Can conures hold it when going to the bathroom?

[asagiyuu]

If I remember correctly conures poop every 15 minutes or so. She is potty trained to go the bathroom in a specific place when I have her outside the cage, however for the past 4 days, I have not been seeing many droppings on the cage floor, definitely not enough to support what is considered a normal rate. She is outside of the cage for about an hour and a half in the morning and for 3-4 hours when I come home from work. When I take her out the first thing I do is put her in her designated bathroom spot and I tell her to "go potty" and she always does, and the droppings are large, like she had several worth all at once. I haven't noticed any strange behavior, she's not over preening, she's very energetic and she still eats really well. When I have her out she poops at regular intervals so long as I put her in her bathroom spot and tell her to go. Should I be concerned and take her to a vet sooner? I was going to take her for a wellness check up after her first molt.

 

[Sunnyclover]

This is what people are afraid of can happen with Potty training birds. Seems like she is now holding in her poop until you give her the command to release it or she is in what she views as the only place she's allowed to go potty. Luckily, my Ollie (also a conure) has not developed this quark and goes in his cage and also on command. I believe that your bird could in the future develop some kind of internal problems with this habit but I'm not a vet so I'm not totally sure. I do know people are afraid this will happen and don't potty train because of this exact issue. If I were you I'd just bring it up at your next vet appointment because it's a learned behavior and it's already been learned at this point and I'm not sure you can undo it.

 

[SailBoat]

I have always had difficulty believing that any Parrot /Bird /Duck, etc... have a specific pattern to relieving themselves. General pattern, okay, that is believable. The 'schedule,' time for food entering to leaving the body is highly dependent on how much and what type.

The common reason for a statement like every 15 minutes is to let the Human know that if they have been sitting with their Conure for 20 minutes, they are likely pushing their luck.

With time, you will note that your Conure will vary its time. Can a Conure hold its stool, yes! But there are limits that when they approach those points, and you will be provided a prize.

The time lines of your Parrot will be dependent on 'its' eating patterns and what you are providing.

 

[asagiyuu]

Appreciate the input! I usually try to read her body language before I put her in her bathroom spot to see if she actually needs to go so she doesn't feel like she can only go when I say. For now I'll monitor her then and keep an eye on her behavior. She definitely leaves me a gift once in awhile, but I may be worrying a bit much with how few droppings I see in the cage.

 

[Sunnyclover]

Yeah I think you should just keep an eye on it and she'll probably be fine and was fine all along.

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

Most parrots 'hold it' throughout the night and then go first thing in the morning (thats why their 'morning dumps' are so 'smelly').

Skittles has 'poop mats' throughout the house (they are places he knows he's allowed to poop). Whatever room we are in, he has a place he's allowed to poop. He doesn't go on command, he just goes where he knows to go and does a poop.

Sometimes I find it funny, when he'll be sitting on my leg and suddenly fly over to his cage, take a dump and then fly back over to me. There have been times he has tried to avoid having to go to his cage, but luckily I can sense when he is about to go and if he is somewhere he's not suppose to poop, I will say "NO" and he'll go poop elsewhere.

I do have to confess, I didn't potty train him- he was already potty trained by the people at the pet store I got him from. So I have no idea on how to properly train an untrained bird to go potty. I will say that it is very convenient seeing how he is free-flighted. That way I don't have to pick up droppings everywhere. I do have to pick up discarded food everywhere though, so it wouldn't make a difference anyways.