My budgie and lovebirds have watery poop and swollen vents. What should I do?

Submit a sample to your veterinarian to diagnose parasites or bacterial/fungal overgrowth. Discontinue feeding fruits and vegetables until the stool is normal, then introduce one at a time slowly. Clean and sanitize the cage, bowls, toys and perches. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. Use paper towels on the cage bottom and change them daily until his droppings are normal. Provide plenty of fresh, clean water. Keep him warm and as stress free as possible. If he develops lethargy, loss of appetite or if the droppings don't begin to firm up in the next 24 hours, have him examined by your vet or an experienced avian vet.

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 Sarikiz and including pictures. Intestinal infections, liver disease, and kidney disease are some of the common causes for loose stool/diarrhea. Lees likely for an ingested foreign body if the clinical signs have persisted for this long period of time. Keeping her cloaca (vent) clean with a warm wet washcloth might help decrease discomfort. A veterinary visit is probably needed for a diagnosis and treatments. Good luck.

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.

Birds will naturally have a bit of a watery stool (compared to say, dogs or cats), that usually has a solid and liquid component to it that dries quickly. If the stools are completely watery, discolored, or you're seeing signs of illness such as refusal to eat, weight loss, etc. it may indicate an issue such as a parasite or infection and should be checked out by a vet.

Thanks for reaching out about Chirp. You'll have to restrain with a soft towel and rinse under warm water in the sink. But this is possibly a bacterial infection, viral disease, metabolic disorder and others, and a veterinary visit is needed to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Providing heat support in the 80-85 F range can give some comfort. Good luck.

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.