If you’re into feathered pets, parakeets are just the companions you would need. These little guys are entertaining, affectionate, and can learn to talk. They grow attached to their pet parents in no time and are equally good with children. But when it comes to doing their private business, these birds can be quite notorious. Let’s find out whether or not parakeets pee.
So, do parakeets pee? Yes, parakeets urinate, but not in the same way as we do. Unlike mammals, birds don’t have separate openings for peeing and poop. All of their bodily wastes, be it poop or pee, passes through the same exit: their cloaca. In fact, these birds pee and poop at the same time.
Are you wondering what does parakeet’s pee look like? Or are you curious whether they can pee while flying? Whatever your parakeet’s pee-related queries are, they will be answered in this article.
How does the urinary system of your Parakeets work?
As all of you already know, the urinary system of humans runs on four different organs: the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra.
The kidneys have the job of filtering all the waste from our bloodstream and concentrate it. Then, the ureters carry the filtered urine from the kidneys to the urinary bladder. It is the bladder where the urine remains stored until it is time to release it out of the body through the urethra.
However, the urinary system of the parakeets is quite different from ours. Unlike our 4-part urinary system, theirs consists only of three parts: the kidneys, ureter, and cloaca.
Their kidneys filter out two different kinds of waste from their blood, urea and uric acid. These wastes are then carried to their cloacal opening through the ureter, from where they’re thrown out of their body.
How often do parakeets pee?
If you’re new to parakeet-keeping and are wondering how often do these birds pee, you are in for a surprise. Parakeets are one of the parrot species that pee a lot. This is because these birds are small birds and have a fast metabolism.
On average, parakeets need to “go” every 15-20 minutes. The baby parakeets have no control over when or where they pee, but the adults are often known to be able to hold in for five or minutes. This is why we recommend the beginners go with adult parakeets.
However, it is not necessary for all adult parakeets to display the same control. Their control is a subjective quality that can vary from one individual bird to another.
Do parakeets pee and poop from the same opening?
The concept of releasing all our bodily wastes from a single opening might seem strange to mammals like us, as we have a more complex system for it.
However, birds have very different anatomy; they have only two openings in the body, their bill, and cloaca. And while they use their bill for consuming food and water, it is their cloaca through which all the waste of their body is released.
In other words, all birds, including parakeets, pee and poop from the same opening, i.e., the cloaca. Additionally, females also lay their eggs through their cloaca.
Do Parakeets pee and poop at the same time?
Since parakeets, along with all the other birds, release their waste from the same opening (cloaca), do you wonder if they do it at the same time as well?
Well, you’re right. These birds, like most other birds, pee and poop at the same time. It is because the small compartment of their cloaca stores the waste from both their urinary as well as intestinal tracts. And when it opens, all kinds of waste stored in the compartment come out at once.
Wondering how you would tell the difference between their pee and poop? Don’t worry; we’ll learn all about it later.
Can Parakeets pee while flying?
All of us have had an incident of a bird pooping on us at least once in our lives. Was the bird that pooped on you perched, or was it flying? Well, it could have been either. Birds can pee and poop while flying, and the parakeets are no different.
When you let your parakeet out of its cage, and they haven’t been potty-trained, you’ll have to be careful about where they pee. However, because their pee or poop doesn’t leave behind any permanent stain, it shouldn’t be too inconvenient for you.
Some pet parents tend to clip their parakeets before they’re potty-trained to prevent them from peeing or pooping all over their house. It is because while fully-flighted parakeets will fly all-around your house once you let them out, clipped ones tend to stay wherever you put them, thus, minimizing the damage.
However, since clipping birds can cause irritation in them and makes them pick their feathers, we would not recommend it. On the contrary, if you have chosen to keep these birds as pets, you should be prepared for such things.
Can Parakeets pee in their sleep?
When you were younger, you must have had bed-wetting accidents at home. Well, parakeets are very much like your childhood self; only these birds can pee in their sleep throughout their lives.
Now that you know it, you can place a tray under their cage during nights or look for another alternative to deal with their nightly peeing routine.
What does a Parakeet’s pee look like?
Because the parakeet’s urinary system is very different from ours, it’s obvious that the waste they release (their pee) would also appear different. In fact, we’re not even sure if their waste could even be called “urine”.
While we release urine, the birds directly release uric acid from their body. The uric acid released by them is a white liquid with a paste-like consistency.
Because uric acid is difficult to dissolve in water, they often get collected like blobs of white plaster after drying up and is quite difficult to clean. This is why we recommend you clean after your little pets right away.
What does Parakeet’s poop look like?
Since we’ve already established that parakeets pee and poop at the same time, you might as well learn about the appearance of their poop.
The poop of parakeets is not too solid but has a somewhat watery texture. Their droppings are loosely shaped in small circles, while their color depends on your pet’s diet. If they have a seed-based diet, their poop will be greenish in color. However, if they’re munching on pellets, their droppings will appear brown.
Does Parakeet’s urine smell?
If your parakeet is healthy, there’s no reason why their urine should smell. The same is true for their poop; it doesn’t have a strong smell and will only begin to stink if you let it pile up for months.
Potty-training your Parakeets
Did you know that just like dogs, parakeets can be potty-trained, too? These birds can be trained to poop at the same spot as well, but the process of training them might take time.
You will first have to observe their pooping schedule carefully, after which you can encourage them to go to a certain place to do their business. Using positive reinforcement such as sweets and other treats can also help you in speeding the process along.
Once your feathered pets have been potty-trained, you can let them out of their cages any time without having to worry about cleaning up after them.
Can your parakeet have a urinary infection?
Yes, parakeets can suffer from urinary infections, too. Gout is the most common infection among all parrot species, including the ‘keets. Although it is usually seen in older parakeets, the younger ones can suffer from it, too, if they have an imbalanced diet.
Gout is a condition in which abnormal blocks of uric acid crystal are formed in their body. If your pets consume more protein in their diet than they need, they can suffer from gout.
Following are some of the common symptoms of gout that you should look out for:
- A drastic change in the amount of their urine.
- Rigid toes.
- Painful joints.
- Excessive feather-picking.
- White deposits near joints that you can spot through their skin.
If you notice any of these signs in your little birdies, you should contact your avian vet right away and your pets treated.
Conclusion: Do parakeets pee?
So, do parakeets pee? Yes, they do. Just like us, these birds also possess urinary tracts from which their wastes are released. However, their pee is not like ours, it is a thin, paste-like liquid that is white in color. In fact, these birdies pee about 40-50 times in a single day. If you don’t want to keep cleaning after your pets all day, you should potty-train them.
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