When Your Parrot Has a Trapped Egg
There's something that a first-time parrot owner might not realise. If your bird is a female, she's going to lay eggs. If she's a solo bird or kept with another female, those eggs will not be fertilised, but they can be laid anyway. Although this can happen on a regular basis, almost like a form of menstruation, it won't necessarily happen with each ovulation cycle.
Laying Eggs
Laying an egg (or eggs) is a natural function, and you might discover a small clutch of eggs in your bird's cage or aviary. Your bird might well attempt to incubate these eggs, but they should be removed and discarded. As they are unfertilised, the eggs will simply begin to rot. Although the act of laying an egg is perfectly natural, and ideally will happen without any issues, your parrot may experience some problems in passing the eggs.
Younger Birds
This problem can happen at any stage of your parrot's life but is more likely to be problematic when your bird is younger and has reached the age where they're capable of reproduction (essentially parrot puberty). The precise age when this occurs depends on your variety of parrot.
A Trapped Egg
The potential problem that your bird may face is egg binding, which is when the egg has become trapped (or bound) inside their cloaca (if not further inside). In some instances, your parrot will experience some temporary discomfort before they're able to expel the egg without assistance. However, if the egg is well and truly trapped, medical intervention can be needed. If left untreated, egg binding can pose a serious risk to your parrot's health.
Signs of a Trapped Egg
A bird with a trapped egg will appear to be lethargic and may sit on the floor of their enclosure, with the physical bulk of the egg making perching difficult. They can be bloated (due to the mass of the trapped egg), and the egg can cause blockage of the cloaca, which can result in constipation. Gently massaging your bird's abdomen can help to coax the egg out, but the emphasis is on gently. It's difficult for you to gauge how serious the condition is, so it's important to seek medical treatment if the egg doesn't pass quickly.
What a Vet Can Do
Treating egg binding is a common veterinary service. Depending on the extent of the binding, your vet can treat your parrot using several different methods. Medication that encourages your bird to expel the egg can be sufficient, but extraction can also be necessary. It may be necessary for your vet to sedate your parrot before inserting a syringe into your bird's cloaca. The needle will penetrate the shell, and the internal components of the egg will be suctioned out. The empty eggshell will then collapse and will be extracted (piece by piece if necessary).
If you suspect that your parrot is affected by egg binding, you can try to gently massage their abdomen, but if this doesn't achieve an immediate result, you need to consult your vet as soon as possible.
For more information, contact a local veterinary service.
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