My parakeet has poop on her vent feathers. Is it her new diet?

Thank you for your question about Pecker, and I really appreciate you including pictures as they are very helpful! The droppings overall look very normal and appropriate, which is great. The urates are bright and white and the amount of urine is appropriate. I see what you mean about the difference in color - the lighter brown are less concerning to me than the darker colored ones. The reason for that is dark brown to black stools can be indicative of digested blood in the feces, also known as melena. In Pecker's case, with him being very new to you and you doing a diet switch (which is great, by the way - I recommend that budgies eat at least 50% pellets and then the rest of the diet can be made up of seed and produce items), I wouldn't worry too much because it may be due to the transition. However, if the dark stools continue, it would be advisable to take Pecker in for a wellness examination to have him (and his feces) evaluated. When you go, please make sure that you bring some of the dark feces, as your veterinarian can have it tested for occult (hidden) blood. They can also perform a thorough physical exam on him. Also, if anything about Pecker changes, including his attitude or appetite, this would also be reason to go into a veterinarian sooner rather than later. I would recommend regular weighing for him as well - you can do this by using a perch on top of a digital gram scale (found in the kitchen section of most department stores). I would recommend doing this 3 times per week. This will allow you to ensure he is not getting chunky or losing weight for some reason! Good luck with your new pet!

A picture of your bird’s vent would be helpful so we can try to determine if the featherless skin is normal or not. However, based on what you are describing, I would assume that the feathers have fallen out because of the matting/stickiness from the feces around the vent. If your bird is otherwise eating and drinking normally then I would not be too concerned. Just be on the lookout for any other feather loss and/or any behavior changes. I hope this helps. Please let us know if you have any additional questions.

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.

If there is a lot of stool stuck on those feathers, I would trim it back just to remove any excess stool and prevent irritation against the skin. While aging can make it harder for birds to preen and need help (such as the baths you are giving) it is also always a good idea to rule out health issues such as parasites, GI upset, illnesses, etc that could be causing the stool to get stuck around the vent with your veterinarian, as this can sometimes be the first sign of something wrong.

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.

If Sky had a lot of dried feces around her vent this could cause the feathers to stick/mat together and fall out. So if Sky is otherwise acting normal, eating well, and her stools have returned to normal then I would not be too concerned. A well balanced diet is also important to healthy skin and proper feather growth. Good luck with Sky!

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.