Urgent Not Urgent - Changes in poop

[Gizmo The GCC]

I’ve recently noticed the different colors of my bird poop. It’s usually either dark green or yellow-brown-ish, but I also see black now.

It’s not much, but still.

I want advice on this. It’s not normal. Should I bring her to the vet for something?

 

[Erikalynnha]

Did she eat anything dark? Black berries, beets? Anything that could explain the color change?

 

[Tiel Feathers]

The poop will vary with your birds diet. Seeds, pellets and fresh foods will all change your birds poop. Soon you will know the normal range for your bird. Black is strange, but I bet if you smear it, it will be dark green. What is your birds diet like? Have you taken her for a well check?

 

[Gizmo The GCC]

@Erikalynnha No. She doesn’t eat anything else besides Nutriberries, pallets, and spring millet

 

[Gizmo The GCC]

@Tiel Feathers I just took her for a vet check a few months ago.

 

[Erikalynnha]

Which nutriberries? The one with cranberries makes Lennerd poop dark purple almost black looking. If this is odd for your fid and the next couple of droppings are the same I'd have her vetted again.

Do what @Tiel Feathers said and smear it to see the color inside.

 

[Mizzely]

Well we all can get sick in a few months But I'm guessing it is probably just normal variations. Jingo can have watery poop one moment and then a dark, harder poop the next. The problem is when you have consistently "not normal" droppings.If it happens to be black a lot without cause, a vet visit is certainly needed.


What kind of pellets is she eating? If they are colored, that will change the color of the poop. Some contain alfalfa which also seems to make darker poop.

 

[enigma731]

If it really is black and not dark green, it indicates internal bleeding and is an emergency.

 

[Gizmo The GCC]

She has Lafeber’s Nutriberries. As for the pallet, it’s the Natural Zupreem pallet. And All Living Things for the spring millet (orange scented).

 

[Gizmo The GCC]

@enigma731 I don’t think she has ever took any hard fall to have an internal bleeding. (She’s fully flighted)

 

[Mizzely]

Internal bleeding can also be from ingesting something nonedible (metal shavings, toy parts, etc)

I would smear the poop out to see if it's actually black or if it's green, brown, etc

 

[enigma731]

Internal bleeding can also be from ingesting something nonedible (metal shavings, toy parts, etc)

Or infection.

 

[Mizzely]

Or infection.

Yes, I didn't think of that!

 

[enigma731]

Yes, I didn't think of that!

Been there. My bird had no symptoms until she started pooping black. I knew what it meant so I rushed her to the vet. A couple hours later she was on death's door with septic shock. So, I firmly believe that all black droppings (actual black when smeared) should be treated as an emergency until proven otherwise.

 

[Mizzely]

Been there. My bird had no symptoms until she started pooping black. I knew what it meant so I rushed her to the vet. A couple hours later she was on death's door with septic shock. So, I firmly believe that all black droppings (actual black when smeared) should be treated as an emergency until proven otherwise.

I agree with you on that! Black is no good. I'm sorry you had to experience that; how scary!

 

[WendyN]

Sometimes Joey’s poop is dark green but turns a dark brown/black when it is dried up.
I like Mizzely’s idea to smear the fresh poop to see what color it is.

 

[enigma731]

I agree with you on that! Black is no good. I'm sorry you had to experience that; how scary!

Fortunately she survived. But I don't think she would have if I'd waited at all.

 

[Gizmo The GCC]

@WendyN Yeah that’s what I thought too. I’ll see if there’s more black poop tomorrow and smear it to see.

 

[Gizmo The GCC]

@enigma731 oh..... I’m still new to all of this. I didn’t know that. I think Mandaandrio mentioned this in her livestream, but I didn’t pay much attention to every detail. Anyway, sorry to hear about that, but at least it turned out okay.

 

[Gizmo The GCC]

It’s actually green inside. But it’s strange how I notice the black droppings just recently.