My Sun Eats Her Poop

[FieryPhoenix]

I noticed this in Spring when she was molting and her buddy passed away. Then I didn't notice it in Summer. Now I see it happening in Autumn and she also molted during this season too (I thought they only molt once a year). Anyway, it's gross. She will take a poop and if it is in reach (like if she is in a play gym, she was go over and eat.

She is almost 20 years old so I am wondering if could she be going senile. She eats a varied diet, I am not sure what she gets in her poop that she doesn't get in her regular diet.

She did it right in front of me with no shame.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I noticed this in Spring when she was molting and her buddy passed away. Then I didn't notice it in Summer. Now I see it happening in Autumn and she also molted during this season too (I thought they only molt once a year). Anyway, it's gross. She will take a poop and if it is in reach (like if she is in a play gym, she was go over and eat.

She is almost 20 years old so I am wondering if could she be going senile. She eats a varied diet, I am not sure what she gets in her poop that she doesn't get in her regular diet.

She did it right in front of me with no shame.

Animals really are shameless! I was very surprised that my budgie Rocky never tried to eat her poops when I was handfeeding her last year (and she still doesn't). I changed the paper towels in her box several times a day but her poops looked just like the formula I fed her and she had a great appetite so I wonder what stopped her? Certainly not her social graces! That said, I would think it's pretty normal for young parrots to try to eat their poops and many cages are made with metal grates at the bottom to prevent it at least when they're in their cages. I have no idea how you would teach a poop eating parrot to stop.

 

[wrench13]

Its doubtful parrots feel shame in the same sense that humans do, debatable, but impossible to prove, so lets get that out of the way first.

If she is 20 yrs old, obstensively it hasn't killed her yet. Because you notice this during molting season, it could be a need for minerals or other that gets filled by this action. Me, I would just make sure the opportunity to do this is minimal, meaning the cage or play area is as clean as one can make it.

Molting season in the wild is usually 2X a year, as the seasons change (however minimally ), the feather coat is molted in preparation for the upcoming change. In captivity however, these 'seasons' are completely out-of-whack, and its not unusual for parrots to be in a state of almost constant molt.

THese are my opinions and considerations, I am not a pro or anything like that, just a fellow parrot owner who observes closely.