The Bathing Issue one more time

[Laurie]

Ok, I've read a lot about bathing on this forum. Most of what I've found is HOW to bathe the little buggers and still maintain a relationship with them.

I've seen a small amount of material about whether they actually need a bath or not. Unless I haven't dug deep enough, the opinions are split.

I'm still conflicted on the subject. My breeder said they DO NOT need to be bathed.

So, help me out here guys...

Does anyone agree that they don't actually need a bath?

Can I get some input as to who does bathe their birds? If so, how often, and how do you accomplish this?

So far with Klaus I don't bathe him. I have offered a shallow bowl of water several different times, and all he's ever done is peck at it a little. He bathes himself using his water dish, which looks awkward and not very effective. Though if this works, and he's happy with it, I can certainly leave well enough alone.

As always, I can't thank you all enough...

[danmcq]

Bathing is tough for most Greys.

 

You will need to find which method works best for your Grey. It sounds like since he is interested in trying to cram himself into the water bowl, he is wanting to get wet. :-) Maybe try just placing something like a 12 inch or bigger Pie Pan in the bottom of the Cage with about an inch or 2 of water (Preferably mixed with 50 - 75 percent of Aloe Juice) and let him experiment. Try putting a little ball with a bell in the middle of the Pan.

 

My Dayo has only been interested in the Pie pan 2x in almost 3 months. I did at first take him in the shower with me and gently diverted some of the spray on to him until he was soaked. That lasted 3 weeks and all of a sudden he decided he did not like the shower :-)

 

MRSpock suggested using a spray bottle filled with Aloe Juice. This is what I use now and Dayo does not like it, but he gets sprayed every 2 to 3 days and it has changed his dry flaky, scratchy skin into a much more supple tone now and he does not scratch nearly as much.

 

They do need to be bathed in my opinion in one fashion or another.

 

I hope this helps you in some way :-)

[Dave007]

Technically and normally, they don't need or want a bath in the house when WE wanna give it to them. In the wild, they live in canapies. It has it's own moisture. They bathe when nature tells them to bathe. In the house a bird jumps in the bowl to bathe when nature tells it to do that. Bath or not, they get very dusty feathers and in the house, they can't flap that dust away like they do when in the wild. They do need to have that dander removed periodically by the owner. A bath or a good misting usually does the job. Many people get frustrated because their bird doesn't like baths but it does have to be done periodically but not as often as you might think.

 

This a very true scenario which is seen over and over again and not just with greys. It's nature telling the bird to bathe---This is your front row seat although, for some it just might be a rerun--

1--There's a fresh bowl of water in the cage.

2--the owner sees the bird jumping in the water and flapping.

3--the owner says "oh sh*t, ther's gonna be a mess shortly. Let me stop it"

4--The owner immediately gets the bird and thoroughly bathes or mists the bird until it's really soaked.

5--The owner is happy and puts the bird back in the cage.

6--5 minutes later, the owner hears a noise and checks it out.

7--There's the bird jumping in the bowl trying to bathe.

It's nature and instinct that's causing that to happen because the parrot is a wild animal.<br><br>Post edited by: MrSpock, at: 2007/11/21 02:15

[danmcq]

LOL MrSpock - I love the way you "Splane" things. Makes perfect sense...with a twist...ha ha ha ha B)

[Makena]

Just from our personal experience I would say they definitely need to be bathed...

 

We take Makena into the shower with us all the time. We have a bar up in there that goes from one side of the shower to the other, part of which is directly under the stream. He can get as wet as he wants or if he doesn't want a shower he will just hang out off to the side and take a nap . Time and time again he chooses to go directly under the stream and completely soak himself. He will puff up and flap his wings so the water can penetrate to his skin. He does this about 2 times a week. If greys aren't supposed to have baths then why is he voluntarily bathing himself?

 

I notice when it has been a while since he has had a bath that his feathers tend to get a little ruffled looking. He also eats a lot of sticky foods (like papaya) that he loves to fling and occasionally get all over himself. Baths are critical for getting all that stuff off of him.

 

Like everything else baths are one of those things that's up to each and every owner. Makena loves his baths and we will continue to allow him to take them

[judygram]

I also believe they should bathe even though some of them would prefer not to, that is just their individual preference, they do get dirty from the foods they eat and to help with the dust they create. And if they do enjoy a shower then count yourself lucky.

[Laurie]

Thank you soooo much guys. I even referred back to my trusty book, but it just talks a lot about how they don't like it, with some tips & tricks to try. It doesn't say it's a MUST (like avoiding avacado). I don't know why the breeder said they don't need a bath. Probably so I wouldn't march back to him with the bird about 2 days later demanding a refund because we hate each other!

I was also having misgivings because I'm here in Michigan and it's getting darn chilly here. I keep my house between 65-67 degrees, but I know I wouldn't want to get soaked & be left to air dry this time of year.

Thanks again!

[Laurie]

Oh, and thanks for the chuckle, Dave. (Mr Spock)

Trust me, in this house, the bird splashing a little water around is the LEAST of my worries...:laugh:

[Makena]

You are so right about the being cold thing. I would probably think twice about letting Makena have so many baths if it was cold all the time. Our house is always 80 degrees, so he never even shivers! He usually goes from being soaked to bone dry in about 30 minutes!

[Kibibi]

I use a shower perch that has suction cups on it to hold it to the shower wall. It took Kibibi several years (3-4) before she began to actually enjoy the shower. I started by placing the perch in the shower but away from the water stream. I gradually moved the shower perch closer to the water and allowed her to get splashed more and more. In the beginning, she didn't enjoy it at all! Now she actually bobs her head up and down to let me know that she wants to get wet. I still don't put her under the full force of the shower. I just use my hand to deflect the shower stream toward her which sprays a light mist onto her. She seems to enjoy it now but it took a lot of patience.

[shazbaby36]

my freddie dont like having a bath so we just spray her with water

[lovemyGreys]

My three all get a spray as they wont bathe

[judygram]

Josey gets sprayed as she won't bathe except for trying to in her water bowl.

[Nychsa]

Laurie,

 

Even though my breeder said my grey Bella wouldn't like showers, both Bella and my Conure Jiggy enjoy going into the shower with me. If I don't do it for two or three days, Bella fusses with her feathers a good deal and Jiggy tries to bathe in his water bowl. So, I do it regularly (at least every other day). I usually take the shower head down (which is attached to a hose) and gently spray them under their feathers, and under their bellies as well. Bella tries to get her head into the stream and plays around with the water.

 

Afterwards, Bella enjoys being wrapped up in a nice warm towel which I have spread out in the sink, so she sits in her towel in the sink while I get dressed. Jiggy hates the towel, so I have to rub him down quickly and put him on the perch before I can get dressed.

 

So, I've disregarded the advice of the breeders and do what the birds let me know they want!

[chapala]

These Greys seem to be all different in their thoughts about bathing! Kali has come to "enjoy" (maybe tolerate is a better word!) misting. I talk to him in an excited voice, saying good shower, want a shower?, etc. He will ask for a shower now at times. He does not like the people shower, nope, not at all. Cool, warm, gentle mist, whatever. I tried a pan at the bottom of the cage, but never saw any interest. He does bathe now in a big Pyrex baking dish - I should say he splashes because it's not really big enough for him to get in. I started out by putting pieces of almond in the water and a few toys. He would reach in and get them. One day he just jumped in, and likes it maybe twice a month.

 

The Greys are from a tropical rainforest environment, and they get lots of rain showers and humidity, like it or not. I do think water is good for their feathers that otherwise get dusty, and I am a proponent of plain water, nothing in it.

 

Good luck with figuring out what your Grey will put up with or even enjoy! Sometimes it takes a long while, but don't give up

 

Reta

[siobha9]

I wouldnt agree that they dont need a bath. I find they get dusty and itchy if I dont bathe them. I bathe them in the bottom of the bath, with the hand held shower head on really slow, and warm. All of my birds "tolerate" the bath, but the greys actually do seem to enjoy it. I dont let them get cold as I wrap them in a towel and hold them on my knee for a while in front of the fire. Once they are almost dry I unwrap them, and let them preen to their hearts content! (this applies to the budgies as well as the greys).

 

Siobhan