My bird lost lots of weight

[WinniePooh]

I dont know if i'm overreacting but im worried my cockatiel is really sick. Last week i weighed him and was around 91-2 grams and i weighed him this morning and is now 84 grams, is this a lot of weight to lose?
Should i be concerned about this???
Please help me and give any advice you can

 

[WinniePooh]

@Shezbug
@flyzipper
@Pixiebeak

 

[Mizzely]

5-10% weight loss is when I get concerned. You are near that upper limit. There are things that cause weight loss that aren't sickness related though - other birds preventing them from eating, not eating the food provided for some reason, being cold (as they need to expend calories to keep body temperature up), etc. Also, weighing a bird with a full crop vs an empty crop can cause a seemingly large drop, or even using a different scale or not having it level can cause issues.

How are his droppings?

 

[Shezbug]

Did you weigh Winnie at the same time of day both times?

 

[WinniePooh]

5-10% weight loss is when I get concerned. You are near that upper limit. There are things that cause weight loss that aren't sickness related though - other birds preventing them from eating, not eating the food provided for some reason, being cold (as they need to expend calories to keep body temperature up), etc. Also, weighing a bird with a full crop vs an empty crop can cause a seemingly large drop, or even using a different scale or not having it level can cause issues.

How are his droppings?

I have cleaned out his cage this morning which was a mistake and cant find any of his poops anywhere (I let him fly around in my room while im home and can watch him)

 

[WinniePooh]

Did you weigh Winnie at the same time of day both times?

i dont know, im guessing not

 

[Shezbug]

When Winnie wakes up tomorrow get a weight before he eats, then the day after do the same thing. They usually have a nice big poop when they wake up then soon after they eat- you want to weigh Winnie after pooing but before eating.

 

[Shezbug]

I have cleaned out his cage this morning which was a mistake and cant find any of his poops anywhere (I let him fly around in my room while im home and can watch him)

Keep an eye on him and when he poops go check it out (you should not have to wait long- they poop a lot) and start checking poops frequently. Get a pic and share it.

Start weighing Winnie more regular but make sure it is the same time of the day which is best to be the morning before breakfast (like I said above)

 

[WinniePooh]

When Winnie wakes up tomorrow get a weight before he eats, then the day after do the same thing. They usually have a nice big poop when they wake up then soon after they eat- you want to weigh Winnie after pooing but before eating.

Ok, i will try that. Hopefully i get to weigh her before she starts eating though

 

[Shezbug]

Ok, i will try that. Hopefully i get to weigh her before she starts eating though

You can remove the food at night when you turn the light off

 

[WinniePooh]

You can remove the food at night when you turn the light off

ok

 

[WinniePooh]

I found i tiny poop from today:

 

[flyzipper]

I agree with everything that was said, but I shoot for consistency over absolute accuracy (morning after their 1st poop here).

To me, that means leaving food and water overnight, and if they eat they eat, or if they don't they don't.

Weigh her regularly enough and Winnie's "normal" will emerge.

I like that better than trying to remember to remove food on a Sunday because Monday morning is weigh-in day, and maybe it wouldn't even matter because she doesn't eat overnight, etc. It also makes me feel better knowing they have access overnight.

Make the routine easy and sustainable for everyone

 

[WinniePooh]

I agree with everything that was said, but I shoot for consistency over absolute accuracy (morning after their 1st poop here).

To me, that means leaving food and water overnight, and if they eat they eat, or if they don't they don't.

Weigh her regularly enough and Winnie's "normal" will emerge.

I like that better than trying to remember to remove food on a Sunday because Monday morning is weigh-in day, and maybe it wouldn't even matter because she doesn't eat overnight, etc. It also makes me feel better knowing they have access overnight.

Make the routine easy and sustainable for everyone

Ok

 

[Shezbug]

I agree with everything that was said, but I shoot for consistency over absolute accuracy (morning after their 1st poop here).

To me, that means leaving food and water overnight, and if they eat they eat, or if they don't they don't.

Weigh her regularly enough and Winnie's "normal" will emerge.

I like that better than trying to remember to remove food on a Sunday because Monday morning is weigh-in day, and maybe it wouldn't even matter because she doesn't eat overnight, etc. It also makes me feel better knowing they have access overnight.

Make the routine easy and sustainable for everyone

I also prefer to leave the food in like Steve does @WinniePooh but I’m also up before my birds so it’s easy enough to catch them before they eat.

 

[Pixiebeak]

5-10% weight loss is when I get concerned. You are near that upper limit. There are things that cause weight loss that aren't sickness related though - other birds preventing them from eating, not eating the food provided for some reason, being cold (as they need to expend calories to keep body temperature up), etc. Also, weighing a bird with a full crop vs an empty crop can cause a seemingly large drop, or even using a different scale or not having it level can cause issues.

How are his droppings?

Mizzely wrote nearly exactly what I would have.

But that is still a pretty big drop. 6.5% if my math is right this early..
And normal daily Flux is less than 3% body mass

Make sure your scale is accurate . Like weight a salt shaker 10 times in a row to make sure is giving you the same weight every time.

I weigh my birds after Morning poop as well, and write it down in a log book . I never withhold food.

But I have weight checked through out the day for my curiosity. And for my species that are under 135 grams , there is only 1-2 gram Flux. ( unless I weigh them immediately after pigging out on fruit or veg) For larger species you will have a higher gram Flux . That's why we talk % body mass and not grams when talking weights as this goes across sizes.

 

[Pixiebeak]

the dried poop nothing stands out. I don't evaluate first morning poop. So I would want to see a fresh poop after first morning.

You aren't doing a diet change right now are you? Like switching to pellets?

With only your 2 weight data points it's really hard to know.

Go ahead and weigh everyday for awhile.

If anything seems off, any symptoms get a veterinarian check up .

 

[WinniePooh]

the dried poop nothing stands out. I don't evaluate first morning poop. So I would want to see a fresh poop after first morning.

You aren't doing a diet change right now are you? Like switching to pellets?

With only your 2 weight data points it's really hard to know.

Go ahead and weigh everyday for awhile.

If anything seems off, any symptoms get a veterinarian check up .

I weighed winnie this morning before he ate and weighed 82 grams, last night i found a poop that was VERY green but then the next poop was normal.
Green poop last night:

Poops while sleeping: (The picture made the poop look greener than it actually is in this one)

His poops this morning look fine and normal...

 

[WinniePooh]

the dried poop nothing stands out. I don't evaluate first morning poop. So I would want to see a fresh poop after first morning.

You aren't doing a diet change right now are you? Like switching to pellets?

With only your 2 weight data points it's really hard to know.

Go ahead and weigh everyday for awhile.

If anything seems off, any symptoms get a veterinarian check up .

No, he's been eating pellets for a while but the last few weeks have been adding more vegetables to his diet. Maybe the broccoli and lettuce made the poop green? But then again, he has been eating them for a while now.

 

[Pixiebeak]

I weighed winnie this morning before he ate and weighed 82 grams, last night i found a poop that was VERY green but then the next poop was normal.
Green poop last night:
View attachment 419080
Poops while sleeping: (The picture made the poop look greener than it actually is in this one)
View attachment 419081
His poops this morning look fine and normal...

1st poop looks lovely normal to me. Poops are a range of green and brown. The fecal matter would be a bright dark green if you where worried about AC or liver. The shape is perfect the urate are white and creamy which is normal. The white urate can be very webby or stringy with bacteria infection not seen here. There is no excess liquid around first poop. To me a perfectly normal poop.

Second poop I disregard as night morning poops can look weird...ok confused this is poop during day active?

Eating veggies great as long as are not limiting pellets. Do you offer some seeds? I would..

I do not like thst went from 91, to 84, to 82...82 seems light for a cockatiel ...

How old is he? How long have you had? How many weeks or months on pellets?
Anything else? Extra naps? Puff more often ? Sneezes? Activity?

Getting where I might recommend a vet check...if he is 81 tomorrow or less definitely call and get an appointment. Offer some millet will boost his calories