Sick Bird Symptoms: Bird Poop / Droppings (Abnormal)

Droppings / Abnormal and/or Increased Water Consumption and Urine:

Also refer to “Pooplogy for description of healthy and abnormal droppings and their potential health concerns

Aspergillosis – Abnormal feces or diarrhea, excessive urination. Respiratory symptoms will be the first to occur but will depend on the location of the greatest areas of colonization.

Chlamydiosis: Common acute symptoms: Respiratory problems; such as sinus infection, labored breathing, shortness of breath, noisy breathing or “runny nose.” General well-being: Eye discharge or swelling. Lethargy, ruffled / fluffed-up feathers, loss of appetite, weightloss, weakness. Dehydration, polyuria (excess urine); diarrhea or yellowish, grayish, or lime green urates

Chronic Renal Failure, Kidney Failure, Renal Insufficiency, Renal DiseaseCommon Symptoms: Increased water consumption and more urine in droppings can be an indication that the kidneys aren’t functioning at optimal capacity.

Classic “sick bird” appearance

Index of Bird DiseasesSymptoms and Potential Causes

PDD – Affects most parrot species, including macaws, African Greys, cockatoos, cockatiels, conures, Eclectus parrots, Amazons and budgies. Common / possible symptoms: constant or intermittent regurgitation, chronic bacterial or fungal crop infections, pendulous crops, weight loss, passage of whole intact seeds in droppings, incoordination, depression or sudden death. Concomitant central nervous system signs may include ataxia, abnormal head movements, seizures, and proprioceptive or motor deficits

PolyuriaSymptom: Excessive urination

Psittacosis: Common symptoms: Tremors and / or convulsive movements. Unusual head positions; Opisthotonos (neurologic disease in which the top of the head is bent over and approaches the back. Partial or complete paralysis of the legs

Sarcocystosis has been observed in a variety of exotic species but is most prevalent among non- American (African, Asia and Australian) psittacine species. Cockatoos, cockatiels and African parrots are most commonly affected. Common / possible symptoms: Severe dyspnea (labored breathing), excretion of yellow pigmented urates and lethargy. However, in many cases birds are often found dead or near death without showing previous signs of illness.

Egg yolk peritonitis (females / hens only) – Common / possible symptoms: Sudden death, loss of appetite/anorexia, weakness, depression, respiratory distress, lethargy, fluffed feathers, lack of vocalizations, yolk-colored droppings, swollen vent and/or abdomen (the swelling feels spongy to the touch), and ascites. Some of these symptoms also mimic egg binding. Most commonly seen in cockatiels, lovebirds, and waterfowl.


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Information contained on this website is provided as general reference only. For application to specific circumstances, professional advice should be sought.

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