| I can't vouch one way or another on illness, but you are real close
to potty training. If you can predict when and where, you can be
ready to say a command when it happens, and association may not
be far after.
Ed
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| Hi,
One of our conures used to do the same thing and was not ill. He did
worry us at first though. Same as yours: waited until we took him out
at breakfast time; guaranteed heavy wet poop, usually down the back of
my robe. What we did was to talk to him while he was in his cage in
the morning, wait until he pooped (this took ten minutes or so at
first, so bring a cup of coffee or whatever and pull up a chair if
you try this). THEN we praised him outrageously and took him out
immediately. Got so when we approached the cage and said good
morning, he would hesitate, then do his stuff, and be rewarded with
being let out right away. (The wetness was because it was the nightly
accumulation, not because it was diarrhea.) Another conure we have
was potty-trained by the previous owner, which is a real treat, so
we try to keep reinforcing this behavior!
Since you say the droppings get normal after he is out, I would make a
layman's guess he is not ill, but if you are concerned, sometimes a
veterinarian will accept a sample of droppings in a baggie rather than
requiring that they see the bird. You have to drop off the sample
as soon as possible so the vet can do a fecal analysis. This
costs $10-15 usually, instead of the stress and expense of a full
office visit. **Check first, though.** The vet *may* require you bring
the bird in. If so, put plain paper toweling or the equivalent (not
newspaper) in the carrier you use so their is a fresh sample for the
vet that is not contaminated by anything. (Birds seem to provide
samples about every 20 minutes or so...quicker if nervous or sick, or
if a smaller bird than a conure.)
Good luck! And let us know how things turn out.
Linda
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|
I know this is very late reply. My conure that i have had for well
over 6 years now, has always done this. It was explained to me that
they just don't `go' at night, once the have been covered for the
evening. I thought it was strange, but he is always the same way. It
does not matter if we are camping on a fishing trip, at home, what ever
once he is gone down for the night, that is it. he does not do `it'
till he is next taken out of his cage. My m`acaw does the same thing.
Only she holds the side of the cage when you uncover her, so you can
imagine what that is like.
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