Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 3/6/2006

Question
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Followup To
Question -
Hello, I was wondering if it was normal for lovebirds to eat their own stool and if something was missing from the diet it. I feed my lovies cockatiel extract, fresh fruit and veggies and for a treat they get millet and safflower and sunflower seeds. Its my male that is doing it he will taste it turn his head like he doesnt like it then go back to eating it.
thanks Denise
Answer -
Hi, Denise.  Thanks for posting.

Normal, no.  Parrots eat their poo usually because some nutrient is missing from their diet.  They also might eat poo as an attention getter or just because they've developed this as a bad habit.  

I don't know what you mean by "cockatiel extract."  Fresh fruits and veggies are great in the diet.  You should also include pelleted food and severely limit the seed consumption.  Seed is full of fat and has little nutritional value, so the less your lovie eats, the better.  Variety of food types is key in a healthy parrot's diet.  The more variety, the better, but avoid sugar/sugary food, caffeine, salt, avocados, baking chocolate, dairy products, etc...whatever is healthy for a human is healthy for a parrot (with the above exceptions).  

I can't tell you exactly why your lovebird eats it's own stool, but try to gradually introduce more variety in it's diet, including pelleted food, and see if this helps.

Chrys    

Chrys,

Thanks,  Cockatiel extract is a pellet food. As for the seeds  they only  get  20 seeds a week for the bonded and the single one only gets ten. I put cuttlebone in it but they dont go anywhere near it. I dont know I took them to the vet but he said everything was fine.

Thanks again,
Denise


Answer
Hi again, Denise.

If your lovebird was evaluated by an avian vet (not a dog/cat vet, but an exotic animal vet), and s/he checks out OK, then don't worry about your parrot eating it's own droppings.  However, don't let the lovebird eat the droppings of other birds in your home.  Droppings is a way illness/disease is spread.

I'm confused as to what you're putting cuttlebone into, but if you want your lovebird(s) to eat it, don't put cuttlebone into it.  

Chrys