Brendon. Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 I know this might be a little hard to believe, but my grey Lester absolutely LOVES taking showers. I'm pretty sure it's actually his favorite thing to do. When I take a shower, I have a perch fixed to the wall, so he takes a shower too. He has a little basket in there with rubber ducks and such too. He insists on being held up right under the showerhead and doing his thing -- he ends up soaked from head to toe. In fact, if he hears the shower running and he's not in it, he gets a little upset. I was wondering if, as is the case with dog or human hair, there is such a thing as taking baths too often for a grey. He's been having them every day or every other day (whenever I shower) -- I live in Ontario, Canada and it's been quite hot and dry here lately. Obviously I use no shampoo or anything on him, just warm water. Lester is also in the middle of a molt but doesn't seem to be too dusty. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Life is Greyt Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 My breeder told me that it's ok to bathe them as much as you want. We have a shower perch too, and every time we shower Chickie goes with us on her perch. Sometimes I get her wet and sometimes I just let her have sauna time. I also shower her a few times a week in the kitchen sink with the sprayer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdhouse Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Okay, my first reaction was "Lucky you!!". My guys don't like baths, showers, spraying... I really don't know. I'm still having a problem trying to imagine it. lol If his feathers & feet look ok, then I'm guessing it's ok. Hopefully, other members will have a more informed answer for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 You really caught my curiosity here, I thought it was a lead in to a joke or something. Nope, no joke, just amazing. I have to fight to get any of mine wet and they let me know about it for a long time afterwards. Lucky Lester! How much is too much is a good question due to chlorine in most of our tap water, yours might be different. I really can't answer your question but I am thrilled for you to be asking it because Lester is a water baby. Way cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 (edited) Everyday drenching is too much. It removes all the dander which is needed and also removes the oils from the feathers, which are also needed for water protection and vitamin D3 product which the preening of feathers provides as they do so, then when UV light from sun or avian light source hits their feathers you have D3 entering their system. Also, as much showering that has gone on, you should be spraying with 100 percent aloe juice to keep the skin supple and non irritated. Full drenching showers should only take place 2 or 3 times a week maximum. Edited July 23, 2012 by danmcq Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 Brendon... I am jealous! Sophie thinks she took a bath, if her chest and few flight feathers are wet. All other birds here LOVE showers. Maybe Sophie should come over to your house for a shower! LOL! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zooman Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Zuri is in the shower with me everyday as well. for some reason he has a fascination with getting his beak under the warm water and gulping down the water. he always has fresh water in his bowl so I dunno why. he gets drenched 4 or so times a week. most days he gets water on him but not deeply never really opens his feathers. but maybe I'll limit it since danmcq if that's what he's been told my avian vet said it was fine. confusing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Zooman - They love hot water and will gulp it down as you describe. I have no idea why, but most greys seem to love hot water and hot beverages just gulping it down. In regards the bath and number of times a week. If Zuri is keeping his feathers closed and only getting wet 3 or 4 times a week, that is fine. We let our grey and conure sit on the shower door and get the added humidity of a hot shower. Sometimes they will come in, sometimes not. The key item in the original post here, was that Lester is fully opening the feathers and it is completely removing all the natural dander and leaving skin exposed that will become parched and itchy which can be very uncomfortable to the grey and good even result in health issues and plucking. The other item, if getting full drenchings like that 7 days a week is the feathers losing their natural water protection, which is also detrimental to their health. Only our conure loves baths and fuly opens feathers, however he only does that a mximum of 2 times a week. The other times he sits with wings tightly closed or does not get in the water at all. Both get misted with 100 percent Aloe juice after a drenching to keep everything supple and comfortable.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zooman Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 oh i see what you mean, yes mostly he keeps his feathers down, i sometimes will lift his wings and tell him its time to wash your pitties, and flip him upside down to get his underside, but thats usually 2-3 x a week. mostly just whatever he gets wet when he begs for his daily gulping. my common sense theory was that their parents food was warm when they were fed and somehow it brings out the instinct. I only say this because now thats its summe and i take cooler showers he sometimes turns his beak to the cooler water and waits for me to warm it up just for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 oh i see what you mean, yes mostly he keeps his feathers down, i sometimes will lift his wings and tell him its time to wash your pitties, and flip him upside down to get his underside, but thats usually 2-3 x a week. mostly just whatever he gets wet when he begs for his daily gulping. my common sense theory was that their parents food was warm when they were fed and somehow it brings out the instinct. I only say this because now thats its summe and i take cooler showers he sometimes turns his beak to the cooler water and waits for me to warm it up just for him. I LOVE " wash your pitties!" LOL! Greys tend not to have as much natural oil as an Amazon! I would LOVE for Sophie to shower once a week and wash her pitties!LOL!( this really made me laugh!) Kiki loves to shower, and does fine. She truly has more " oil" than Sophie. I WISH Sophie would get in the shower, and think we weren't murdering her! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zooman Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 yes from what i read greys arent water lovers, but its a curse too, he gets mad when i have a shower without him. haha its that bad eh? she feels your muredering her..haha hes defintely picky with the water temp so maybe try warmer water? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerial.2000 Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Marco also doesnt strongly object to showers. I rarely SOAK soak her, lotta times its just playing in the midst and she likes that and likes to nip at the mister head. I take her in the shower with me and let her sit atop the curtain rod but shes taken to eating my shower curtain :rolleyes: but she dont mind the water it seems Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 We have done everything possible to get Sophie to shower. Temp changing, watching everyone else shower while she sits on bathroom floor.I sent Ryan in the shower with her. She is madly in love with Ryan, thinks he's her man!Slight wetness on her chest and flight feathers."Thats it"? Ryan also said she acted like I was murdering her. " RYAN.... NO!"He caved too. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingy Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Nancy do you have shower doors or a shower curtain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 We used to have shower doors, changed them to shower curtain. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingy Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 To bad. If you still had the shower doors you could use a spring rod as a large shower perch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Sophie won't shower, no matter what we do! She was part of the family, when we had a shower door.We have tried everything! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zandische Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 I tried to get my birds interested in showers, but no luck. So I started bathing them in the kitchen sink once a week, after which they got lots of praise and almonds. Now, three years later, they still don't like getting wet, but they don't put up a fight anymore. They've figured out that not only do they feel better after a bath, but they gets yummy treats :-). It may be my climate (Pacific NW) but I've never found that they need aloe misting with a once a week bath, and they don't get too dusty in that time either. They do get a lot of palm oil in their diet though, so that might be helping their skin stay moisturized. Vitamin E is supposed to be very good for human skin, I believe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon. Posted August 8, 2012 Author Share Posted August 8, 2012 Well Dan, I heeded your advice. I've been showering Lester a bit less now, only 3 times a week. I should mention that despite all the bathing he was getting before, he wasn't TOO dusty but still had plenty of dander, and wasn't ever caught picking at his feathers at all. He's also in the middle of a molt though, so that makes sense. In any case, now I'll just let him sit in the bathroom with me while I shower, so he doesn't get too upset. I have a little watering pail that I'll sprinkle him with outside so he can have his own "mini showers" when he wants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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