Why is my sick bird sitting low, ruffled, and pooping black?

Thank you for your question about Blue. I am glad that you asked, as no, this is not a normal color or consistency for budgie feces to have. I didn't see how old Blue was, or if she was on any medications, but I would recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian. Dark, tarry stool like what you are describing may be due to digested blood. This can be secondary to some medications, certain toxins if she has gotten into something, or can be due to certain diseases of the intestinal tract. Your veterinarian can gather a detailed history from you which may reveal the cause, and will perform a thorough examination. From there, they may have recommendations for diagnostic testing. If possible, bring pictures, or even better a sample, of the stool for them to look at. They may also prescribe medications for Blue. Please do not give her any human medications, as many of these are harmful for our feathered friends. I hope that gives you a place to start, and that Blue feels better soon.

Black, tarry, or bloody stool can indicate issues such as a GI bleed, digestive upset, or even parasites. In some cases, adding in too many fruits or veggies, or even different colored pellets within your bird's diet can also change the color of the stool, so if your bird is acting normal except for the stool change, stopping all treats and extras beyond regular food, checking for any pellets in the food that may be a similar color, and seeing if it clears up may help. If your bird is ill in addition to the color change, such as acting listless, not eating or drinking, losing weight, etc, it would be best to have him seen by a vet, so it is a good idea to try and explain this to your parents. If your bird is ill, it is very cruel of them to not provide him with appropriate medical care, or to at least seek a humane euthanasia if he is suffering and they do not wish to treat the issue.

Palpate her abdomen as she could be egg bound. Provide a warm environment in the 80-85 F range. Very dark green feces is usually anorexia but black feces is melena (digested blood) and needs veterinary attention. A dog/cat vet might be you're only choice. Try offering water and food through a syringe but make sure to do it slow to prevent aspiration. Good luck.

Seed and pellet colors can sometimes affect stool color, especially if the birds are otherwise healthy and acting normal. However, stool color can also sometimes be affected by issues such as parasites, illness, etc and birds are great at hiding it sometimes. Bringing in a sample of stool to your vet for testing, or keeping an eye and watching for any signs of sick birds may help figure out any possible causes.

Hi, and thanks for your question. These signs could be compatible with an inflammation infection of the gastrointestinal system and surrounding organs (like pancreas and liver). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is immediately essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Thanks for your question about Sara, and thanks for the photos as well. I would agree that the droppings do not appear normal. The feces look to be very dark, and there is extra urine present. If Sara's feces are typically dark, this can be related to diet, but when we see dark feces in birds, we become concerned that it may be digested blood (called melena). The increase in urine may occur if she was drinking a lot, but we also become concerned about stress and how the kidneys are working. This, combined with the vomiting would make me concerned that Sara is sick. Even though the signs have cleared, I would recommend having Sara evaluated by a veterinarian. The medication that you are giving currently is a vitamin supplement, but if there is something more serious going on, it will not be sufficient to treat it. Depending on what your veterinarian finds on examination, they may recommend evaluating a sample of the feces to see whether there is blood in it or not, and may recommend a blood test to evaluate the kidneys. I hope that gives you a place to start, and I wish you and Sara the best of luck!

If Sky's behavior has changed recently, and you are are also noticing a change in stool consistency without a change in diet or environment, then having him examined by your vet is a good idea. Some environmental changes, such as extreme heat may cause a bird to be more lethargic until it cools down, however they should still otherwise be eating, drinking and moving about some. Diet changes can also change the color or consistency of stool if there are colored pellets or different seeds introduced. It may be that he is still mourning the loss of his friend, and so is less active, however being completely uninterested in activities, having a change in stool without a diet change, or sleeping all the time are not considered normal.