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Watery Droppings

I have a 12 year old African Grey & while we are in, he has free flight around the house. He's healthy very alert & talkative has a good varied diet. Occasionally he has very watery droppings which seem to gush from him lasts for approx 4 dropping in 30 minutes. This can be repeated for the next day or 2. He shows no sigh of being unwell. My other concern is that VERY occasionally his droppings has a spot of blood in them might be in one isolated dropping but the other day it happened twice consecutively. This has been happening for 2 or 3 years and in total I would say that he has had approx 12 episodes. Again I will stress that he is a very lively active bird, Can someone please reassure me that there is nothing to worry about?

Hi Pat-

I am happy to hear your AG appears to be healthy in every respect except for his episodes of watery droppings. There are many reasons for the changes in droppings that you have noticed. Causes can vary from normal conditions(change in diet, increased water consumption, etc.) to severe disease.

Animals are excellent at disguising serious health problems until their condition appears to deteriorate suddenly. Birds are masters at camouflaging illness. Has your Grey been examined by a veterinarian experienced in treating birds? I would want to perform a good physical exam, fecal examinations, blood tests and possibly more with a parrot that has a history of episodes of watery droppings lasting a day or more, with occasional blood, like you describe in your bird. I would also ask that you keep a food diary, listing everything your bird eats in a typical day. I would want to know the details of the bird’s environment, especially with him flying around the house. Is there anything he might ingest (food, plants, chemicals, etc.) that could trigger these episodes?

Here are a couple of links about droppings:

http://www.wingwise.com/droppings.htm

http://www.oldworldaviaries.com/text/miscellaneous/poop.html

Excellent question, Pat! Thanks for your concern for your bird. Let me know how he does.

About Ellen K. Cook, DVM

Dr. Ellen K. Cook has been practicing small animal medicine since 1975. In 1998, she rescued Merlin, a six-year-old Moluccan cockatoo with many undesirable behaviours, and soon began focusing primarily on avian veterinary medicine and behavioral issues.

Dr. Cook is a member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians, the International Association of Trainers and Educators, the Animal Behavior Management Alliance, and the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviorists.

She has published numerous articles over the years on avian veterinary and behavioural care, and serves as on online consultant for the World Parrot Trust. Dr. Cook has been teaching basic behavior classes to parrots and their caregivers since 2009, and is the founder of Parrots Anonymous, an organization dedicated to educating those who live with companion parrots.

To book a consultation with Dr. Cook, visit the Cicero Veterinary Clinic at http://www.cicerovet.com