Hotrod NEVER poops in his cage...

[Hotrod]

Hi everyone, happy first day of Spring! It is beautiful day here in Florida.

So...Hotrod almost never poops in his cage. He holds it all day while I am at work. (I leave at 8:15 and get home around 6). He also holds it all night too. He always has giant poops in the morning, and even bigger, giant poops in the evening from holding it all day and eating. I am just wondering if I should be concerned that he holds it so much. Could it be bad for his health I wonder? Does anybody else have a parrot that does this? Whenever he is out of his cage, he has no problem going on the newspaper I hold under him, or anywhere else in the house.
I am also wondering if it is because I do not have him in a very big cage yet, so he is trying not to go in his "home?" Don't get me wrong, it's not TOO small for him, I just plan on getting him a bigger, heavier duty one with bars futher spaced apart when we move in April.

 

[MonicaMc]

No, it's not good for him to hold it in all day. It can cause health problems, some of which potentially require surgery!


What do you have as cage substrate?

 

[Hotrod]

No, it's not good for him to hold it in all day. It can cause health problems, some of which potentially require surgery!


What do you have as cage substrate?

Oh no, I don't want him to get any health problems! I have no idea as to how to get him to go in his cage.. I am hoping maybe it will get better when I get him a bigger cage, but I'm not sure..
I put newspaper in the tray, which is under the cage bars he walks on. Should I put newspaper on top instead?

 

[MonicaMc]

You might want to give it a try. It is nice he doesn't go in his cage, but it could cause serious issues if you are gone for too long and he "can't go".

 

[Hotrod]

Thanks so much, I will definitely try that. I have been working with him to teach him what the word "do-do" means by saying it whenever I get him out of his cage. So maybe once he gets really familiar with the word and what it means, I might be able to tell him "do-do" while he is in his cage, and if he goes, I can reward him with a treat. Hopefully that and the newspaper will help.

 

[TessieB]

Sometimes birds who are broody will restrain form defecating in or near the nesting area. They'll hold it in then make a big giant glop in a certain spot. Also, it never hurts to have your avian vet examine a fecal sample to make sure all is moving along as it should be.

 

[ruffledfeathers]

Hotrod, i like the idea of teaching the "doo doo" word and have him do it, with a reward. I think this can work. Gilbert knows "go poop" and i say it every time i take him out, so he knows now that i have him step up, i say 'go poop' and hold him over his newspaper IN the cage to poop right before coming out. He will actually hesitate to deliberately try to push a poop out and then gets kisses and comes out. (Gilbert is also a 'pig pen' of birds, and will poop and walk through it, roll on the paper while playing, etc, so i have the opposite problem and have to constantly clean up after him or he will get himself all yucky!)