Help!

[saracuse]

Can someone explain the differences in vomiting vs regurgitation?

Everything i read is different and im confused.

Tiki bobs her head, stretches out her neck, brings material up and then flings it. Its almost always the consistency of mashed potatoes but will sometimes contain a half digested seed or two. Every time she'd done it its been exactly the same way and consistency.

I keep reading that the flinging part is usually vomiting and not regurgitation. Help!

 

[Freebird1969]

Sounds like she is vomiting, if a bird is regurgitating it's normally on an object as they are pretending to feed something. How long as she been doing this for? She may have just eaten something that's irritated her crop so it's a natural way for the bird to clear her crop of anything that may have upset her.

If this continues for more than a few hours and she can't keep food down you should take her to your avian vet. What are her dropping like?

Do you know if she is getting ready to lay an egg? My female citron always vomits for a few hours about 48 hours before laying an egg, this is down to all the hormones. It happens every time she gets ready to a lay an egg.

 

[saracuse]

Its the same way she's always done it so about a year. Oh gosh, I hope she isn't about to lay an egg!

I spoke with my local vet and Cornell - they both said that it sounded like shes going through puberty and shes very fond of something in her cage. She only does this in her cage or occasionally(very rarely) the shower. The avian specialist at Cornell said that it sounds like she just flings her regurgitated material around since she acts totally normal after. Nothing about her is different in anyway except that shes starting a molt and relatively hormonal. Eating, pooping and acting totally normal.

 

[EllenD]

Actually it sounds exactly like she is regurgitating to me, and I've owned and bred birds for over 30 years.

Generally if a bird is "vomiting", like they are sick, it looks just like that, vomit. It happens suddenly with no warning, no head bobbing, no prior behavior as you discuss at all, and it looks like you would think vomit looks. It's watery and a mix of food they've eaten, it's uncontrolled, and there is a lot more of it. If a bird "regurgitates", it is typically preceded by head bobbing, neck stretching, etc. because they are forcing it to come up, while vomiting is involuntary. And the material produced by the bird is not watery at all, is generally only one or two small pieces, may be recognizable, but in my experience is usually white in color and after they forcibly bring it up they often try to give it to someone or fling it at someone. Vomit just comes up and lands where it lands.

I'm pretty sure your bird is regurgitating and there is most likely nothing to worry about if she is showing no other symptoms of being sick. That being said, if you are worried about her health or suspect an illness you should always take her to an avian vet as such. But once you see your bird regurgitating and you recognize it as such, you'll no longer worry about it.

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[saracuse]

Thanks!
This is almost always after playing with my hand, one specific toy with a bell on it or more excitement than usual. Everything I was reading was leading me to think that if she shook her head after and flung it everywhere that she was actually ill. I swear if i'm around and I didn't get her to stop the behavior by ignoring it ( usually say " i love you too Tik but no thanks") she gives me such a grossed out look after. I'm a new bird mom - well relatively new. I still get a little worried now and then. I so sincerely appreciate this community!

 

[EllenD]

I'm very glad you get worried because that means you care and will take care of your bird if need be. This is a good thing! My Senegal parrot is doing the same thing lately, only when he's on top of his cage and I walk over to him. I'll start talking to him and suddenly the head bobbing starts, he stretches out his neck, and I say "I love you Kane but I already ate." He usually forces up a chunk of white stuff and I'll tell him to "keep it for himself", and he either swallows it or out of frustration it goes flying somewhere...Once my Shar Pei ate it....That's another story though 😷.

You'll know if he actually vomits, the head bobbing doesn't happen, and the vomit itself is much, much more plentiful and looks like vomit. Plus he will typically act like he's not feeling well after he vomits. I don't know how old your bird is, but this will come and go. It's supposed to be a compliment to you from her, yeah, I know..


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[saracuse]

Hahaha - She's almost 15 months old. Everything is new (to both of us) and quite the adventure.

 

[EllenD]

Yep, that sounds about right! Puberty is tough for birds too!

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[Kentuckienne]

Man, you hurt her feelings. Here she is, offering you the best that she has, the very food from her own crop that she needs to live on...and you aren't thrilled and grateful? Silly humans. Makes me wonder...do birds in the wild every puke for the ungrateful? Or is it like feather plucking, an artifact of the captive life?

 

[Freebird1969]

So glad your mind is at rest now, when birds are sick they go down hill very quickly. If she has been doing this for almost a year then that I'm sure she is absolutely fine.

You also mentioned Quote... "This is almost always after playing with my hand, one specific toy with a bell on it" If she was unwell she wouldn't just be regurgitating to hands or toys, it would just happen at any time