My conures are holding there poop in their cages

[dorn27]

I'm not sure what to do. I think we've (my husband and I) trained them to hold their poop while we're gone... without trying!

Little background. Two conures, a gold capped and a sun. One is 8, we got her when she was two. The other is nearly 8. They have their own cages with lots of rotated toys. They forage and eat well. Daily they have Harrisons pellets, but also get either Beak Appetite, mixed veggies or veggie birdie bread. (Along with treats and Zupreem pellets in foraging toys.) However, our birds spend most of their time out of the cage on us, playstand or having free roam of their playtops/cages with open doors. They are only locked up when we're gone, and at night. Many weekdays they're only caged for 4 hours when our work shifts overlap. Many weekends (we both work retail, but I am also a substitute teacher) they are left alone for 8-9 hours.

This problem has been developing for a while. Sunny RARELY goes to the bathroom in her cage. But it does happen. I did a full scrub of the cages 2 weeks ago (I change paper more frequently) outside with the hose. There are definately little poop marks on the grate. But, can't be more than 10 of the little white drip smears. She doesn't like to go in there.

Kupo... doesn't. Even when she's out she holds her poo to much larger droppings.

When they are out, they poop all over their playstands, us, and the floor (and the couch, and the office chair...) They both poop consistantly, Sunny goes a lot (like every 10 minutes), Kupo goes about 2-3x's that long between.

Another board asked me if I'd trained them to NOT poop in the cages. I was... taken back a little. I thought the idea was crazy. But then I thought about it. And realized with what we do... I just might have.

In the morning (after they hold it all night) we take the birds to the bathroom to go. When they go we pick them up.

When we get home, be it 1 hour of errands, 4 hours or a full 9 hours... we always take them to the shower perch to poop so we can flush it down.

And, they seem to hold it most the time we're gone. Sunny will occasionally have a small poop when we return, I think those are the days she poops in her cage, but I haven't paid attention that closely. Kupo, always has huge bombs.

I would like my birds to poop in their cage when we're gone. I feel, as if they're holding it while were gone because they think we want them too hold it for the shower perch. I don't want to potty train them to only poop there. I just want them to think its okay to poop there and to do it so they're not holding poop for 9 hours!

I like that they keep their houses so clean (just toy debris and a little dry food), so I don't have to change paper daily. However... I would gladly change it daily if they would poop in there!

Any tips for training them to go in there? Today and last night I tried tough love. No outs until you poop. Kupo did it 3 times (yippy!) but Sunny would not do it. Once, however she shot poop out the side of her cage onto my floor.

[DaFrank]

Mine is the same way... He is only 6 months old and I've had him for 2. He's always been this way.

[NotEnoughTime]

Originally Posted by dorn27

I would like my birds to poop in their cage when we're gone. I feel, as if they're holding it while were gone because they think we want them too hold it for the shower perch. I don't want to potty train them to only poop there. I just want them to think its okay to poop there and to do it so they're not holding poop for 9 hours!

I've read, and have been told, that there could be health issues if a parrot *trys* to hold his or her poop. But my girl is exactly the same way - she prefers not to poop in her cage. I can kind-of understand it... After all the cage is her house.

Somehow she manages to hold her poop all night (say nine hours or so) and has a massive poop in the morning at her "poop perch." So I'm still not sure what the problem is with holding poop for a long period of time during the day - especially if not particularly active.

So - I don't really worry too much about it.

[RockysMom]

Yeah Rocky does the same thing, but I had him checked out by a vet, just to be on the safe said and everything was ok, so she told us not to worrk about it. He has been doing this since we got him in April and he is fine, maybe it's a conure thing?

[sweetnlow]

My green cheek is only a baby so I have not had this problem yet. Would it be possible to set up the shower perch inside the cage for a couple days and see if that encourages them to poop again? If you catch them pooping inside the cage, you could offer praise and a little treat :)

[Lori~D]

Many birds hold their poo all night. real popular with Teils too. Females in the nest will do the same so I dont think its too much of a health issue. One thing you might consider one day is (if your cage is large enough) creating a "poop area" in one corner. A simple perch with no toys in the area, maybe similar in color to the shower perch. Get them to Poo on paper below the shower perch and put that square of paper below the new "Poop Perch". Kinda like a Bathroom? You might consider a new cage with more space for this. I know my Cockatoo (who does go in the cage) only goes to one perch all the time and if she is on any flat surface will only go to the edge to poop over it,lol.

[LovelySydney]

Oh man thats quite a conundrum! Luckily for me the ONLY place Neko goes is on his playstand or in his cage, nowhere else. We did train him to do this. I think you are on the right track with not letting them out until the poo. You will just have to start the training over and get them used to going in their own cages. Keep us posted!

[chinniechantel]

My moluccan Paco holds it too, and always poops the second we get him out of the cage and right before we put him back in. We know this, so we hold him over the garbage can and say "Go poop" and he does. He is a very good boy!

He also has now figured out a way to poop outside of the cage, while he is still in it! He sits on a ledge/perch that is close to the door, sticks his butt as close to the wall as he can, and somehow gets the poop about 3" away from the cage on the floor. I swear he has to get some momentum going and kind of rocks back and forth first. Very creative, hilarious, and clean but messy critters.

[barbri9237]

I am pretty new to birds, and this forum, but I have a logical idea you could try. How about mixing up his poop training by taking him to his cage ( in addition to the shower area ) to help show him you don't mind him pooping in his cage or the shower. Maybe alternate between the two spots when you take him to poop. For example if you are heading to the shower to take him poo, switch it to his cage instead of the shower a few times a day ( or whatever frequency you feel is right for getting him adjusted ). Hope this may help you, let me know!