the stool should be clear and watery. Urates should be an opaque white-beige crystalline material. Sometimes the urine and urates are mixed, creating a cloudy-looking material, but usually they are separate.

 

Not all changes in droppings indicate a health problem. For instance, different types of food can change the color of your bird's poop. Birds that favor pellets of a certain color may release feces that have taken on the same tinge. (The feces of birds who eat ordinary pellets are usually rust colored.) Strawberries may introduce a slight reddish color and blueberries, cherries and cranberries can turn fecal matter black.

 

Watery foods can make your bird's droppings appear looser than usual. Sometimes droppings may even be all liquid. However, as long as any fecal matter remains solid, watery droppings are not diarrhea. They are perfectly normal instances of polyuria, an increase in urine. In fact, long-time bird owners who feed a healthy varied diet including not only pellets but moist foods such as fresh vegetables, fruits, beans, pastas and cooked grains know that extra-wet droppings are the norm - they mean the bird is well-hydrated. You can expect to see an increase in urine also if your bird receives a scare or experiences stress, such as during a veterinary exam.

 

Birds on a seed-only diet pass dry and sticky or pasty-looking greenish-black feces, a reflection of malnourishment that eventually can lead to disease. Some species of parrots simply have odd-looking poop. For example, some healthy cockatiels have feces tinged a light green.

 

Poops can naturally vary in amount, too. Most birds hold their poop overnight until the next morning, when they release a larger-than-average dropping that may smell a bit, too. The exception to this rule are small birds with higher metabolisms such as cockatiels, who poop throughout the night and will have a pile of droppings beneath their sleeping perch the next morning.

 

Laying females have different bowel habits, too. They drink more water than usual and spend more time in the nest box, where they will hold their droppings. When they leave the box, they expel large, smelly droppings. Baby birds still on weaning formulas have large droppings, too, with urine composing a large portion.

 

So as you can see, there are lots of reasons for changes in droppings that you don't have to be concerned about. Just keep an eye on it, and don't worry too much as you can see this was on parrot chronicles<br><br>Post edited by: Ronda477, at: 2008/02/28 04:42

[Ronda477]

And here is on diarrhea

 

One possibly serious change is diarrhea, which appears as loosely formed feces that are not coiled or solid but watery. Some folks think that the extra-wet droppings that come after a bird eats greens or watery fruits is diarrhea, but it's not. Remember, an increase in urine because of diet or nerves is normal. With diarrhea, the feces themselves are watery.

 

Diarrhea is rare in birds and usually indicates a problem in the digestive tract. Sometimes it's caused by introducing new foods too quickly. Other times the bird has eaten spoiled food, a foreign object, or a toxin such as lead. Antibiotics also can cause diarrhea. So can a bacterial or fungal intestinal infection, parasites such as giardia or roundworm, hernias, eggbinding, or disease. A bird with diarrhea often will have a "pasty vent," with fecal matter sticking to its behind.

 

If you think your bird may have diarrhea, or if you're just not sure, contact your veterinarian right away. Birds with diarrhea can become dehydrated and die within a very short period of time. Even in the absence of diarrhea, you should always be on the lookout for worms such as roundworm or hookworm in your bird's droppings.

 

The thing that concerns me is the little white work looking things in your picture. I'm not sure that is normal. Hope this helped!!

[BMustee]

This will sound gross but get some in between your fingers and feel it. It shoud have a smooth consistancy. If it feels like there is grit in it that is a big sign of infection.

[judygram]

Thanks Berna for that tidbit, however gross it is, but I did not know that, learn something new all the time.

[BMustee]

My boss at the pet store showedme that one. I walk over to her and she was rubbing the poop between her fingers and I was all like, "Uhhh, Steph? Should I ask?!?" She laughed and told me all about it.

 

 

1000 POSTS!!!!! and about bird poop...

[lovemyGreys]

Thanks for the tip BMustee i will bear that one in mind

[danmcq]

Ewwww Berna......but who is a guy to say that, when he walks around with poop on his shirt all day.

 

Great posts on poop info Ronda. The photo of the poop looks normal to me if they have eaten veggies or the like. I see that all the time. Dayo gets veggies everyday and just wait until you cook up some eggs for them, change is color is always (most times) related to what they ate.

[siobha9]

Karma to you Ronda for all the info. But Berna I think I will pass on that particular exam if its all the same to you.:sick:

[Kaedyn]

Thanks for all the replies! I'll assume it to be normal and keep a close eye on it for any changes. Thanks Rhonda for the detailed info!

[judygram]

Yes Kaedyn keep an eye on it and be sure to keep us updated on any changes.

 

Siobha9, I am kinda with you on this one, who wants to rub poop between their fingers, its bad enough that I have it running down my back.:sick:

[BMustee]

My hands are washable...and why not if it's already down your back? :blink: :laugh:

 

I've had poop in my hair, on my butt from sitting in it, in my shoes...still trying to figure that one out...so I've had poop pretty much everywhere. I guess when you clean up after 30 large birds poop just doesn't get to you any more.

[judygram]

Now thats just too much poop for me but when it is running down your back it is on the shirt I am wearing and not directly on my skin: laugh: :woohoo: :silly: :laugh:

[BMustee]

{Feel-good-0002006E}

 

You still gotta touch it Judy even if it is on your shirt! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

 

I'm like, the bird poop queen!

[Ronda477]

No problem! Unfortunately I deal with it way too much in an ambulance as well lmao! But I wondered myself about bird poop cause I know all about people poop lol. So I looked it up and wha lah! You have to love the internet!

[BMustee]

EWWWW!!! Thats why I would never become a Nurse, I can't deal with people poop. I can't really deal with dog poop ether. It's the smell that gets to me...bird poop really doesn't smell so I could care less about touching it.

[Ronda477]

Trust me it's nothing you EVER get used to! lol

[MommaFawkes]

WOW!!! Interesting everyone!!! LOL!!! Ill touch the poo if it helps me to be sure they are ok...not happily but I will....:sick:

[BMustee]

I would hate to see the day that anyone would get used to people poop...:blink: :laugh: :woohoo:

[judygram]

How in the world did we get around to discussing people poop, this is a bird forum and we are dealing with bird poop, leave the people poop to Ronda, she deals with it on a regular basis, just kidding Ronda, you poor dear, you must have a strong constitution is all I can say.:blink: :whistle: :dry: :pinch:

[Ronda477]

LOL Judy and Berna! And to think I volunteer for it! It's not always that way lol, but you do get the occasional! We just hose out the back and disinfect lol

 

Ok well back to birdy poop lol. Such a funny word! I will have to remember to rub it on my fingers. I wonder if it's good for the skin? ROTFL just joking! Ok I'm tired and need to go to bed! But I never knew that Berna good little tid bit!

[judygram]

And we are forever grateful for that tidbit too, thanks so much Berna for that wonderful inspiration to rub bird poop between our fingers, my how good that feels. Go ahead Ronda and rub it on your skin and see if it helps, I dare ya :laugh:

:laugh: :blink: :whistle: :dry: :side: :woohoo: