Why is my pigeon's poop watery, formless, and has no urate?

All bird droppings are made up of three parts: Feces, the solid, central part which can vary in color depending on the food the bird eats. Urates, the next layer of the ring, which can be cloudy-clear or with shades of white, yellows and greens, again depending on the foods eaten. Urine is the clear liquid, usually outer layer of the ring. Depending on the amount of fruits and fluids the bird eats/drinks, this can be a significant part of the dropping. Diarrhea is often actually Polyuria. True diarrhea is when the feces part of the droppings are not well formed and liquidy. Diarrhea is usually caused by a disease. Polyuria is when there’s more than usual amounts of the urine and urates (the feces are still well formed). Polyuria may be caused by viral infections, allergies to foods or even a tumor somewhere. There are just so many possible causes that a vet visit is essential in order to catch things early.

Thanks for reaching out. Yellow stool is not normal and can be an indication of an intestinal infection, intestinal parasites, liver disease and other problems. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. The birds should be separated prior to your veterinary visit, so you can monitor appetite. Providing heat support in the 80-85 F range can give some aid. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Popo and including photos. This sounds as if she is not eating (therefore no feces) and drinking more water (more urine). This is called polyuria. Kidney or liver problems, ingested foreign bodies, pain, hormonal problems are just a few of the possibilities. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Providing heat support in the 80-85 F range can give some comfort. Not sure which antibiotic this is but unlikely this is caused by a gastrointestinal infection. Good luck.

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!

Thanks for your question about Blue. From what I can gather, you are concerned about her watery droppings, but you don’t have any other concerns about her. If this isn’t correct, please repost your question. Watery droppings can be loose poop, but it can also be increased urine. Since Blue just laid eggs, she may be stressed, which can result in an increase in waterin the droppings. This should improve within a few days of her laying the eggs. If things don’t improve, there may be something else going on. This can include problems with her kidneys or infectious diseases (such as bacteria). If the droppings don’t improve, I would recommend that Blue is taken to a veterinarian for evaluation. They can take a close look at her and the droppings and can look at a sample under the microscope. From there, they can make treatment recommendations. I hope that gives you a place to start, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

The consistency and appearance of droppings can be affected by diet. It is possible Flint had some fruit or fluids which resulted in looser droppings than normal. If he is behaving normally, keep an eye on what he eats and his droppings. If they remain loose and larger than normal, consider an exam with your veterinarian or an experienced avian veterinarian. You may want to submit the droppings to diagnose intestinal parasites or bacterial/fungal overgrowth. It is never recommended to medicate a pet without the advice of your veterinarian. Inappropriate antibiotic use can lead to resistant bacteria and may complicate any underlying condition which can delay diagnosis. If Flint did have an infection that was not susceptible to the antibiotic used, then there would be no improvement. An exam would be recommended to diagnose and properly treat any infection. Your vet can also take a look at the wing feathers to rule out infection (mites, bacterial, viral, fungal). You can bathe or mist him with warm water to promote preening and healthy plumage.

Birds that have their feathers up, also known as being fluffed, can do this for a number of reasons. These can include being cold, which can happen in air conditioned houses in the summer. They are fairly comfortable around 75-80F. Other reasons can be more serious, and include them being sick. With both of your birds having changes to their droppings - you mentioned there was more urine present than feces/poop - the birds could be drinking more water, or they may be eating less to cause these changes. To fully evaluate what is going on, I would recommend a vet visit for them. There, a full physical exam can be performed, and then blood work may be recommended to ensure that the kidneys (which are important in water regulation and the making of urine) are working properly. They can also determine if your birds are thin as well. Hope this helps, and good luck!