# Gloppy green droppings today... runny



## BlueBirdNYC (Aug 26, 2016)

Biz's droppings seem to be medium green and "gloppy" (for lack of a better word)... a bit runny. He is his happy chirpy self, although taking more naps. (That said, he is still pretty pinny / molting.)

He ate some egg food today that has blended kale & ground flax in it (the egg food definitely wasn't left out too long); and he ate some kale as well... (and pellets, both Fruity & Roudybush)....& no seeds today.... I'm thinking these goopy drops are probably normal considering what he consumed.... but just to be sure... best to just keep an extra eye on them for the next 24 hours?

He did get a bamboo leaf in his mouth but I got it out before he chewed it. (See plant attached.) I've kept him away from it because in researching whether they're safe or not... I was confused as to whether the twisty kind of bamboo plant is safe or not, and also since I got it at Lowe's, I have no idea how they treated it. I've had the plant a long time, so he grabbed a leaf from the new growth... but still.... I'd love to know what the safety status might be for the plant. Now that he noticed it, I'm probably going to have to move it.

[ You'll notice I quickly put some shopping bags up in a quick pinch to block the mirror... b/c he decided to extra notice the mirror again now too. After forgetting about it. ]


----------



## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*From the research I've done, I found the curly bamboo, also known as "lucky bamboo" (Dracaena Sanderiana/Dracaena Brunnii is listed as being mildly toxic to budgies.

As Biz only got one small leaf and didn't chew it, I wouldn't be too overly concerned. 
The runny poop is most likely from the foods he's eaten and the fact that he's molting.

Do keep an eye on him to make sure he's drinking.
You can offer him a little Guardian Angel/Pedialyte to help re-balance his electrolytes.*


----------



## BlueBirdNYC (Aug 26, 2016)

FaeryBee said:


> *From the research I've done, I found the curly bamboo, also known as "lucky bamboo" (Dracaena Sanderiana/Dracaena Brunnii is listed as being mildly toxic to budgies.
> 
> As Biz only got one small leaf and didn't chew it, I wouldn't be too overly concerned.
> The runny poop is most likely from the foods he's eaten and the fact that he's molting.
> ...


Great... thanks so much Deb. Looks like Biz continues to insist on redecorating - _everything _- so I'm going to hide the bamboo. 

...He's been drinking water today, so that's good. (I just ordered a lead testing kit to test the quality of the water coming out of my pipes. The water where I am is lead free, but I want to make sure there is no issue with the pipes. Do you recommend a water pitcher filter? I have one by Pur, but I haven't been using it because I wasn't sure about it.)

I'll get some pedialyte and soak millet in it... and in the meantime will order Guardian Angel to have on hand.

Any idea about ZZ Plants? (Zamioculcas Zamifolia). It's out of the way, but given Biz's track record, he has a special knack for discovering things I don't want him to get to. 

Many thx.


----------



## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Zamioculcas zamiifolia is part of the Araceae family
which contains calcium oxalate. Needle-like calcium oxalate crystals could irritate different sensitive skin parts, mucosa, or conjunctiva of a budgie.

Zamioculcas zamiifolia

I think it is a good idea to use purified water or spring water for Biz. 
I usually give my birds Spring Water because I'm not crazy about all the additives in the tap water. 
I am getting a Brita Water Pitcher for them for Christmas. *


----------



## BlueBirdNYC (Aug 26, 2016)

FaeryBee said:


> *Zamioculcas zamiifolia is part of the Araceae family
> which contains calcium oxalate. Needle-like calcium oxalate crystals could irritate different sensitive skin parts, mucosa, or conjunctiva of a budgie.
> 
> Zamioculcas zamiifolia
> ...


Awesome... thanks! So my Pur water pitcher with an up-to-date filter should probably be ok. I'll get that going.


----------



## BlueBirdNYC (Aug 26, 2016)

Biz seems ok. He's not acting lethargic and he is chirping non-stop. ... I'm getting ready to feed him the pedialyte-soaked millet.

I'm wondering if his odd droppings (they evolved to big light brown mounds... all with the urates)... is because he's been doing very well with his Roudybush pellets. I didn't feed him any seed today because I'm trying to curb his appetite for seed so he won't pout at the pellets. I have to do that from time to time (take a seed hiatus) and it really works. He's been doing really well with the pellets and actually seems to enjoy them (both Roudybush & Fruity Zupreem.) He really took very well to the Roudybush. He looks happy crunching away at them. (Whereas he would just give me dirty looks at the Harrison's.)


----------



## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

That sounds like typical "pellet poops", for sure  Seed-based droppings are much more compact than the softer, lighter coloured poops when a bird eats pellets as well as seeds :thumbsup: 

I did a few "seed hiatus" for my girl when I first had her eating pellets, too. I agree it makes them more likely to continue eating them even when they have seeds present again. 

I'm sure he's just fine! Certainly he's been keeping high in spirits


----------



## BlueBirdNYC (Aug 26, 2016)

StarlingWings said:


> That sounds like typical "pellet poops", for sure  Seed-based droppings are much more compact than the softer, lighter coloured poops when a bird eats pellets as well as seeds :thumbsup:
> 
> I did a few "seed hiatus" for my girl when I first had her eating pellets, too. I agree it makes them more likely to continue eating them even when they have seeds present again.
> 
> I'm sure he's just fine! Certainly he's been keeping high in spirits


ah... thanks! Yeah, he seems ok today and the droppings don't seem too watery today. Just fluffy lighter pellet poops.  ... I don't want to speak too soon, but it seems as if the hardest days of the pellet conversion is behind us and he is happily eating his pellets as if he likes them. That takes a weight off my shoulders for the moment. I hope he continues and can stay on this path. ... it took 3+ of patience and diligence but it has definitely been worth it. (And it's not as messy!!!  :woot:


----------



## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Pellet poops are definitely a bit surprising at first when you aren't used to seeing them. 

It's cool that Biz likes Roudybush and the Zupreem Fruity Pellets. Those are my birds' favorites as well.

Although I used the Harrison's mash on their seeds to get them used to the pellet taste, they never did really take a liking to the Harrison's pellets themselves. I still use the mash on their seeds anytime one of them seems a little "off" or when they are molting - just as an extra little "boost".*


----------



## BlueBirdNYC (Aug 26, 2016)

FaeryBee said:


> *Pellet poops are definitely a bit surprising at first when you aren't used to seeing them.
> 
> It's cool that Biz likes Roudybush and the Zupreem Fruity Pellets. Those are my birds' favorites as well.
> 
> Although I used the Harrison's mash on their seeds to get them used to the pellet taste, they never did really take a liking to the Harrison's pellets themselves. I still use the mash on their seeds anytime one of them seems a little "off" or when they are molting - just as an extra little "boost".*


haha... they were indeed droppings I wasn't used to. They were big and fluffy! lol. I was like "whatttt in the worrrlllddd...?"

I might give the Harrison's Super-Fine High Potency a try some other time, when the time seems appropriate.... now that Biz is used to eating brown-colored pellets (vs. just the "Fruit Loops" kind) as this product seems to be hailed as being so wonderful for the budgies... but, I find it to not be very convenient because it seems to get stale quickly and they say you have to use the bag upon 6 weeks of opening it, and I find it hard to imagine that I would be able to accomplish that. The potential for waste seems high and it's not inexpensive.

Right now I'm storing my Roudybush in the freezer, and I have no idea if that's the right thing to do. It's not getting damp at all, and it says to store in a "cool" dry place. That's extra-extra-cool, no.....?


----------



## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*Storing the pellets in the freezer is fine. Same with the Harrisons. *


----------



## BlueBirdNYC (Aug 26, 2016)

FaeryBee said:


> *Storing the pellets in the freezer is fine. Same with the Harrisons. *


Great ... thanks! I'm kind of starting to feel like I'm getting out of the woods here and things are organized and we are getting closer to having an established "system."


----------

