Why is my cockatiel eating its own droppings? Is this normal?

Hello. Blood in the droppings is not normal. This could signify an serious infection of the gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, or reproductive tract since birds have a single common opening for all 3 systems (the cloaca). Other possible causes of blood would be a retained or broken egg, heavy metal toxicity, foreign body, trauma, or a bleeding tumor. Whatever the underlying cause, it is potentially serious and requires a thorough assessment and treatment by a veterinarian. One thing I have seen is birds that have recently eaten red berries or other red food may pass droppings that may resemble blood. If Angel hasn’t recently (within 12-24 hours) eaten anything very red, then i would take her to a veterinarian as soon as possible. Good luck.

The color of the droppings can vary depending on the diet. If Keke is behaving normally otherwise, there is likely no cause for concern. Continue to monitor the stool and diet. If he becomes lethargic, stops eating or develops loose droppings, then have him examined by your veterinarian or an experienced avian veterinarian.

It may be due to curiosity or boredom. Provide a variety of foods (pelleted diet, some seed, fresh fruit and vegetables) as well as a variety of toys to keep them engaged. A grate at the bottom will prevent them from reaching the droppings.

Unfortunately, those are very vague symptoms of illness that can be caused by a great number of things including GI upset, nutritional issues, parasites, illness, etc. You can try a few things at home first to see if it helps Ria improve. If you are feeding her many extras such as fruits and veggies, these can sometimes cause loose stool. Removing these extras and feeding only her regular balanced diet for a few days may help this clear up. If the problem continues, she may need to see a vet (if you don't have a bird-specific vet, a regular one may still see her) to check for parasites or other more serious issues which will need to be treated. If she is very ill, moving her to a hospital cage away from other birds to prevent the spread of illness and being picked on, and providing her easy access to food and water may help until you can get vet care.

That is an odd and concerning behavior. I would bring Rio into your local vet first just to rule out any health issues, as eating stool can sometimes indicate a nutrient deficiency. Removing the objects he is intentionally pooping on, and making sure there is a barrier between him and his stool can help reduce this behavior, but ruling out any underlying health issues is the best course of action.

It is quite common to happen but I would not say it is normal. I suggest you go over her diet very carefully and make sure everything is 100% correct. Here is a good link for you to reference regarding diet: https://pets.thenest.com/list-foods-can-feed-parakeets-7731.html If you are feeding seeds/pellets be sure they are high quality like Zupreem or RoudyBush: https://www.petland.ca/collections/bird-food-1/products/zupreem-fruitblend-flavor https://www.petland.ca/collections/bird-food-1/products/roudybush-maintenace-premium-bird-food-available-in-different-sizes Usually this is a diet related issue. If you keep noticing this happening even after you have corrected the diet then I suggest you get Coco to an avian veterinarian for an exam.

Thanks for reaching out. Typically this is an indiction of not grooming herself, but also possibly not eating well. First, contact the vendor, and if that is no help, seek an examination with a veterinarian. Provide heat support in the meantime, try to decrease stress. Good luck.