# Parrot Droppings



## twinclaire (Dec 6, 2008)

What do normal droppings look like?
Droppings consist of 3 parts, faeces the solid matter which looks like a firm coil. Urates the white part of the dropping and urine a clear colourless liquid.
The solid part of droppings can change colours depending on what foods your bird has eaten. Birds that have eaten bright orange or dark green vegetables like carrots or spinach can have droppings that will be orange or green. This is normal as long as the urates(white part) stays white and the urine (colourless liquid) stays clear.
Birds that are eating seed will most likely have green droppings, birds that are eating pellets will have a bulkier larger tan/brown dropping.
If your bird is eating brightly coloured fruit pellets droppings can look reddish orange.
In all 3 cases the urates and urine should remain unchanged.
Black droppings( a sign of blood) or droppings that contain red blood and or undigested seeds are never normal. These are symptoms of a sick bird!
Heavy metal poisoning and diseases can cause changes in the colour of your birds droppings too
Chlamydiosis also known as Psittacosis can turn them a bright lime green or bright yellow
Metal poisoning can cause droppings to change colours too red or green.
It is important for you to check your birds droppings everyday so you will know what colours are normal for your indivdual bird.
Any change in colour that can not be attributed to food or that is not normal for your bird should be checked by an avian vet.
stress and other conditions can affect the consistency and water content of a birds droppings. This will be described next.

A birds urates(the white part) should always be white.Any change in the colour of the urates to yellow or green means that your bird is sick and needs to be taken to an avian vet.
Yellow urates can be a sign of kidney disease.
A birds urine should always be clear and colourless. If a change in colour is noticed in the urine again your bird is sick and needs to see an avian vet.
Sometimes birds that are frightened feeling stressed have eaten a large quantity of watery vegetables or swallowed a large amount of water while bathing may also cause watery droppings. This is an excess of urineand its called Polyuria.
It should be temporary and only last a day or two. if it lasts more than 2 days its considered chronic. Chronic Polyuria is not normal and can be a symptom of Diabetes, liver/kidney disease or infection.
If your bird has watery droppings for more than 2 days it needs to be taken to an avian vet.
True diarrhoea looks like splattered pea soup. Diarrhoea is different than watery droppings and it means your bird is sick.
Sick birds need to taken to an Avian vet immediately


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## pugsley Adams (Dec 30, 2008)

twinclaire said:


> What do normal droppings look like?
> Droppings consist of 3 parts, faeces the solid matter which looks like a firm coil. Urates the white part of the dropping and urine a clear colourless liquid.
> The solid part of droppings can change colours depending on what foods your bird has eaten. Birds that have eaten bright orange or dark green vegetables like carrots or spinach can have droppings that will be orange or green. This is normal as long as the urates(white part) stays white and the urine (colourless liquid) stays clear.
> Birds that are eating seed will most likely have green droppings, birds that are eating pellets will have a bulkier larger tan/brown dropping.
> ...


Good going on this post, kudos to you! feather hugs!


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## Jez (Jan 19, 2009)

Can I just add. Some of the larger species of parrots tend to hold in their droppings during the night. Because of that their first couple of droppings can be massive compared to their usual ones, and may smell bad. This is normal. If the birds droppings are smelly througout the day this is not usual.


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