# Poop Stuck to Feathers



## KinaNGeorgie (Sep 28, 2015)

I have a new baby budgie who has decided the food bowl is his new bed. After eating, he gets right in the middle, buries his feet into the seeds, fluffs up and goes to sleep.

I thought this was funny and cute at first until his sleep poop started to stick to his butt. When he is stands anywhere else like the bottom of the cage or on the actual main perch, the poop falls straight down in a nice round shape with a fairly healthy color. However when he sleeps in his food cup, it seems like the standing ledge is in just the right position to block the poop from falling naturally keeping it by his butt and when he wakes up he has a giant ball stuck to him that I go knock out with a q-tip. It's not a pasty mushed up mess like diarrhea, it's a loose wad of smaller well formed poops.

I'm worried because I know skin has bad reactions when exposed to poop for long terms. Any advice? I thought about taking out the food when I can't directly monitor him and leaving him with a millet spray but that doesn't sound like a healthy thing to do to a baby.
:budgie:


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## aluz (Jul 24, 2011)

You can get your budgie a different style of food container, one that has the top on with a smaller sized hole where only the budgie's head will fit in for feeding purposes and not nesting/sleeping.

In order to avoid rashes or irritation on the skin, it's best to gently wipe out the poop with a cotton ball soaked in lukewarm water. Keep on monitoring your new budgie and if he keeps on having his poops stuck on the vent even while perching, then booking an appointment at the avian vet for a check up would be the best thing to do, especially when there is discomfort/itchiness on the area due to a possible skin rash or inflammation.

Good luck with everything.


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## Therm (Aug 2, 2015)

When I first got my last two budgies, one of them did the same sort of thing. 
One of the girls, Josie, decided to sleep on a toy, in such a position that with her long fluffy feathers, her poop got stuck on her. When I checked them in the morning, I had a mini freak out and did the same as you, got a cotton bud and some warm water to clean her up but when she moved, it all fell off. It was literally the way she was positioned when sleeping. 
She has no trace of poop on her once she moved but I wiped her vent over to make sure she was clean. 
I removed the toy and haven't had a problem since.


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## Budget baby (Jan 1, 2013)

It is quite common for new babies to want to sleep in their food cups, some will throw all the seed out then get in, some will do what your little one does they all have their own version. Usually they will out grow this behaviour and perch to sleep. Also being new their poop can be a bit runnier due to stress this makes it stick easier too. What you did the correct way to go hope things settle soon.


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