Reproductive Disorders Of Pet Birds - MSD Veterinary Manual

The cloaca is the common chamber at the end of the intestinal tract into which the reproductive, gastrointestinal, and urinary tracts empty. The vent is the opening of the cloaca through which droppings (and eggs in females) pass to the outside. The cloacal (or vent) lips control the opening of the vent and thus the frequency with which a bird passes droppings. Both the cloacal lining (in both males and females) and the oviduct (in females) can abnormally protrude through the vent to the outside. Prolapsed tissue may cause chronic straining, obstruct the passage of droppings and eggs, and become dried out and necrotic. Both psychological and physical factors may contribute to tissue prolapse, and affected birds should be treated by a veterinarian immediately.

This syndrome is extremely common in adult Umbrella and Moluccan cockatoos. The exact cause has not been determined, but birds that develop cloacal prolapses are frequently hand-raised, had delayed weaning and/or continued begging for food, have a close attachment to at least one person (with signs of either a child/parent or mate/mate relationship with the person), and have a tendency to hold the stool in the vent for prolonged periods (for example, overnight), rather than defecating in the cage. Cockatoos that live separately from humans do not typically have this medical problem. Although there are numerous factors that may contribute to cloacal prolapse, both emotional factors (commonly related to a bird’s misplaced sexual attraction to a person), as well as an owner’s inadvertent rewarding a bird’s holding stool in the cloaca for prolonged periods (causing stretching and dilation of the vent), are thought to play a role.

Cloacal prolapse, cockatoo

If detected and treated early, surgery and behavior modification can correct the problem. However, behavior modification is often difficult for owners because in many ways it involves breaking the close bond that they have with their bird. If the bird still perceives its owner as either parent or mate, it will continue to strain and the problem will likely recur. Behaviors that may send a confusing sexual message to a bird and that should be avoided include petting the bird’s body (other than on the head), cuddling the bird close, and offering the bird warm foods (as a cagemate might when regurgitating food as part of courtship). If an owner is serious about trying to change their bird’s behavior, the aid of a behavioral consultant will likely be necessary ( see Where to Get Help).