Bird crop

Tenisha

New member
Oct 8, 2021
7
9
Parrots
Ringneck
Should a birds crop be abit hardish one they start eating seeds. Are you supposed to feel the seeds inside? Abit of a dumb question but im so used to feel the soft crop it's kinda scary
 

Kitekeeper

Well-known member
Jun 19, 2021
263
701
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Parrots
Budgerigar (Bud), Pacific Parrotlet (Sam), Roseicollis lovebird (BJ and Turq), Linneolated parakeet (Charlie and Emma)
Should a birds crop be abit hardish one they start eating seeds. Are you supposed to feel the seeds inside?
Yes it should, sometimes you can even see the seeds inside if the crop is really full and there is some sort of lack of feathers in the area.

The crop is where the seeds will be crushed, as birds have no teeth and swallow them without crushing. Most birds should indeed have small rocks or gravel inside the crop to help crushing them.
 

Emeral

Well-known member
Sep 16, 2021
209
628
Parrots
Hanhs Macaw
Happy to have you here, warm welcome, all questions are welcome. There is a first time, first question for every one all the same. We all started from there. No one is born an expert. And so, no question is stupid.

It is wise to be observation, as prevention is easier than cure. Watch the crop and other signs exhibited including the poop, all must be consistent with the food intake.


My guess is you bird is weaning? Moving from hand fed crop that is soft to the touch to feeling seed? Weaning is an important time for a baby bird. Time to introduce variation in healthy diets. Such as fresh pumpkin seed, mango, papaya, orange, cucumber, banana, pasta, boiled beans, boiled egg, boiled fish etc. These fresh food contains lots of water and hence are easy to digest.

Dry seed and pellets require birds to drink lots of water to digest. However, not all birds drinks enough water. All we can do is give them water, it's up to them to drink enough of it. Too little water intake can slow down the digestion, or in worst case, slow crop emptying/sour crop.

From interesting reads below, you will find that preventing sour crop is much easier than curing it.


 
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T

Tenisha

New member
Oct 8, 2021
7
9
Parrots
Ringneck
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
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Yes it should, sometimes you can even see the seeds inside if the crop is really full and there is some sort of lack of feathers in the area.

The crop is where the seeds will be crushed, as birds have no teeth and swallow them without crushing. Most birds should indeed have small rocks or gravel inside the crop to help crushing them

Happy to have you here, warm welcome, all questions are welcome. There is a first time, first question for every one all the same. We all started from there. No one is born an expert. And so, no question is stupid.

It is wise to be observation, as prevention is easier than cure. Watch the crop and other signs exhibited including the poop, all must be consistent with the food intake.


My guess is you bird is weaning? Moving from hand fed crop that is soft to the touch to feeling seed? Weaning is an important time for a baby bird. Time to introduce variation in healthy diets. Such as fresh pumpkin seed, mango, papaya, orange, cucumber, banana, pasta, boiled beans, boiled egg, boiled fish etc. These fresh food contains lots of water and hence are easy to digest.

Dry seed and pellets require birds to drink lots of water to digest. However, not all birds drinks enough water. All we can do is give them water, it's up to them to drink enough of it. Too little water intake can slow down the digestion, or in worst case, slow crop emptying/sour crop.

From interesting reads below, you will find that preventing sour crop is much easier than curing it.


Thank you so so much for all that info ! I did check his crop out this morning and it emptied fine.
 

ctwo

Active member
May 16, 2019
247
145
Parrots
Mango the Indian Ringneck and Peach the Cockatiel; Kiwi found a new home
Note - parrots do not need gravel, but may need a source of calcium to supplement a balanced diet, such as a cuttlebone.
 

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