Senegal Droppings

[mgaffz 0]

Hi,

 

My partner and I (recently registered in the newbies section) have two senegal parrots. We have started worrying about one of them though (Tam the male) as his droppings have turned extremely runny. They contain all the elements a dropping should have (facaes, urate and liquid urine) but they are very sloppy compared to what they have been and what Skittle's are (the female). He does however like to drink a lot (at least once an hour) so it could just be that?

 

We rang the breeder who we bought them off and he said that it can be a sign that they are ill, however he is showing no other signs of being bad e.g. not wanting to come out, perching on two feet etc, he suggested we only give him seed for a few days so he isn't having extra water in his diet but it hasn't changed.

 

The nearest avian vet to us in down in Harrogate (we in Newcastle) so if possible we didn't want to stress Tam by taking him in the car for an hour and a half.

 

Has anyone else encountered this before, and should we worry? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks.

[Guest ramagel]

If the constituent parts are all there and normal, just that there's more "clear liquid" than normal then that is compatible with extra fluid intake (directly or via fruit & veg) according to Poopology 101, but you seem to know your poop.

 

The question I would ask, if it continues is why the extra fluid intake? Does it mean anything? I wonder if it's just compensation for the dryness of the air now we have central heating on - I've noticed periodically some extra fluid content in my birds' droppings - but it comes and goes and doesn't stay around long, so I don't view it as a cause for concern. It also seems concurrent with extra fruit/veg when I give it to them and they take it.

 

I don't know about Senegals, but drinking once an hour seems an unusual thing: is it recent behaviour? Any change to environment/diet? I think I'd be focussing on that question rather than the consequences of it which is extra fluid in the excreta remembering that bird droppings are both No 1s and No 2s at the same time - and if there's extra coming in there's extra going out!).

 

I'm pretty sure there's a sticky on poop in the information forum.

 

You mentioned calling the breeder? Are they youngsters? I don't know if that makes a difference, but it would be a useful piece of information for those who know about these things.

[Guest ramagel]

Here's a links to lists of Avian vets, but I guess maybe you've already looked for one close to home: https://www.parrot-link.co.uk/index.php?topic=27121.0

 

This post names one in Morpeth - my knowledge of the NE isn't good, but it seems closer (unless there is more than one Morpeth). My excellent avian vet also obviously deals with other animals, so don't be put off if they do cats and dogs as well as birds! . https://www.parrot-link.co.uk/topic/228-no-subject/

 

There seems to be another one in Morpeth! https://www.parrot-link.co.uk/topic/1680-no-subject/

 

Guisborough (sp?) "exotic vet" any good? https://www.parrot-link.co.uk/topic/7947-vet-in-north-east/

 

 

Oh, btw all my birds LOVE car trips - that doesn't mean yours will, but it might not be as stressful as you think (for the bird, anyway !

[mgaffz 0]

Thank you ramagel, we were wondering why the extra fluid intake aswell.

 

The birds are 14 months old now and the little hen bird hasn't changed her drinking patterns since having the heating on etc in these cooler months.

 

We've just had the birds out for an hour and a half and the cock bird has had a few runny poops, when i say runny they have either been just clear liquid, or sometimes clear liquid with a little white and the green worm bit in the middle, and a couple of really dark poops just before we put them back in.

 

I think we're going to have to speak to the vet at Harcourt Brown tomorrow on the phone if he's available and decide what course of action to take its making us feel sick not knowing if he's poorly or not.

[mgaffz 0]

Oh sorry ramagel, just realised the extra info on your last post we have been told about the one in morpeth and that is alot closer we'll try and speak to them first. I noticed the one for exotic pets in Guisborough aswell so we may just ring all of them lol. We were only thinking bout driving down to Harrogate as the breeder we got the birds from could only recommend Harcourt Brown as a specialist. Closer the better as far as we're concerned as long as the little guys are well cared for.

 

cheers mick

[MadMudMob™ 160]

This may be worth reading? ...

PARROT POOP-OLOGY©:

https://www.parrot-link.co.uk/topic/7017-parrot-poop-ology%c2%a9/

(from the forum's INFORMATION TOPICS© section .... https://www.parrot-link.co.uk/forum/22-parrot-link-information-topics/

why not have a stroll around to see what interests you?)

[mgaffz 0]

Thanks MadMudMob just read the poopolgy article if anything it sounds like it could be Polyuria but it doesn't state wether the droppings would be extremely watery all the time or not. We are going to ring the vet first thing in the morning and see what they have to say and hopefully get him straight in for a check up pending the vets advice of course.

 

cheers mick

[jebirds 1]

Runny droppings are often a sign of infection. I would kep him as warm as you can 85f is the ideal tempature and take him and some of his droppings to your vet as soon as possible.

 

Good luck with your little bird.

[mgaffz 0]

Vets tomorrow if possible, thank you for all your advice, update to follow asap

 

cheers mick

[suebarrass 14]

Good luck at the vets i hope it is not anything serious, keep us up to date

[mgaffz 0]

Hi everyone, just to give you an update, we took Tam to the vets today (the one in Morpeth) and they were brilliant. He checked over Tam and said he seemed in really good health, good feathers, lots of muscle around his keelbone etc and was glad that we took him as things like this shouldn't be left too long.

He said it could be polyuria and that is usually caused by an infection, so he gave Tam an injection and we have to try and give him hand fed antibiotics for 5 days. During this time we have to take a stool sample everyday and by the end of the week if he is no better take him back to the vets with the stool samples and they will take some blood and send everything off for testing.

Keep you posted on what happens.

[Chala 0]

Our avain vet allows us to send dropping via post for him to check up to save us the hour journey. I hope that they get better. It's not nice when your babies are ill

[suebarrass 14]

Well done for taking him and getting it sorted asap, dont envy you the task of getting him to take him meds lol. Hope that he gets better soon

[mgaffz 0]

Thank you for all your support, well i had to give little tam his first beak full of meds today.....what a nightmare :shock:

 

Its so hard because i have a really strong bond with the little fella and all i can think about when giving him the antibiotics is how long its gonna take for him to forgive me but when needs must and all that.

 

We will of course keep you all updated, fingers crossed the little fella will be ok

 

cheers mick

[Net 91]

Good luck for him.

[mgaffz 0]

Well today he has had his 3rd days antibiotics ( 4 days including what he was given at the vets ) and he is looking a bit better he is certainly making more noise when we come home from work so he does seem happier in himself. His droppings have stiffened up a little and most of his droppings when he is out of his cage are starting to look normal.

 

It is of course too early to assume he is on the mend and were going to send his 5 days worth of droppings off for testing anyway just to be sure.

 

cheers mick

[Chala 0]

Fingers crossed for you and for Tam. I remember when Cookie had to be treated for hepatitis with oral meds and she hated my partner for months - but has now forgiven him Hopefully Tam won't do the same but if he does be persistant with affection and he'll forgive you.

[mgaffz 0]

Well Tam has now finished his six days of meds, his droppings are sometimes ok but he is still having a few a night which are almost all water. Louise took the poop samples up to the vets this morning to have them analysed but unfortunately the vet says this could take up to 5 weeks!! im not at all happy about the wait as it seems a long time for a small bird to be poorly without being able to treat him in the mean time.

 

Fingers crossed for him now, he has already forgiven me after struggling with his meds all week seems he cant stay mad for more than half an hour although he tries his hardest he is simply too inquisitive lol

 

cheers mick

[suebarrass 14]

Wow that does seem a long time, i hope that he is ok while you are waiting

[mgaffz 0]

Quick update for all who may be interested, the vet rang this morning as the majority of the tests were complete and the vet said the results were very promising. Tams results showed that he did not have samonella or any cysts or anything like that, there were loads more but i cant remember them all at the min. We just have to wait a little longer for a few of the more unlikely results such as chlamydia (apparently). His droppings seem to have improved a little but he is still having a few that are almost completely water although the 3 main parts of the stool are always pesent. I checked his keel tonight and he still seems fine with loads of muscle on his chest and no sign of weight loss. He is just as silly and hyperactive as he always is so heres hoping he's fine and healthy.

 

cheers Mick

[jebirds 1]

you need to give him pro-biotics to help his gut working well again,

You can get them from the birdcare company.

 

This will help him feel a lot better.

[mgaffz 0]

Hi and thankyou jebirds do you recommend a particular brand if im looking at the correct site they have BioPlus powdered probiotic and a powdered probiotic made by Harveys Healthy birds which actually says it is useful for stressed and ill birds both say they are to be added to water which would be useful as they get calcivet and daily essentials mixed in with thier food twice a week.

 

thanks Mick

[jebirds 1]

I like the bioplus myself. you can also mix it in mash or friut,

[mgaffz 0]

Yeah we seen you can also mix it in with softfoods etc but we were'nt sure about the days when they had thier other supplements in with thier food, i suppose mixing it in with his water would make sense as he is still drinking a little more often than we would like.

 

thanks Mick

[jebirds 1]

It is possible that his kidneys are still trying to clear his body of infection, you can not over dose on pro-biotics, just be sure to change his water ften and feed him easy to digest food for a while, the birdcare company sell special needs diet which will help him just feed it once a day in soft food, this will help him recover quicker.