Possibly sick zebra -very watery droppings

[nelloyello11]

For the past few days, I've noticed some pretty watery droppings on the floor of my cage with 4 zebras. I don't know who they are coming from, maybe more than one. They have not had any more veggies or anything more than the usual. I give them a bath once every other day, and I have seen the watery droppings every day, not just on bath days. They don't seem to be consuming more water than normal, but that is difficult to tell, since there are four of them in the cage. I did recently turn my heat on, so I don't know if that would make a difference. The only dietary change recently, is that I started providing them with a free-choice cup of Zupreem fruit pellets. There does seem to be some difference in color of droppings, but I attribute this to the colored pellets.
I have checked out the poopology article on ladygouldianfinch.com, and it said that bacteria coule be a popssible cause of watery droppings. I have never had to medicate them, so I am really looking for suggestions, as to whether it sounds like I should, and if so, what to use.
I do have Ornacyn-plus (erythromycin, vitamins, amino acids), which I got at the petstore, but anything else would have tp be ordered.

Any suggestions?

[cindy]

Nelissa, are their vents (bottoms) wet? Have you ever deparasited them, used coccicare or ronex 12%?

[nelloyello11]

Nelissa, are their vents (bottoms) wet? Have you ever deparasited them, used coccicare or ronex 12%?

Everyone looks, and is acting normal. No puffiness, etc. Vents look clean.
I have never treated them for anything at all. The only thing I have ever given them, was vitalize, in their water, during and after their trip out for the extermination nonsense last month.

I am hesitant to use anything, and very unsure of myself in doing so, because I know if they are not sick, meds can do more harm than good....

[cindy]

Can you tell us did you get them from a breeder or store....it is odd they all are sick at the same time. So it is something they are passing from one to the other or being exposed to.

[nelloyello11]

Well, I don't actually know if it is just one or all four that have watery droppings. There are some normal ones on the paper, so I'm inclined to believe that it is not all, but could be more than one...

This is my original pair, that I have had since Christmas (purchased from a petstore, whose birds always look pretty healthy when I go in), and their two daughters, who are 8 months old...

[cindy]

Did you allow them to bathe today? They may have taen in some of the water they preened off their feathers.

[nelloyello11]

Did you allow them to bathe today? They may have taen in some of the water they preened off their feathers.

No. I intentionally didn't give them one yesterday or today because I wanted to see if the watery droppings went away if they didn't have access to a bath. I finally put it in tonight because I could tell they wanted to bathe, but it was after I noticed that the poops are still not normal.

[cindy]

Nelissa, they might have coccidia and it did not show until now possibly in moving them...I can't be certain, you might want to read this artcle

http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/featur ... diosis.php

I pm'd you

[cindy]

also this article... http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/features_giardia.php

What kind of water do you use, what was used at your friends' home where the birds stayed?

[nelloyello11]

Thanks for all of your responses, Cindy.
I read the articles again and am still very uncertain what might be the cause. So I am going to do what you suggested, and e-mail ladygouldian and see what she says.

[cindy]

Send her a picture of the droppings and let her know you have not done any preventative treatments and their background. Sometimes it is easier if you call that way she will ask you questions and you may get answers faster. Keep us posted.

[ac12]

I have that problem w some of my zebras. Their poop is VERY wet, almost like diarrhea. Mine eat only zupreem pellets. I don't know if it is the pellets cause them to drink a LOT of water, because the pellets are dry, and that then causes the poop to be very wet.

[nelloyello11]

I have that problem w some of my zebras. Their poop is VERY wet, almost like diarrhea. Mine eat only zupreem pellets. I don't know if it is the pellets cause them to drink a LOT of water, because the pellets are dry, and that then causes the poop to be very wet.

That is possible. They are still getting their regular diet, and don't seem to be eating all that much of the pellets, but that is something I had not thought of.

[lovemyfinch]

Just thought I would step in quickly here.
Gary has a valid point. When I recieved my cockatiel, I was informed that he had watery droppings and had always had them. He had been raised on pellets alone. As everyone knows I am not one that feeds pellets. 3 days after I started feeding him a seed mix, the droppings became normal. Naturally I automatically attributed the runny droppings to the pellets BTW, he does still get pellets, however, he now has a wide variety of choices.

[cindy]

Well as a long time user of pellets with an African Gray, a flock of parrotlets and a lovebird and now finches ....never had it happen. The hookbills all seen by an avian vet who did yearly fecal tests. Watery poop was never an issue.

My finches are on them along with seed,, not an issue with them either. If the birds bathe or drink more is may be looser but not watery.

If given food like romaine or other veggies high in water content poo can get looser.
Nelissa can you post a picture of the droppings on clean white paper towels? Easy way to find out if the pellets are the issue remove the pellets for a few days if the stool goes back to normal then you know that they are consuming them along with possibly drinking more. If not then something else is the issue.

Most of my other birds/finches and the ones I adopted including a parakeet were on seed only until coming here. I added the pellets and saw no change in their stool, they all bathe daily.