How to Treat Diarrhea in Parakeets

Diarrhea can occur in parakeets for many reasons. Your parakeet may be sick, upset, or stressed out. It is important to treat diarrhea in parakeets, since it can quickly lead to dangerous dehydration and may be a symptom of a serious underlying illness. Start by determining whether your parakeet is sick or upset. If it’s sick, you should take it to the vet, give it fluids, and try to calm the stomach. If the parakeet is upset, remove the stressor and create a calming environment for your bird.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Determining the Cause of the Diarrhea

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Remove the bird with diarrhea from other birds. Place the bird in a separate cage, or in a cage with other birds who have diarrhea. This helps reduce the risk of the bird spreading its condition to other birds.^{[1]XResearch source}
2
Check the bird for other symptoms. When your bird has diarrhea, catch it and examine it. Look for other symptoms that may give you more information about your bird’s condition. It may be a simple digestive problem, but it may be something different.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Check for stained, wet, or soiled feathers and clinging feces around the bird’s vent (the opening under the tail where it poops).
- You should also examine the beak and eyes for discharge. This might indicate an illness or infection affecting more than just the digestive system.
- If your parakeet is lethargic, take it to the vet immediately. Watch for puffed up feathers, excessive sleeping, and unusually low activity levels.
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3
Take your bird to the vet. If you think your bird is sick or has an infection, take it to the vet immediately. Treatment for an ill bird is important for its survival.^{[3]XResearch source}
- If your bird has diarrhea that does not respond to home care or prescribed treatments within 24 hours, take it to the vet immediately.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Treating an Ill Bird

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If your bird is ill, you should make sure it is in a warm environment. The bird should be in a place around 80° F (26.6° C). You may place it in a hospital cage, or a regular cage in a warmer room.^{[4]XResearch source}
2
Give the bird fluids. Mix a solution of 10 ml (2 teaspoons) of glucose and 1.4 liters (0.4 US gal) (3 pints) of water. Measure out 6 ml (about 1 teaspoon) each day, and divide it into around 5 or 6 doses. Warm the dose and give it to the bird with an eye dropper or oral syringe.^{[5]XResearch source}
- Glucose is a type of sugar. You may be able to get glucose replacement fluid or powder from your vet, or buy glucose sweetener at a grocery or department store.
- Ask your vet about the best way to give oral fluids to your parakeet. If your parakeet is very ill, it may be unable to swallow.
If your bird still has diarrhea, try probiotics formulated for birds. Probiotics help get the gut bacteria back into balance. The probiotic can help replace good bacteria and remove harmful bacteria. You can buy probiotics at pet shops or online.^{[6]XResearch source}
4
Give your parakeet prescribed medications. If your parakeet’s diarrhea is caused by a bacterial or fungal infection, your vet may prescribe antibiotics or antifungals to treat the underlying infection. Talk to your vet about the best way to give medications to your parakeet, and follow their instructions carefully.^{[7]XResearch source}
- If your parakeet is too sick to swallow medications, the vet may need to give it medications via injection or crop feeding.
- The vet may prescribe medications to help improve the functioning of your parakeet’s digestive tract.
- Never abruptly stop giving your parakeet a prescribed medication unless advised to do so by your vet.
5
Keep your parakeet’s environment clean. If your bird is ill, it is important to keep its cage and accessories sanitary in order to prevent reinfection and the spread of disease to other pets or humans. During and after your parakeet’s illness, do the following regularly:
- Wash food and water dishes with hot, soapy water every day.
- Wash the cage, toys, perches, and any other equipment with hot soapy water and sterilize with a bird-safe disinfectant, such as Lysol, at least every other day.
- Change the cage lining papers every day. Moisten them with a disinfectant first to minimize your risk of inhaling dried feces.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Treating a Stressed-Out Bird

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1
Determine if the bird experienced a change. If the bird is alert, eating, and drinking, it may not be sick. Instead, it may have experienced a change that caused a digestive upset. If this is the case, it will probably be fine in a couple of days.^{[8]XResearch source}
- For example, changes that can cause diarrhea include going to a show, interacting with new groups of birds, being recently purchased, or eating large amounts of green food.
2
Remove the bird from the new circumstance. If the bird doesn’t get better after a few days, but still doesn’t look ill, you should change the bird back to its old habits. This may include giving it an old diet or removing it from a new group of birds.^{[9]XResearch source}
- Monitor the bird to see if it gets better.
3
Identify the stress trigger. Birds may also get diarrhea due to stress. Your bird may have a stress trigger that causes it to get diarrhea. This may include being left alone when it is used to other birds, or being placed with other birds when it is used to being on its own.^{[10]XResearch source}
- Remove the bird from the stress trigger, which can help cure the diarrhea.