My budgie has diarrhea and won't eat after his cage mate died.

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.

Diet changes can affect the stool, and if you're feeding any extras in addition to the diet change, this could be causing the change you are seeing. It is also possible that his current diet is causing some minor GI upset if it changes immediately after eating and then returns to normal. Other issues such as internal parasites can also cause stool changes, so ruling out and treating for any parasites may be a good idea. Removing any extras such as fruit and veggies and providing only his balanced diet for a few days may also help him adjust and his stool return to normal. If the problem persists, or you see any other symptoms or changes such as reduced eating/drinking, lethargy, etc, then seeking vet care in person to rule out any more serious issues is best.

Even if Rangu isn't having diarrhea, other issues such as GI upset, underlying illness, parasites, being full, or issues with the crop could all cause a bird to not eat as much. Extreme temperatures such as very hot or cold conditions may also cause a bird to not want to eat as much. If this has been ongoing for several days, or he is losing weight from it, seeking veterinary care is always best to rule out any more serious issues. In the meantime, keeping him in a place that isn't too cold or too hot with easy access to food and water may encourage him to eat. If he is still too young to eat on his own, monitoring his crop for emptying and feeding following the instructions on any baby bird formula can help ensure he's getting the right amount of food.

If you're only noticing the watery stools on occasion, one of my first thoughts would be diet-related. Some veggies and fruits can cause watery stools, and if you notice this happens after giving them a new treat or something to snack on, it could be related. Removing all extras for a few days and seeing if the stool improves can help determine this. If it isn't food related, additional issues such as internal parasites, stress, diet changes, GI upset, infections, etc can also be possible causes. Keeping them in a low stress area, and scheduling a veterinary visit if the loose stools continue or other signs of illness such as listless behavior, weight changes, not eating or drinking, etc appear is best.

Thanks for reaching out about Lila. A bubbly stool is often an indication of intestinal upset and could be caused by a bacterial infection, viral disease, metabolic disorder (liver, renal), pancreatic disease, other problems. Nitrofurazone is not a common oral medication to use on birds and needs to be used with caution. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. If you have other budgies, she should be isolated from the others. Good luck.

I've never hard of having diarrhea only at night, usually birds that are ill or affected by something will be ill or affected at all times, and show other signs of illness such as listless behavior during the day, not wanting to eat or drink, weight loss, etc. A change in diet or too many treats can sometimes cause loose stools as well, so making sure he's on a balanced diet and removing any extra snacks for a few days may help. At night, when it's dark, birds tend to become very quiet and docile, so this could be why he is allowing you to touch him at these times. Placing a night light if he seems scared or is easily startled, or covering the cage at night can help him to sleep better, and it's best not to handle him so that he can rest if he needs it. I would just keep an eye on him, and if the diarrhea continues even during the day, he shows other signs of illness, or he has any new symptoms, then try to convince your parents to take him to a vet.

Discontinue the millet temporarily. If possible, transition him to a pelleted diet. Recommended brands include Harrison's, Lafeber, Pretty Bird, KayTee Exact or Roudybush. You can still give seeds, just limit the amount. Once the droppings normalize, supplement with fresh greens, vegetables, cooked grains, pastas and beans. Submit a sample of the droppings to your veterinarian to diagnose intestinal parasites or bacterial overgrowth. Monitor for lethargy, loss of appetite or persistent loose droppings. Have him examined by your veterinarian or an experienced avian vet if necessary.