Scoop on poop

[TheClonesMom]

Four days ago I purchased 2 budgies at our local pet store as there are no breeders in my area.

They are bright, alert, sing and from all appearances seem healthy. They are like clones of one another...sit side by side, eat at the same time sitting side by side. Where one goes the other goes in the cage.

Two days ago I noticed that the "fatty" of the two has very loose poop, very watery. And he/she eats more than any budgie I've ever had. He/she is always in the bowl. Today "Stormy" has been spending a great deal of time on the bottom of the cage which was not normal. Both were either on the perch or the swing.

I don't have a extra cage to take Stormy out and Sparkle appears to be fine. Eating what seeds she/he likes out of the bowl, drinking, singing.

Can anyone help me with what might be causing this and what I can do about. On a fixed income so the Vet is almost out of the question. Thank you.

 

[QP4CAG]

Question....Has the poop been this way SINCE you brought them home or have you just noticed this??? A lot times running poop can be from over drinking, baths, watery foods such as fruits, etc. and believe it or not-stress. What color is it? Dark? Can you take a pic??

I'm not familiar w/budgies but i do know a bird on the bottom of the cage perched is NEVER a good sign. Can you take s/he to the vet???? I would asap if this behavior continues or HAS been this way for a few days. DO NOT RISK IT!!!!!

 

[Newbie GCC]

Not in any way an expert, but if they are sitting at the bottom of the cage and stools are loose, I would make a vet run. Maybe your vet can make payment arrangements and get him/her taken care of.

 

[TheClonesMom]

Question....Has the poop been this way SINCE you brought them home or have you just noticed this??? A lot times running poop can be from over drinking, baths, watery foods such as fruits, etc. and believe it or not-stress. What color is it? Dark? Can you take a pic??

I'm not familiar w/budgies but i do know a bird on the bottom of the cage perched is NEVER a good sign. Can you take s/he to the vet???? I would asap if this behavior continues or HAS been this way for a few days. DO NOT RISK IT!!!!!

Thank you for replying. It has been this way for two of the four days I've had Stormy. Both were purchased at the same time.

I haven't introduced fruit yet, as I was uneasy about placing that in the cage with he/her having this issue. Didn't want to add anything that might cause it to get worse. I haven't seen Stormy drinking that much to cause this much running/wet poop. It's dark in color but very very wet. I just got done cleaning the cage and both are now on the perch and Stormy hasn't gone back down to the bottom of the cage like it had been. My other thought was that maybe he's not adjusting to the food/seed I purchased after eating their brand of seeds while at the shoppe. Maybe I should have gotten the same brand they were eating there..so adjusting to being in a new place might have been less stressful. Sparkle the other bird seems to be adjusting just fine but I guess like people...they have different stress levels.

If stress and a new seed are the issue...how long should I be concerned before I panic? A trip to the vet is almost out of the question.

 

[Mizzely]

Stress can also make already ill birds show symptoms. As prey animals they are programmed to hide illness. Once a bird starts showing signs, they really need to go to the vet. I've not seen a stressed bird sit on the bottom of the cage before.

I'm honestly not trying to be rude, but I am curious as to why you would bring two animals home knowing that a vet visit if they were ill was not possible

It's really hard to say what is wrong or is normal for this particular bird. I know you say the vet is out of the question but many will suggest it because while there are many knowledgeable people here, every situatiom is different and each bird is unique. A vet really is the only qualified person to tell you how to proceed. Perhaps call around and see if a vet will at least give you an idea of what you can do for him?

 

[Saemma]

There is no advice that anyone on here is qualified to provide for these budgies. They need to be seen in person by a vet. Spending time at the bottom is not normal, healthy budgie behaviour. This bird really needs you to find a way to get some money so it can be seen by a vet.

 

[Lovebird Lady]

I agree with Newbie GCC, Mizzely and Saemma. What you describe sounds like a gastro-intestinal issue (loose and very watery fecal droppings). The fact that at least one of them is spending time on the bottom of the cage, further concerns me that whatever medical condition that they have, may be accelerating to where now, the budgies are no longer able to hide their discomfort. The bottom line here, is that they require a veterinary assessment, and any further delay in providing this, may possibly lead to a deterioration in their health.

 

[TheClonesMom]

I'm honestly not trying to be rude, but I am curious as to why you would bring two animals home knowing that a vet visit if they were ill was not possible

Sorry but your tone is rude. It was intended to offend me and it didn't.
Honestly, do you all run to the doctor every time you have some loose stool. I for one don't. I hadn't been to a doctor for 35 years and lived to tell the tale...a animal does not require a trip to the vet each time it shows the tiniest sign of illness. Most of the time your trip there is a burden financially with expensive "animal" prescriptions that are exactly the same medication we take.

And I don't need to sit here and defend myself or explain myself. By nature I am not one to panic when a person or pet gets ill. Birds are new to me as a pet and I only asked a question. Thank you to those that replied. I appreciated your time.

So as this will be my last post here I thought I could at least give you a update. Glad I didn't panic....Stormy is just fine. Eating, drinking and interacting with me and his mate, Sparkle just perfectly. I changed the paper in the bottom of their cage Saturday night and on Sunday morning all signs of the loose/watery stool were gone. And he has regular shaped droppings. No sign of either one of them being ill. He no longer spends any time at the bottom of the cage.

As I said I had just brought them home and felt that it was the stress of the all that, a change of food/water, he was over eating and change in environment. But as any concerned person I will continue to monitor him and watch for any changes.
on the !

 

[Lovebird Lady]

I am glad that they appear to be doing better, and that you will continue to monitor them and watch for any changes. Many of us just prefer to be safer than sorry, that is all.