My new budgie has a bald vent and poop sticking. Is this normal?

If Sky had a lot of dried feces around her vent this could cause the feathers to stick/mat together and fall out. So if Sky is otherwise acting normal, eating well, and her stools have returned to normal then I would not be too concerned. A well balanced diet is also important to healthy skin and proper feather growth. Good luck with Sky!

While this is unusual it does not necessarily mean anything is wrong. I would recommend cleaning off the vent with a warm wet cloth and seeing if it accumulates again. I would also recommend examining the stool/droppings at the bottom of the cage and make sure they look normal. If Millet is otherwise acting normal, eating well, and the stools look normal then I wouldn’t be too concerned. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck!

If Zachary will allow, gently clean the feathers around his vent. A bath or misting a couple times a week may help keep him clean and promote healthy plumage. The change in diet may account for the issue. As long as he is behaving normally, monitor him and enjoy your new winged friend! Symptoms that would be of concern are lethargy, perching all fluffed up, decreased appetite, loose droppings or sitting at the bottom of the cage.

Budgies hide ill-health well, and a dirty vent might be your bird's only symptom. Sometimes diarrhea only lasts a day or two, but longer-lasting problems indicate a more serious condition, requiring a visit to the vet. Dangers of diarrhea include waste build-up due to clogged vents, and intestinal damage from blocked ducts. Diarrhea makes him at risk from dehydration, weakness, lack of appetite and weight loss. Extreme cases lead to fits and starvation. Checking your bird's poop when he has a dirty vent can give useful information. Normal droppings are soft, olive-green to brown and coiled or cylindrical. Poop that's very dark, very pale, liquid, lumpy, dry, sticky or bubbly mean illness and need vet attention. Green-stained vents often mean poor quality feed and usually appear within 24 hours of eating new food. Providing healthier food should make symptoms disappear. One check of feed quality is biting. Grains should split cleanly and be hard to bite. Intestinal inflammation causes most diarrhea in budgies, due to bacterial or fungal infections. Vets can test for infections and treat with antibiotics. Worms, gut changes due to abnormal growths, viruses, liver disease and problems with egg production can also cause diarrhea. Less obvious causes of upset tummies are stress from a change in environment and over-use of antibiotics, causing an imbalance in normal gut bacteria. Vets can use probiotics and prebiotics to re-introduce healthy bacteria. Sick budgies need to be kept warm to conserve energy, and clean water is important in preventing dehydration. When he's lost his appetite, tempt your bird with his favorite treats, or offer specially-designed, easily digested feeds. Some budgies love soaked millet sprays. Cold, sweet black tea provides fluids and energy from sugar, and tannin in tea coats his intestines. Intensive nursing can often help in cases without a specific cause.

If there is a lot of stool stuck on those feathers, I would trim it back just to remove any excess stool and prevent irritation against the skin. While aging can make it harder for birds to preen and need help (such as the baths you are giving) it is also always a good idea to rule out health issues such as parasites, GI upset, illnesses, etc that could be causing the stool to get stuck around the vent with your veterinarian, as this can sometimes be the first sign of something wrong.

Hello. While having a spiked vent isn’t itself dangerous, it does signal that something is amiss. When birds pass droppings, they actually every the cloaca very slightly and project the combined urofeces out away from the body, so the vent should actually be clean in a healthy bird. If Angel has a soiled vent, I would be worried about diarrhea, or weakness that is affecting his ability to eject the feces properly so instead it covers the feathers on its way out. The best course of action would be to have Angel seen by a veterinarian who can do an exam and try to determine if there is an infection or other issue present. Good luck.

Feather loss can be from a large number of things. If it is concentrated around Fidu's vent, it is possible she is having some GI upset or diarrhea which is causing her some discomfort. Making sure she is on a balanced diet, removing any extra treats or snacks for a few days, and treating for any parasites may help relieve this and get her to feeling better. Adding in additional toys and spending time together can help with boredom feather plucking as well, however this type of feather plucking is usually all over the body or along the wings and chest, rather than on the bottom/vent area. If treating at home and changing her diet some doesn't help, or you see loose, watery stools, reduction in eating and drinking, etc, then trying to find a vet near you, even if they don't see specifically birds, is best to try and find the underlying cause and get her started on appropriate treatment.