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Why does my cockatiel smell weird and keep clearing his crop?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Bird | Unknown - Bird | Male

My cockatiel has been acting a bit odd he has a weird smell when he squawks. Also he clears his crop once and then he scratches himself after a minute he clears his crop again I don't see him do it in his cage. Thank you

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jessica Desrosiers

Veterinary Technician

Published on November 20th, 2017

If there's a weird smell emitting from Barry and he seems to be swallowing or clearing his crop a lot, it may be that there is something stuck in there that is now rotting/fermenting, or there is possibly an infection somewhere in the mouth or crop causing the smell. You may see other issues such as changes in eating or drinking habits, weight loss, or even discharge from the mouth. It would be best to bring Barry to a local avian vet to rule out these issues or get started on treatment for them to help get him feeling better.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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