Everybody Poops.
As a child this is a statement that would probably make you giggle.
As an adult we all know it to be true and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.
Everybody poops including our parrots.
If you’ve ever owned a parrot you know that they poop a lot.
Perhaps you’ve even been pooped on by a parrot.
If you haven’t been pooped on by a parrot there’s a high likelihood that you’ve been pooped on by a bird flying by outside.
What is bird poop all about?
How often do macaws poop?
The answer to how often do macaws poop is around 15 to 20 times a day. The amount of times a parrot poops depends on their size. Smaller parrots tend to poop more whilst larger parrots poop less.
In this article, we will look at why birds poop so much and hat does your bird poop tell you about the health of your bird?
Today we will answer all of these questions and more so let’s not waste another minute.
How Often Should A Macaw Poop?
As just mentioned, the average macaw will poop between 15 to 20 times per day.
Of course, this will vary from Macaw to Macaw.
What is important isn’t the exact amount that your parrot poops, but that their poops are consistent.
Poops should be consistent in colour, consistency, and volume.
If a parrot is pooping less than normal it could be an indication that they are not eating properly.
Parrots that are pooping more than normal could also have an issue.
If there is more poop than normal, take a look at which portion of the droppings have increased in size.
If there is more of the green portion, your parrot could have a digestive problem.
If there is an increase in the liquid portion, this is a problem with their urine and it may indicate diabetes, kidney disease, or excessive water intake.
If both the green portion and the liquid portion of your parrots poop have increased then it could be that your parrot is holding their poop for longer.
This is often the case for female parrots who are in the process of laying eggs as they may only poop two to three times per day.
What does my Macaws poop tell me about their health?
There is a lot that you can learn from poop. As we just learned above, the frequency of your parrots poop can tell you a lot about their health.
So can other things.
Let’s talk about parrot poop!
Parrot poop has three components: the green portion, the white portion, and a liquid portion.
The green portion is the feces that derives from the intestines.
The white portion is the urate that comes from the kidneys.
The liquid portion is the urine, also coming from the kidneys.
The color of your parrot’s poop can tell you a lot of things.
When a parrot’s poop is normal, it is green.
It can range in color from grass green to olive green, or even a little darker.
With that being said, if the feces is too dark and verging on the color black, this is not poop, this is bile.
This is an indication that your parrot is not eating. If there is too much bile in your parrot’s droppings, this can also affect the color of the urine.
Urine is usually clear or white but when mixed with bile can become yellowish-green.
When this is the case, your parrot could be facing some type of disease.
Liver-related diseases are the most common.
If your parrot has lead poisoning, there may be red blood in its droppings.
Red droppings should never be ignored and require a prompt visit to the veterinarian.
You can also tell a lot by the proportions of your parrot’s poop.
If your parrot is healthy, the green portion and the white portion of their poop should be almost equal.
There will be less liquid but enough to make it slightly wet.
Macaw droppings should not be overly wet.
If the other two portions of the poop “unswirl” or are very loose this mean that your parrot has polyuria.
This is a condition where your parrot urinates more than usual and is not to be confused with diarrhea which is when the feces takes on no form at all.
Macaw poop should be soft but slightly stiff and should be hard enough to stay where it lands.
It should not be runny.
Macaw poop is usually green but it can also change colors based on diet.
If your parrot eats a lot of pellets, their poop can be more on the brownish side.
If they eat a lot of carrots they may have some orange in their poop. And so on and so forth.
In most cases, changes in consistency and color of your parrots poop don’t indicate illness or disease.
Temporary changes in stool patterns can simply be a result in a change of eating habits or can even be caused by chewing on new toys.
With that being said, if your parrot does not improve after a few days, it’s advised that you take them to a veterinarian.
What should I do if my Macaw is not pooping?
For macaws, constipation is not a common concern.
With that being said, it can happen.
If you feel that your macaw is having a hard time pooping, they could have some type of blockage.
Sometimes this blockage can be in the form of something stuck in the GI tract or sometimes it can be in the form of an egg that is stuck (in the case of a female macaw).
Either way, if your parrot seems to be struggling, it’s important to take them to a veterinarian for proper diagnosis.
Is Macaw poop a health hazard?
Unlike some other animals such as rats or mice, Macaw poop is not really that dangerous.
With that being said, if it is not cleaned and it is left for a long period of time, it can dry and grow bacteria and fungi.
When this is breathed in by your parrot for long periods, it can eventually lead to respiratory illness, lung and sinus infections, and other health concerns.
Furthermore, if your parrot is carrying some type of disease then it can be passed on through the droppings to others who come into contact with it.
This can include both other birds and humans.
For this reason it is important that you keep your parrot’s cage clean and remove droppings regularly.
If you do this, you shouldn’t have much to worry about.
Does Macaw poop smell?
No. Parrot poop doesn’t usually smell.
The reason for this is because parrots generally eat less meat, and more fruits and vegetables.
It is sulfides that are contained within meat that make mammal poop smell so bad.
Since parrots do not eat a lot of meat, there is no sulfide within their poop and it is not smelly.
In addition, parrots do not have anal glands that create the same types of smells as those of cats and dogs, nor do they have any fermentation in there guts.
As a result they do not produce gas or strong odors.
In conclusion, your macaw should poop between 15 to 20 times per day.
With that being said, don’t panic if they are pooping a little more or a little less.
What’s important is not how often they are pooping, but that their poop stays consistent in size, colour, and consistency.
If you notice that your parrots poop is changing, it could just be due to their diet.
Give it a few days. If they are still not better after a few days, set up an appointment with the veterinarian for diagnosis