Pictures Meyers won't poop in her cage

[Chris1234]

Hi all! I know this has been discussed before, and I've read the past posts and realize that it may be a natural behavior, but I'm going on vacation in a few days and am concerned she'll try to hold her poop so long she'll make herself sick. I'm wondering if anyone else has a bird that won't poop in their cage and has left the house for more than a day? If so, what happened? Our bird sitter will only be coming once a day and we normally leave baby out for several hours every day (worst case) or even all day (most days). She must have pooped in her cage at the rescue we got her from because with 300 birds they certainly couldn't let every bird out twice a day. It's possible she doesn't like her cage or location in the room. But she seems comfortable in it, goes to all the dishes and puts herself away at night. It may be natural too, but I'm worried what will happen when we're gone. Is she going to try to hold it an entire day and make herself sick? Or will she eventually just go?
Thanks for reading!
Chris

 

[Clueless]

Can't help, I've never read something like this.

@Macawnutz have you heard of this?

 

[Macawnutz]

Gosh, I would not have the foggiest clue. As awful as it sounds I guess that would be something to test before you go? I assume at some point she would....

Let's hope someone that has had this sort of issue jumps on, my guys have no problems pooping... anywhere.
Chris, where in WI are you? Close enough for us to do a potty break?

 

[VictoriaVague]

Magpie is reticent to poop in her cage but will do eventually if she has to. Could you do a test day leaving her caged a little longer, to see if she'll evacuate? Could you put some paper on the grate to see if that might encourage her?

 

[Chris1234]

Magpie is reticent to poop in her cage but will do eventually if she has to. Could you do a test day leaving her caged a little longer, to see if she'll evacuate? Could you put some paper on the grate to see if that might encourage her?

Well that's good to hear! We've left her in her cage as long as 14 hours and she hasn't gone. Good idea about the paper, thank you! I've actually removed the grate altogether to see if that helps.

 

[JosienBB]

Target went through a period when she would not poop in her cage. She seems to have snapped out of it, thankfully. Now, she does not poop when there is no one in the house Figure that out... There are several days when I have to leave the house super early in the morning (before she gets up), and come back at 6:30pm. She would hold in her morning poop the entire time, until I came back, then let it all out in a bomb-like fashion. I doubt this is healthy (she's holding her poop in for almost 20 hours!!!), but she's got my vet and I stumped.

 

[LittleBirdies]

Geez I would be concerned too! 14 hours and no poop....I would ask your vet what they think, and if it's really harmful or just an unusual habit...upon researching, out of curiosity, it doesn't sound like it's a harmful habit. But definitely check with the vet to be sure!

 

[SueA555]

Coco, my Meyers, didn't poop in his cage either. Took him to the vet, had a behaviorist come out, but nothing helped. After i got Joey, my jardines, i guess Coco learned from him, because all of a sudden he started pooping in his cage.

 

[jmfleish]

It isn't unusual for some birds not to want to defecate in their cage...it's a matter of them wanting to keep their "house" clean. I think eventually they either get over it or just poo elsewhere. I think if you leave the bird in the cage long enough, she's going to eventually have to go.

 

[JLcribber]

One of the reasons they don't poop in their cages is because they don't move around the cage much if at all while you are not there. Once "aroused" from sitting there waiting and moving/coming out of the cage they go poo.

A hen can hold it for 12 hours easily while incubating eggs.

Your dog can lay idle all day in the house and not have to go until you take him for a run and then he needs to go.

We don't need to take a poo in the middle of the night even if the body is ready to. But it's the first thing in the agenda once you get up.

Many pet parrots don't do anything while we are gone simply because what they live for its to be with us. "Stuff" and especially a cage are no motivation at all.

 

[Chris1234]

Hi everyone! Thank you SO much for all the replies! Just wanted to give you an update. Baby did great while we were gone! She started going poo in her cage the first day we were gone (phew!). I was worried about her and called our bird sitter a ton of times to check in. LOL! But she did great! Yay!

 

[Tiel Feathers]

So glad everything went well, and I hope you had a fun vacation!