Cockatiel ? on bathing

[Ronda477]

Do Cockatiels need to bath as often as big parrots? Do they need it at all? This little baby of my daughters has never been misted or bathed. It's 5 months old. Since we have had it (about 2 weeks) we have bathed it twice, but he doesn't seem to preen afterwards he just sits there, so I told her to go ahead and put him back in his cage and she has a electric heater in her room, I told her to go ahead and place in front of his cage a few feet away and kind of keep him warm a bit. But should he bathe often or not? And why isn't he preening? Thanks!!

 

 

[LisaM]

I'm guessing they get the same benefits from bathing as the rest of the parrots.

 

He may not have preened right away. Mine always wait about an hour and then go to it. Also, as this was a new experience, it may not have registered with his natural instincts as it was so out of the norm for him. I would keep doing it and see if he picks it up in time.