Gracie had a bath

[nikkirae]

Well Gracie had her first bath today, I thought the tub would be her best bet as she does not like the sprayer and she can't hurt herself in the tub. I was SO worried she was going to flip out. Gracie did GREAT!!! I can't say she loved but she just walked around talking and drinking the water LOL!!

 

She has never had a bath and it needed to be done she had chunks of dander falling off!!!!! Yuck! So now I don't have to worry about her hating the tub

[Luvparrots]

All my parrots enjoy the water. I'm glad Gracie is one that can at least tolerate a bath. Go Gracie!

[JeffNOK]

Bathing was one of my big worries too. My Gracie isn't a rehome, but still I worried she would hate the water. She actually likes it! I'm glad your Gracie is in the same boat. They do feel better when clean. After a bath my Gracie chats and whistles and sings to beat the band. It's a happy sound

[Brat Birds]

Way to GO!!! So glad you tried. Keep doing it so she knows it is part of her routine. You are doing great!!

[Inara]

Wonderful!! She has got to feel soooo much better now! Inara loves to bathe in one of her water dishes. I keep two of them, one near her food dish, which appears to be the one she drinks from (I can't say for sure). And a large on on the other side of her cage that she loves to bathe in. Sometimes she will soak herself down to her little bones chirping and talking away while she's doing it.

 

You are doing such a good job with your Gracie!

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Sophie at age 13, HATES a shower! We have done everything to encourage it. Nothing has worked. Unfortunately, I am the " mean parrent!" Sunny our conure, gets a bath first, and LOVES it. Next... Sophie gets a shower, screams at me " NO ROM!" I tell her...." I love you very much", but you are dirty and need a shower. Its done. She is mad at me for around two hours. I am okay with that. Part about being a parent. Guilt trips don't work on me anymore. I have too many animals to deal with. Nancy

[JanMarie]

If the feathers on the back of a grey are water proof...how do you get the water through those feathers? I mist my grey Dolly, she doesn't like it but tolerates the Aloe Vera juice spray. I am just concerned with getting her back and tail nicely soaked...and I can't. Is this important? Legs and breast and as much under the wings I can get are wet, but not her back. Thanks! Jan

[Timbersmom]

Well, the short answer is you don't unless they "open their feathers." I'm not an expert but I'll share what I know. Bird's feathers act as protection in the wild. Part of the reason they preen to spread an oily "water repellent" all along the feather. When it rains and they want to stay dry (or when you spray them) they repel water. When they want to bathe, they will "open their feathers" and get soaked to the skin. I am sure I don't have all the science exactly correct but that is the layman's version. Keep a close eye on Dolly. At some point you may see her dipping her head in her water bowl or throwing water over her shoulder. That's your cue to get the aloe vera juice in a glass baking dish (or similar). Set it somewhere she feels safe and comfortable and keep your fingers crossed that she will take advantage of it.

 

I spray Timber with aloe vera juice (mostly in the winter) too. I give him a good soaking, but I know most of it rolls right off.

 

Thoughts from members with more experience would be appreciated!

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

We have resorted to a " forced shower". She gets showered, while screaming " NO ROM!" Closes off her feathers... but it gets done, Of course I tell her I am sorry, but needs to be done. When I blow dry her, she is more happy. I squirt areas that got missed, and she is okay with me squirting those areas. Of course she will " skype" with Ryan, telling him how we made her shower.Ryan of course is the emathetic one. I just roll my eyes! Nancy

[judygram]

When I blow dry her

 

Nancy please don't use the hair dryer on your birds as it dries them out too much, they should be allowed to air dry.

 

Josey won't open her feathers either when I give her a shower but I lift some of them and get the water under the feathers, where there is a will there is a way.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

I don't blowdry during nice weather, but it is cold right now.I blowdry now, because I don't want her to be wet. I don't want her to be cold. Nancy

[judygram]

This is a quote from one of Dave's posts on bathing:

never towel dry or hair dry him after a bath or spray.

The longer he stays wet, the more he benefits from the bath/spray.

[Luvparrots]

I always bathe my parrots/bird early enough in the day so that they can dry naturally. Using a hairdryer or towel removes natural oils that our greys/birds produce to groom their feathers and body. You wouldn't want to be responsible for your grey plucking feathers because her skin/feathers are dry. I love to watch my greys/zon preen their feathers after a good soaking. Priceless

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

Sophie is 13 now. She won't chew her feathers ever. It is NOT a behavior that is acceptable, or tolerated. If she is dry... itchy... she will let me know. During the spring or summer, she can dry naturally. In the winter, I am concerned about warmth. Blowed dryed. She never seems itchy. If her beak is cold... temperature goes up. Sophie dictates my electrical bill! LOL Nancy

[Acappella]

I know what you mean about the electric bill. I'll put on a sweater, but Dorians' room has to be warm. A couple of times last week he showed signs of wanting a bath too close to bedtime. With him a trigger is a fresh bowl of clean, really really cold, water, so I took out the cold water and replaced it with room temp water. He stopped trying to bathe. Then the next day (after towels were down) I presented him with a nice big bowl of ice cold water, and the splashing and spraying began! This is how I stop him from going to bed wet, and give him time to dry naturally.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

I don't want to sound like I disagree with the advice, but Sophie is NOT going to chew her feathers. I don't want her to be cold. A shower, is a shower. She HATES it, and it won't change. It is meant for her to get clean, get rid of dander that she doesn't get rid of. She preens herself well. As she avoids opening her wings, the blowdry is always just her belly. She actually likes it. While in school today, a course I am taking for two days, I took out the card they gave us to study.... there were two " dander feathers" attached to the cards. AWWWWW! Thanks Sophie! I know you are rooting for me. Nancy