Why Are My Bird’s Droppings Orange?

By Pam Thompson

Pet Advisor

Hello ACS members and Happy New Year. I wanted to let you know that I have enjoyed all of your questions over the past two years. I look forward to hearing from you and helping you with any pet questions you might have as we go forward in 2002. Here’s a question I received via email from a new member and cockatiel owner, enjoy!

Dear Pet Advisor: This is a question about Vinny my normal whiteface cockatiel. His droppings have turned an orange color overnight. Last month, the vet suggested that I switch him slowly over to a full pellet diet. So could it be that maybe it’s the dye from the pellets that has changed Vinny’s dropping color? Should I switch to the natural pellets instead of the colored ones? He also loves to eat only the red and orange pellets. Could that be it? He also is squawking a lot more (not loud but softly) and a couple of times he started to run around the bottom of his cage. I have an appointment for the vet to get it checked out.  Should I have stuck to the seed and pellet diet?  Please let me know … thanks :-)     Michelle

Dear Michelle: I want to applaud you for understanding the importance of watching your birds dropping. Changes in droppings can be the first clue that tells us when our birds are sick. Knowing what your bird’s normal droppings look like is a good start. This will help you to better gauge the health of your bird. Anytime you find an abnormal dropping, consulting your avian vet or an experienced bird owner is the best course of action.

Since Vinny is mainly eating the orange and red pellets, I would speculate, providing he appears healthy in all other aspects, that this is the reason for the recent color change in his droppings. This color change from the pellets is not harmful to Vinny, so there is no need to change over to a natural colored pellet. That would be your personal choice.

When I feed a lot of leafy greens, my birds pass a loose, dark green dropping. Many people would be alarmed at that color change thinking it is diarrhea, but the green droppings in this case would be considered normal. "What goes in, must come out". If I had concern that the loose, dark green droppings were a problem, I would simply stop offering fresh greens for a day or two to see if the droppings returned to normal. If not, I would seek out a vet immediately.

Vinny’s recent squawking and running around on the bottom of the cage could be a sign that he is constipated. Constipation can be a problem with any cockatiel that doesn’t receive enough fresh leafy greens or vegetables. This roughage is necessary to keep the digestive track running properly. Too much of a good thing (pellets or seed diet) is not always a good thing. You may need to see a vet if he continues this strange behavior. In the meantime, offering him fresh leafy greens and/or vegetables on a daily basis may be all that is needed to unplug him (unplug = ease the constipation).

My personal choice and my vet’s advice for my bird’s diet is a "varied diet". On a daily basis, my birds receive the following: 35% cockatiel seed mixture, 35% pellets, 30% vegetables and/or fruit. Give or take some goodies (i.e., boiled eggs, millet spray, and treat sticks). The best advice I can give you on your bird’s diet is for you to follow the advice of an avian vet you trust.