Pasting of vent

[smbrds]

Hi all.

I haven't posted in a long time. Things were going really good with Baby. He's been molting. He eats everything I give him. He eats his seeds, pellets and millet, veggie-infused pasta.

Since he's molting I've been giving him baths. He's been eating a lot of millet lately but also pellets. He's had poop stuck on his vent before and I got off by putting him in a bowl of water. That was a couple of months ago. Just recently a few days ago, it's happened again and it's worse. He poops but it keeps getting stuck. I put him in a bowl of water and a small part came off.

He's still eating and drinking water. He's still chirping and his usual self. He has been closing his eyes more. Part of that is because I've been trying to handle him to get the poop off by putting him in a bowl of water. I've tried spraying. It just happened so quick. Just a few days ago he was pooping normal and all of a sudden a bouncy ball like clump of poop won't come off him. I try getting it off but it hurts him because now it's stuck.

Everything just developed so fast. He gets stressed easier because he's older (19) and I try to put him in water or getting a napkin to scrape it off. He doesn't like hands or fingers easily because he'll lose trust until he cools down and happy again.

 

[HeatherG]

When I had a very old Quaker, Lucy, she was too arthritic to preen herself all over and started getting poops stuck. I used to hold her with her bottom up under a gently running faucet in the bathroom sink. I used that to soften up the poop and then gently work it off. I occasionally used a bit of baby shampoo but usually just water. Sometimes a bit of feather came off but that is not the end of the world, although if it’s attached your bird will not like that.

Helping to clean your old bird is a bit gross but you can’t let them become pasted over. Sometimes this does happen with old birds where they can’t keep themselves neat any more.

I’m thinking about your bird because you say he does not like to be touched. If he is too creaky to reach himself you are going to have to handle him. Try to be quick and gentle and not make a big fuss over it. I have had many birds who needed some sort of assistance and usually I just did it as quickly as possible and they got over it.

 

[smbrds]

He loves to cuddle and be loving but doesn't like hands or fingers sometimes. He steps up when he's happy and content until there's an episode and then he retreats.

Sometimes it is a feather blocking his vent and then when he shakes or gets the feather out things are fine.

When he is out I will try to rub it once again. I put him in water yesterday and a small part came off. I can only handle him until he gets stressed out and breathing heavy. He's my old little guy so I don't want that stress on him.

I will keep putting him in a shallow bowl and also rub the area with a wet napkin or cloth. It is sticking and can be hard to get off.

It just happened all so fast. Just a few days ago he was pooping normal and then I noticed a clump of a small ball of poop.

 

[smbrds]

I just wanted to give an update. Since then, I've been spraying Baby and putting him in a shallow bowl of warm water. That encouraged grooming more and shaking of feathers. It also allowed for some of it to come off. Eventually, the poop was able to come off. He had an incessant need to eat pellets more for a bit as he knows what he needs and they provide vitamins. His poop began to be more solid.

I realize I'll be having to do this every once in awhile and that's ok. He's my little boy. When he molts he tends to get tired and mostly eat millet. I think the millet is what caused his poop to get stuck. I always leave out free choice for him - seeds, pellets, millet, bread, pasta. occasional cracker and one piece of rice Chex cereal.

 

[HeatherG]

I’m glad Baby is doing better. Sounds like you were able to work out the problem without handling him. That’s good.