Is this bad Poop?

**zoeandkiwi** · 05-30-2005, 07:36 PM

My Budgie, Zoe, has had droppings like this since when I got her, Last October.(Most of the poop is smooshed from them playing at the bottom and chewing up the paper!

Little Turkeys!)

She has been to the vet once about it, and she was passed as healthy, however she was givin some medication for something just in case. no tests were run.

What do you think?

SHe seems healthy, clear eyes, energetic, eats her veggies, clean vent area
she just has yucky droppings

**WolfRyder** · 05-30-2005, 08:17 PM

did you take them to an avian vet? my avian vet runs a poop test, just to make sure there's nothing growing in there. Oh, and not all avian vets are created equal. The first one I took our little Sky to didn't check poop either. When I found the new vet (recommended by the Bird Club members) he ran the poop tests on both birds and found a bacterial infection in Sky's intestines that he's probably had since birth or shortly thereafter.

**wetheril** · 05-31-2005, 01:27 AM

It looks a bit like birdy-diahrrea, but then again, I'm not a bird-poop expert. If your bird only occassionally has poop like that, it could be attributed to a change of diet or temporary stress. However, since you said your bird always poops like that, I'd be a little suspicious. I agree with Carol that you should get your avian to run a poop-test on your bird. All your avian will need is fresh droppings.

Btw, what about your other bird? Do they both poop the same way, or is only Zoe pooping like this?

**zoeandkiwi** · 05-31-2005, 08:36 AM

Nope, Kiwi poops just fine. Its just Zoe, and she is a very nervous bird if that makes a difference?
Her poop is always loose, but some days its not as bad. The droppings from last night are actually pretty good but they still have that brownish circle around them... Is that bad?

Can the fresh poop be on paper towel? Do you think they would let me just take the sample to them to have them run tests. I would prefer not to take zoe to the vets, she stresses really easy, and I am afraid of giving her a heart attack.

Do you that the problem is fixable?

**WolfRyder** · 05-31-2005, 09:01 AM

Only the vet can tell you that. Call and ask if they can do a droppings culture if you bring in a fresh sample and explain your concern that a test hadn't been done the previous time.

Lots of fluid (urates) can mean something and it's best to have it ruled out.

Try to get a sample on a paper towel that doesn't have other cage droppings (like seed and husks and stuff). A "clean catch" so to speak.

**Rhema** · 06-01-2005, 10:41 PM

Am I wrong in that some of the droppings appear to be grey? There are those that are darker because they are dried and those that are green or appear to be more wet than others, however, some in the middle by the feather that look grey? What would grey droppings mean?

**Rainbow** · 06-01-2005, 10:52 PM

Take a q-tip and just touch the feces to get it to stick and put it in aluminum foil to transport it to the vets. Get the freshest sample possible, as you should ideally have it at the vets and under the microscope within an hour. Much later than that and the poop is too dried and old. I don't think it's diarrhea as it is basically a formed stool, with just a little more water. There are a lot of reasons for the excess water. They can get that way from eating a lot of vegetables with a high water content which causes more urine to be excreted. More serious ones include kidney problems or avian diabetes, as these will cause your bird to drink more. More water in = more water out. My hens will frequently have more water in their stools because of female hormones - they are always in breeding condition. My vet told me that was normal, but since you don't know what is causing this condition I'd at least take some samples in to your vet for a gram stain to rule out some things. I hope it is nothing serious.