Parakeets are living beings, surviving on food and water. And like all living beings, they have to excrete what is extra. It is common to see their poop, but you may not have come across something like parakeet’s pee. This may make you wonder, do parakeets pee? We know they drink water. How, then, do they excrete extra fluids?
Do Parakeets Pee?
The answer is: No, parakeets don’t pee. While parakeets do share many similarities with the human excretory system, but they are also unique creatures in some ways. And not peeing is one of them.
So, why do parakeets not pee?
Parakeets produce urinary waste as they also have a pair of kidneys. But, like all other birds, they do not have separate exits for urine and feces. Their primary urinary waste is uric acid that exits through a common opening along with feces.
Observe their poop, and you will see a white paste, which is semi-liquid the moment it is excreted. That is their pee. They release this semi-liquid white paste along with a darker past. The darker part is their feces.
Let’s dive in to get more details!
Where Does Water Go in Parakeets?
Parakeets, like all other living things, need water to survive. However, birds do not have cheeks or lips like humans, and they cannot suction water into their throats like horses. To drink water, parakeets fill it in their bills and bend their head back to send water into their digestive tract.
Parakeets (commonly known as budgies) are uricotelic organisms like all other birds. It means that the final result of their excretory system is uric acid. It is the ultimate result of nitrogen metabolism in birds.
The parakeet’s urinary system has three parts: kidneys, ureter, and cloaca.
Like us, parakeet’s kidneys separate water from the blood, concentrate it, and balance their electrolyte levels. But parakeet’s kidneys excrete two waste components: urea and uric acid.
The ureter moves down the waste to the cloaca, a small compartment that opens the urinary, intestinal, and reproductive tracts. When a parakeet opens the cloaca, it releases waste from the urinary and intestinal tracts simultaneously.
Since birds do not possess any urinary bladder or ureteral opening (except ostriches), the uric acid comes out into the world and poops through the cloaca.
What is the Benefit of Not Peeing for Parakeets?
As discussed above, parakeets do not pee, but they do excrete uric acid instead of urea. So, what is the benefit of not peeing for parakeets, or let us say, what are the benefits of excreting uric acid for your birdie?
Helps Conserve Water
Nature has blessed parakeets with a system that has evolved to prevent unnecessary water loss and has a low thirst for water compared to other living things.
Your parakeet will lose less water while pooping. Uric acid production takes a lot more energy than urea production. However, only producing uric acid helps your birdie conserve the water that it would need. They may not have access to water round-the-clock, especially for survival in the wild. They are capable of surviving for up to 24 hours without water.
Keeps Them Lighter
Flying burns loads of calories, so your little feathered friend needs to stay as light weighted as possible to prevent trouble in flying.
Peeing requires a lot of water to dilute urea. Assume if your birdie pees rather than discharging uric acid, it would require drinking water continuously to keep waste product diluted. Also, it would require a urinary bladder to store extra water.
All of this would have made them heavier that could affect their ability to fly.
How to Keep Digestive System of Parakeets Healthy?
Parakeets have a very sensitive digestive system. They can easily be infected or can catch viruses. Having a parakeet as a pet comes with serious responsibility. Care must be taken to a great extent to prevent your feathered friend from falling ill because sometimes viruses and infections can prove deadly for these little creatures. Let’s see how to keep the digestive system of parakeets healthy:
- Always keep your parakeet’s cage clean.
- Clean all food and dishes daily.
- Remove droppings regularly.
- Always give your birdie fresh and clean water.
- Give it fresh and balanced parakeet food, including fruits and vegetables.
How Much Water Should My Parakeet Drink?
Parakeets are very tiny birds as they reach only 30 – 40 grams in weight and 18 – 20 centimeters in height when they are all grown. That’s why parakeets don’t need a lot of water.
Parakeets drink water only twice or thrice a day. A few sips would be enough for them. You can place water in an automatic water dispenser, and they will drink from it whenever they need water. You just need to ensure that the water is fresh and clean.
What to Do If My Parakeet Is Not Drinking Water?
Your parakeet’s water can be contaminated by droppings, seeds, and bacteria. Since parakeets are finicky birds, your pet might refuse to drink this water. You should:
- Clean the dishes frequently.
- Refill it with fresh water at least once a day.
- If your birdie is more fastidious than others, change the water many times in a day.
If your pet parakeet is not drinking water while it is clean and fresh, you should try:
- Adding a few drops of honey in water to tempt them.
- Replacing water with an oral electrolyte solution or a diluted sports drink.
- Offering them bottled or spring water to avert them from consuming chlorine or contaminated water.
If your birdie has completely stopped drinking water, this could be a sign of illness. Parakeets cannot communicate it to us; their not drinking water is a signal for us. You should immediately take it to the veterinarian. They will examine your pet, make a diagnosis, and recommend a proper treatment course.
Conclusion
Parakeets do not pee, but they excrete uric acid as part of their waste because parakeets are such petite creatures that they don’t require much water to stay alive. They drink enough water, constituting only 5% of their body weight.
Parakeets are small yet fussy pets, so you must keep their environment clean and disinfected to prevent them from becoming victims of digestive disorders.