Sick Birdie: How to Help a Budgie with Diarrhea

Budgies or parakeets are known as intelligent, colorful birds. They’re also loved as pets since they enjoy interacting with humans and can mimic human voices. However, budgies can get sick and suffer from common infections caused by viruses such as diarrhea. If this happens to your pet parakeet, you may be wondering what to give it for relief?

You should give a budgie with diarrhea antibiotics or antifungal medications, depending on the origins of diarrhea. Also, feed your budgie regular food and water – no fresh foods like fruit. You can also give it some glucose solutions and probiotics to rehydrate and rebalance its gut.

This article will discuss how top help a budgie with diarrhea. We’ll examine why they get stomach upsets and what you can do to provide relief for your feathered friend. And now, without further adieu, let’s begin!

How To Confirm If a Budgie Has Diarrhea?

You can confirm if your budgie has diarrhea by looking at its feces. Excrement should be beige or white in color and not have any solid matter in it. Normal budgie feces may also be runny and greenish brown in color. 

Regular Budgie Feces	Aspects	Diarrhea Budgie Feces
Greenish brown	Color	Whitish
Slightly runny	Viscosity	Wet or watery
Whitish grey	Solid Matter	None

Many budgie owners confuse regular budgie droppings with diarrhea because a budgie’s excrement isn’t like that of other animals. Even when healthy, budgies still produce watery droppings which may be easily mistaken for diarrhea. 

Commonly, a healthy budgie dropping is greenish-brown and contains some semi-solid matter in a whitish color. The dropping will also contain a bit of water, usually urine. 

A budgie with diarrhea may produce watery droppings as well. Still, it’s usually whitish with no semi-solid matter present. The viscosity of the droppings may also be either watery or runny.

If you need a way to see your budgie’s dropping, replace litter with a piece of paper and observe the droppings it’s making. 

Why Does My Budgie Have Diarrhea?

Budgies may get diarrhea for different reasons such as too much fruit, a sudden change in diet, excessive water, stress, toxin exposure, or molting feathers. The key is to identify the potential triggers and isolate them.

When your budgie gets diarrhea, it may be either a simple stomach bug or a sign of a bigger issue. There may be many reasons for it, but these are probably the most common culprits and likely no need for concern.

Too Much Fruit

Budgies generally eat a balanced diet in the wild. There’s typically a mixture of dried food such as seeds and nut with some wet food such as fruits. 

However, if you give your budgie too much fruit, it can cause digestive issues. Fruits are largely water which means your budgie will likely excrete soft stools that look like diarrhea.

Sudden Change in Diet

A sudden change in diet may trigger a stomach response from your budgie. This can happen if you suddenly switch from dry to wet food or change the regular pellets you feed your budgies. 

To avoid this, consider changing your budgie’s diet slowly. For example, slowly increase the new pellets in the feeding bowl over time. 

Excessive Water

If your budgie drinks a lot of water, it may get diarrhea. Start by reducing the amount of water you give it and see if it solves the issue.

Also, consider isolating budgies if they live together. Budgies can engage in overdrinking due to their arid natural habitat. Isolating them reduces competitiveness and their survival instinct.

However, suppose your budgie continues to lap up the water. In that case, constant thirst may signify your budgie has diabetes, as reported by Current Science.

Increased Stress

Frightened and stressed budgies can produce watery stools. You may notice this if your budgie is frightened by a loud noise. If your pet bird has a tough time dealing with a menacing cat trying to poke its paws into your budgie’s cage, this too can lead to digestive issues.

Diarrhea typically goes away once the bird feels safe and well again. However, if the issue continues, your budgie may be living in a near-constant state of stress and anxiety.

Toxin Exposure

Companion birds like budgies are more likely to absorb toxins from their surroundings. For example, if you move it to a newly painted room, it could breathe in some of the toxins and develop diarrhea. 

Bug spray, scented candles, incense, and essential oil vapors could also trigger a diarrhea response from budgies.

Molting Feathers

Budgies molt every year when they replace their current feathers with new ones. Molting may be accompanied by diarrhea due to stress. Diarrhea could be worse too if your budgie is undergoing its first molt. 

What to Give a Budgie with Diarrhea?

You can give your budgie antifungal or antibiotic medication to manage diarrhea as well as feed it its regular pellets without any soft foods. You may also want to give its living space a cleanup. Finally, give your budgie a glucose solution and prebiotics to rehydrate and rebalance its gut.

If you observe your budgie producing diarrhea-like droppings for over 24 hours, you may want to take it to a vet. And don’t forget to bring along the stool sample. 

Depending on the vet’s diagnosis, your budgie may be prescribed an antifungal or antibiotic medication. Ensure you administer the medication on time and instructed. 

Aside from that, you may want to isolate the problems that may be causing diarrhea in the first place. At the most basic, give its living space a good cleanup to remove any potential bacteria or fungi that may have triggered your budgie’s diarrhea. 

During recovery, feed your budgie with its regular pellet food and water. Soft food such as fruits or celery may exacerbate its diarrhea condition so avoid these edibles. 

Continue to observe your budgie’s droppings by placing a piece of paper underneath the cage. Once the droppings have resumed their regular consistency, then your budgie is on the mend.

Once the budgie has recovered, consider giving it a glucose solution. Mix 2 teaspoons of glucose with 7 cups of water. Give your budgie water several times a day to help flush out toxins, rehydrate and restore energy. 

You may also consider giving your budgie some probiotics to rebalance its gut. Diarrhea and antibiotics can wreak havoc on the gut microbiome in your budgie’s stomach.

When to Seek Veterinary Care for a Budgie with Diarrhea

If you notice that your budgie is experiencing diarrhea, it’s important to monitor its symptoms closely. While mild diarrhea can sometimes be treated at home, severe or prolonged diarrhea can be a sign of a more serious underlying health issue.

If your budgie’s diarrhea persists for more than 24 hours, or if it shows other symptoms such as lethargy, loss of appetite, or difficulty breathing, it’s best to seek veterinary care immediately.

These symptoms could indicate a bacterial or parasitic infection, a viral disease, or another serious health condition that requires prompt treatment.

When you bring your budgie to the vet, he/she will likely perform a physical exam and ask you about your budgie’s symptoms and diet.

Depending on the severity of the diarrhea and the suspected underlying cause, he/she may recommend diagnostic tests such as fecal analysis or bloodwork.

Treatment for diarrhea in budgies can vary depending on the cause and severity of the symptoms, but may include medication, dietary changes, or supportive care such as fluid therapy.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Caring for a Budgie with Diarrhea

If your budgie is experiencing diarrhea, there are several things you can do to help it feel more comfortable and aid in their recovery.

Firstly, it’s important to keep your budgie’s cage clean and dry, as a damp or dirty environment can exacerbate diarrhea symptoms and increase the risk of infection.

Make sure to clean your budgie’s cage and accessories frequently with a pet-safe disinfectant and replace any wet or soiled bedding immediately.

In terms of diet, it’s important to provide your budgie with easily digestible, nutrient-rich foods that can help soothe its digestive system.

Offer your budgie small, frequent meals of cooked brown rice, boiled eggs, or plain cooked chicken, and avoid feeding it fruits, vegetables, or other foods that could further upset its stomach. Additionally, make sure that your budgie has easy access to fresh, clean water to prevent dehydration.

While caring for a budgie with diarrhea, it’s important to avoid certain behaviors that could worsen its symptoms. For example, avoid handling your budgie excessively or exposing it to stressful situations, as this can weaken its immune system and delay their recovery.

Additionally, avoid using any harsh cleaning products or chemicals around your budgie’s cage, as these can irritate its respiratory system and exacerbate diarrhea symptoms. By following these tips, you can help your budgie feel more comfortable and recover faster from diarrhea.

Final Thoughts

To conclude, diarrhea in budgies can be treated with antibiotic medication and managed through diet. Avoiding wet foods such as fresh fruit while increasing dry foods like grains and seeds should remedy the issue.

If your pet parakeet doesn’t recover after treatment, then a more serious underlying health problem like diabetes could be to blame. Seek medical advice from your local veterinarian if the condition persists.

Good luck and happy bird-keeping!