Is it normal for birds to put there own poop in there mouth ?

Williamsong · Apr 6, 2015

All three of my birds I have seen putting there own poop in there mouths, I don't think they eat it, but I could be wrong. Desiree has just taken a piece of dried poop and crunched it up in her mouth, and I have seen my Amazon and conure do the same. Can they get sick from this ?

JerseyWendy · Apr 6, 2015

Luckily, no, none of mine have ever done this. :vomit-smi

Doublete · Apr 6, 2015

Ewww. Can't say any of mine do it either.

In horses that's usually a deficiency of some sort. Maybe the same?

Ann333 · Apr 6, 2015

Pumpkin does this with his wet poop... never dried poop. Honestly his wet poop SORTA looks like his breakfast. I think he confuses wet poop for breakfast that has been slung around the cage. As soon as he tastes it and realizes it isnt food he shakes his head in disgust and doesn't ever go back for more...and never swallows.

His breakfast is Hot and Hardy cooked bird food mixed with chopped veggies and organic veggie/fruit baby food...so his breakfast is sort of a mushy glob with chunks of color in it.... it does sort of resemble his poop.... poor bird.

Kiwibird · Apr 6, 2015

I've never seen a parrot play with or chew on poop before. It may not smell, but it can't possibly taste good! Do your birds have cuttlebones/mineral blocks? I know in most animals, if they are eating non-food items, it is linked to a mineral deficiency.

Ann333 · Apr 6, 2015

Pumpkin has 2 cuttle bones in his main cage and one in his sleeping cage. No mineral blocks though...i thought they were the same thing?

Williamsong · Apr 6, 2015

Kiwibird said:
I've never seen a parrot play with or chew on poop before. It may not smell, but it can't possibly taste good! Do your birds have cuttlebones/mineral blocks? I know in most animals, if they are eating non-food items, it is linked to a mineral deficiency.

I always put th m in there but they never actually ate them they just let them sit there. I will get some more and see but I'm not sure if they will.

ParrotsAhoy · Apr 6, 2015

Tachyon will poop then walk back past it and go "Oh, are you a foods?" and nibble it before realising that it isnt a foods and putting it back down on the ground.

Puck · Apr 6, 2015

My Quaker eats his wet poop. My vet said its a deficiency and his new diet that includes pellets and veggies should stop it.

Kiwibird · Apr 6, 2015

The condition is called pica and while I couldn't find any information about it in parrots specifically, it appears in most animals and can result from (most commonly) a nutritional deficiency and potentially evolve into a compulsive disorder even after resolution of the deficiency.

I would consult your AV if your bird is frequently ingesting poop (not an occasional, "what is this" before moving on, as other posters describe, but if he's seeking it out to chew on/eat it that should be addressed by an AV IMO).

Ann333 · Apr 6, 2015

My basset hound has veterinarian diagnosed pica, and it is a very obsessive disorder. She gets into a state where she wanders the house licking the floor and the walls and the furniture and cant seem to control herself. We have to lock her in a kennel with a safe chew toy and wait it out. If it is anything similar in birds you should KNOW that there is something off in your bird. My bird occasionally tates his wet poop but it is not pica. This is obvious to me because I live with an animal that has pica, if you are unsure then go see your vet. It can be very dangerous if you just let them do it...

JerseyWendy · Apr 7, 2015

And....for your early morning reading pleasure about POOPY...I found this:

All You Ever Wanted To Know About Bird Poop

Williamsong · Apr 9, 2015

I've never seen them put it in there mouth th for long they just grab it and put it down as other users have described, so I guess it is normal for them to just grab it and put it down again, because that's what my birds have only over done, it seems like a curiosity thing not an i-want-to-eat-that thing.

Hawk · Apr 9, 2015

JerseyWendy said:
And....for your early morning reading pleasure about POOPY...I found this:

All You Ever Wanted To Know About Bird Poop

Interesting article...thanks. In the article it also says humans have been found to eat poop....uh really? Stay away from that person.

My dogs eat a turd now and then, and ( yeck) why dogs like that I haven't a clue.

Doublete · Apr 9, 2015

Dogs LOVE horse poo. Never met a dog that won't eat it.

Gross.

Is it normal for birds to put there own poop in there mouth ?

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