Bloody Urates

marinab · New Member Joined: Jun 10, 2013 Posts: 4

Hello

Hope someone can help. I am breed kakarikis and hand raise a few as pets. I am currently raising a chick aged exactly 5 weeks. All going normally. Good appetite, has always been on small side but weight slowly increasing, 76g this morning. Bright eyed, picture of health, eager for food, but just passed unhealthy looking dropping.

Fecal part looks normal. Rest of dropping comprised either urine or liquid urates. Suspect the former, but if that is the case there were no urates. This comprised normal looking feces surrounded by red tinged fluid. Checked bottom of cage which is covered with white paper towel - no sign of any other similar droppings or stains. Bird ate normally, looks fine. Over last couple of days has been nibbling on millet spray but playing with it, so basically this bird is only having Passwell hand rearing food, exactly as normal. Nestmates are all fine (outside aviary), no health problems anywhere.

Five hours drive from any vet with an interest in avian health, local vets are utterly useless. I have a reasonably good avian medicine chest but can anyone please advise as I've never had this situation before.

Many thanks in advance.

pabloc · Foundation Member Joined: Sep 26, 2007 Posts: 988

Hi,

I have emailed Peter Wouters the link to this thread, hopefully he can take a look over the weekend. If possible post a pic of the feces/urates, so he may be able to give you a reply.

And yes, non-specialized vets are useless for birds, but for instance I came across a few that were extremely helpful providing me with ivermectin and sulfadiazine.

Peter · Foundation Member Joined: Oct 15, 2004 Posts: 599

Red colored stools are usually caused by blood. Because it is red it means it comes from the rear section of the intestines. Sometimes it comes from the front section and looks like tar. Possible causes: injuries, bacterial infection, parasites, intoxication (heavy metals).

Regards
Peter

Steptoe · Site Admin Joined: Oct 06, 2004 Posts: 4550

Some thing that is often over looked is that 'nature ' occasionally 'creates ' a defective off spring....
General nature looks after this with a short life expectancy or predators...often both of these are circumnavigated in the captive situation.

If one has issues on a consistent basis , then worry, but the occasional defective bird, be it a deformed wing or deformed internals.. simply do what nature does, cull it. Not culling has in the past created genetic lines within our pets such as weak back legs in some breeds of dog, heart issues and kidney issues.
If in doubt cull the bird.