JAMES HARRIS, DVM
Many possible reasons for regurgitation
 I have an African grey 1 year and four months old. Several months ago he was acting puny, lost the feathers around his ears, and was experiencing diarrhea. The veterinarian determined that he had a bacterial infection and prescribed Baytril.
The treatment apparently has worked; his ear feathers have grown back, his stool is more consistent and his behavior is now typical with one exception. He constantly regurgitates into his food dish. This has been going on for the last two months, and it has grown quite bothersome. Subsequent visits to our veterinarian have turned up nothing relating to bacterial infections or disease.
I've tried changing his food and performing some of the behavior-altering methods that Ive read about. I change his cage daily and scrub it clean weekly. I ruled out our water after trying it from our tap, our filter, and even buying it.
Any suggestions? I wouldn't be as worried if he
wasn't doing it so much; his food actually floats in his dish.
-- Jerry L. West, jerrywest@charter.net
Our daughter's 4-year-old peach-faced lovebird has started regurgitating in her bird house, leaving a hard mass in a pile on the floor. This occurred once before, several years ago, and we brought her from the bedroom into the family room so she could socialize, which stopped that episode. Nothing seems to help this time. We noticed today that she has nibbled the inside of her thigh until it's red and I think she's pulled out some feathers under her wings. Could parasites be the problem?
-- Sandy Haven, dats19@adelphia.net
 Regurgitation is common in pet birds. They will regurgitate as part of their courting rituals to a mate, a person that they are bonded to, or an object.
There are also many medical conditions that can cause repeated regurgitation. It can be the result of mechanical blockage of the digestive tract from foreign bodies or tumors. Infections of the crop or other digestive system orgrans - the pro-ventriculus, ventriculus, intestines, liver and pancreas - can cause regurgitation.
If your veterinarian has ruled out disease and your bird does not appear to be courting you, regurgitation could simply be a bad habit. Sometimes birds overindulge themselves at the food bowl on a daily basis and regurgitate the excess - an avian form, you might say, of binging and purging. But I wouldn't write off regurgitation as a nasty habit until your veterinarian has given your bird a clean bill of health.
James Harris, DVM is owner and medical director of the Mayfair Veterinary Clinic in Sandy Bay, Tasmania, Australia. He founded Montclair Veterinary Hospital in Oakland, Calif., and has served as medical director and chairman of the board for the International Bird Rescue Research Center in Berkeley. Dr. Harris' numerous professional honors include California and National Bustad Companion Animal DVM Awards.
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