My cockatiel laid a bloody egg. What does this mean for her health?

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.

If she had been attempting to lay, it is possible. Parasites and GI upset/illness may also cause blood in the stool or rectum. If she seems very ill, lethargic, painful, is picking at her vent, doesn't want to eat or drink, etc, then I would bring her into the vet to have her examined and make sure there isn't a more serious issue ongoing.

Hello! I am sorry Sky had a problem passing her egg. In the photo it looks very possible that she has a prolapse and should see a vet. If left untreated a prolapse can dry out, bleed, and become infected. It can also make her unable to pass another egg. It can be normal for a bird to bleed with passing stool a couple times after laying but this far out is abnormal. I am sorry for any alarm but this can become serious. https://www.petcoach.co/article/egg-binding-and-dystocia-in-birds-risks-signs-treatment-and/

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.

Poor Grey! If the bleeding has stopped, I would keep an eye on him and If he has any trouble breathing, there is a large visible wound or crack on the beak, or he isn't eating or drinking, then I would seek veterinary care ASAP as these are all signs that the issue is more serious and requires treatment by a veterinarian.

If Sara is otherwise acting normal and the bleeding has completely stopped then I would not be too concerned. She most likely tore a toe nail and it caused the bleeding. Continue to monitor Sara for the next day or so. As long as the bleeding does not continue and she is eating well and otherwise acting like herself you should have nothing to worry about. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Thanks for your question, and I am sorry that this is happening to Pete! There are a number of things that can cause blood in the droppings, and many of them are treatable. I saw that Pete is a female - I’m not sure if she has ever laid eggs, but problems with the reproductive system can result in blood. Also, infections in the urinary or gastrointestinal tract can also result in blood. These are treatable, or manageable, for the most part. I would recommend taking Pete to a veterinarian as she is about halfway through her lifespan now, so she may have many years left! After an exam, your vet may recommend blood work to evaluate systemic health or radiographs. They will also make recommendations about treatments, which may include pain medications or antibiotics. Please don’t give Pete any human medications, as many of them are harmful to our feathered friends. I hope that gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.