Bathing and toy in one.

[Big_Squishy]

I have been searching the post to see if anyone had mentioned their birds enjoying ice cubes. I haven't been able to find one. So I thought I would mention it now.

 

BoBo 2 year old CAG is very tempermental when it comes to bathing. Sometimes he will tolerate a mist/spray others a small bowl with a turkey baster and on occasion time in the showerr with Dad(me) he will not shower with Mom. However, and I know there was a post somewhere about how our birds seem to try to bathe in the smallest bowl possible(can't find the post), like they haven't figured out that it would be easier to try the larger bowl.

 

So we have a giant manzanita perch in our living room and it came with two steel bowls. The edges or lip of the bowls are very small and BoBo just has to be standing on the bowl to eat or drink even though the wood is situated for him to easily stand next to the bowl.

 

This past summer it got very hot and since we do not have an air conditioner and BoBo has this dangerous attraction to fans I decided to fix the small bowl problem. Maybe it was more a problem for me and my idea of logic but I just had to do something.

 

So I searched around for a large hard plastic dog bowl with a good sized lip/edge went to the plumbing section and found that a piece of a clean out drain plug that had a flat side and a beveled side/edge. I took one of the wood tapping dubble sided screws, (the kind that has a course thread with a point on one end and a finer threaded side with a flat top on the other, one you would use to screw a feeder bowl onto.)

 

I used JB weld and attached the drain piece to the bowl and the screw to the drain piece. After setting I trimmed and smoothed any edges to help lessen the chance BoBo would try to bite this area. Once all set and cleaned I screwed the bowl to the perch and filled it with ice cubes. I piled it high and then added enough water to come to the top but not spill over.

 

As soon as I placed BoBo on the perch he went right for the bowl and began playing with the ice, crushing, holding it and I think eating some of it. He flaps his wings and dips his head in the water throws some of the ice out but he seems to have a very good time. It isn't a very thurough bath but it entertains him, gets him wet and I think it even helps to keep him hydrated. I do have pictures that I will share very soon.

 

I thought I would share this and see if BoBo is the only one that just Loves ice. He loves it so much that the other day I asked my son to get me a glass of water with Ice in it and as soon as the words Ice came out of my mouth BoBo wen right for his bowl and waited, when my son brought the cup to me BoBo said "BoBo ICE" for the first time and in the loudest voice possible.

 

If you maintain a reasonable heat level in your home this winter I don't see this being a health issue, and an inexpensive toy and reasonably easy to clean up event for both you and your bird.

[judygram]

I find that my fids enjoy ice cold water so I put ice cubes in their water bowl every time I change their water, I don't really see them playing with the cubes but they enjoy the cool of the water, is especially nice on a hot day.

I have no doubt that if Bobo likes to bathe in ice water he asks for it, they are so smart but it seems most greys would rather have a bath or shower in cool water than warm.

[Luvparrots]

Ana Grey is an ice cube junkie also!!!! She steals them from my glass all the time and holds them in her toes to lick on them. In the summer I also put ice cubes in her bath and she loves it!!!! Looking forward to seeing some pictures of BoBo!

[Ray P]

Corky our CAG loves ice also and she will play with it. We bought corner rabbit litter pans for all are birds that hang in the corner of their cages that always have clean water and ice cubs in them and they all love to bathe in them and play with the ice.