Showers/ Bathing

[Number6]

I don't know exactly how the previous owners handled bathing Gina, but it seems that she doesn't care for water at all unless she's drinking it. I bought a "Misty Mate" type mister that sprays a fine mist and she tries to run from it. She won't take a bath either.

 

How exactly do I get her to bathe? Do I just keep pushing the issue?

 

Thanks

[Talon]

I have the same problem with Talon. She hates showers and baths. I bought a Misty Mate also, I put her in her cage and mist her with it until she's very wet. She hates it, and sometimes we play the chase game, but I figure, you make your kids take a bath when they don't want to for their own good, so I do to the same to Talon. After a while she gives up and sits there sulking. Afterwards I put a bowl of water in the bottom of her cage and she'll then give herself a bath. ( I guess I must do it wrong! )

[Caspersmum]

Casper hates baths too - but as Penny says, I force the issue! I feel so cruel, but he looks so much better for it. I take a shower first, with casper in the bathroom. Then I get casper onto his shower perch, and attach it to the side of the bath (you can buy them on-line). I sing 'singing in the rain' as I shower both myself and him - and he's starting to whistle it himself now. I woudln't say he really ENJOYS showers, but he doesn't seem to mind them now. And I built him up to it slowly - taking him into the bathroom while I showered, and putting him on his perch in the bath without any water. He's not started feather plucking, he still talks to me, and he's not lost any weight, so I guess he doesn't mind it TOO much!

 

Julia

[judygram]

Like Talon mine does not like baths either, but sometimes she tries to take one in her water bowl. I take her to the sink and get her really wet and she is ok with that.

[dblhelix]

Some love the water like fish, some hate it...they are all so different! B) I would keep trying since one way or another some showering on a regular basis is good for them. Outside in their natural environment they live in a rain forest! However, there has been research showing that often baby greys must be taught by their parents how to bathe, how to act in the "rain" etc. Makes some sense that this is a learned behavior. As others have indicated try your best to show her its fun! Sing, laugh etc. Lead by example and just dont give up. She may never "like" it, but with some time ya never know! :silly:

[Greybaby]

Your bird learns from his flock leader - you. Put him on a shower stand in the shower while you have a good time taking a shower - your grey will not be able to help himself and will eventually try it out. I like pretty warm water, so I will put the grey up high on the shower rod while I am actually washing up. Once I am done, I put the bird on the shower stand closer to the water and make the temperature as I would for my 2 yr old - lukewarm. I think that mist and bathing is also an essential when they are molting as it helps to loosen the casing around the new feather. I also read somewhere (can not remember where now) that bathing is one way to keep your bird from plucking as they develop healthy "preening" habits.

[CeasarsDad]

Greybaby is correct.. They do learn from us.. When we first got Ceasar at 20 weeks, one of the first things I did with him is to take him in the shower with me.. He sits on the shower door while I talk to him and shower.. Then after I'm finished I make him step up on my finger and take him under the shower with me.. He doesn't run, doesn't make any fuss at all.. He just lays up against my chest and enjoys the water.. I don't let it directly hit his head... Ceasar never runs from the water.. Now in the morning when I say "Want shower" he starts getting excited and steps right up with enthusiasm...

 

Again, I started this when he was 20 weeks.. Not sure if it would be so easy with an older bird.. but I quess it could be done..

[Guest Monique]

I do the same as most others have stated. Have a shower perch for my grey. My other two (not Greys) get mist baths most of the time and come into the shower on occasion.

[greylover]

i know that african greys dont like the misters at all .Myn dosen't ad well so dont worry

[CeasarsDad]

Well, lets think about this.. Would you like someone coming over to you and spraying you with water regardless if you wanted it or not.. I don't think so.. Even in the hot summer people walk around the misters some outside malls install to cool their customers..

 

I know if you came over to me and misted me.. There would be trouble looming on the horizon.. B)

[Talon]

So you think it's better never to get them wet because they don't like it? Some greys hate water, but how healthy is that for their skin?

Just curious what you think. I've tried putting Talon on a perch or shower rod in the shower since she was 12 weeks old, consistently. She never liked getting wet. But I'm open to any suggestions you have other than misting her...........:huh:

[CeasarsDad]

No Talon.. I'm not saying that at all.. Must be my clumsy command of English that your reading. What I'm saying is "misting" might not be right for some birds... That's all... You know how I feel about giving Greys Baths.. We have discussed this at length in the past.. Right?

[Talon]

I know how you feel, but how about some solutions?:huh:

[Caspersmum]

Hey Talon,

 

Casper wasn't keen on the shower at first, but he's kind of resigned to it now - and dosn't seem at all distressed. He still hates being misted - and yet even with regular showers, he still goes paddling in his water dish!

 

By the way, he's moulting at the moment, and his new feathers seem to be troubling him - he's really grumpy, but also clingy. I was wondering about using vera to soothe his skin, but don't know how much to use, how often, and how to apply it since he hates the mister so much. I'd be grateful if anyone has any suggestions!

 

Julia

[CeasarsDad]

Talon, you have a challenge that I don't yet.. Your bird flys.. So he can fly away from the shower where Ceasar couldn't... I think this allowed me to get him use to the shower easier.. He simply couldn't run away... Maybe this is why I had such an easy time with Ceasar and you are having such a tough times with you bird... And I'm NOT saying clip him because as you know I am letting ceasers wings grow out..

[Talon]

Well, you are right about Ceasar being so easy. Talon came to us with her wings clipped, but she could fly enough, to get away from me in the shower. The mister I use, is one that is made just for birds, so it is a fine mist that just keeps coming out of the attached tube. There is no spraying like with a spray bottle. She does resign herself after a few minutes to it, but I can see in her eyes that she's not very happy about it.

[Number6]

I've been getting Gina more and more wet with the mister, but she still doesn't like it. I guess persistance is the key. I would've got a 'bird specific' mister but I just got one at Wally-world for a lot less. It sprays a gentle mist continuously, you just gotta pump it occasionally. We're still playing the chase game. She doesn't seem to mind much while she's on my shoulder and I'm getting wet too.

This is the one I have, just a different sticker on the front.

[Talon]

I have the same one. It works well when they are in their cage.

[Tari]

To get mine to bath I stared out with a see threw bowl. I but veggies in it. After fishing for veggies and falling in by mistake she started taking baths on her own. She hates the shower but well sit on her shower perch as long as I don't put her in the water.

[splint101]

What do you guys do in the winter to get the Grey dry again. I don't want to bath Max and then he might get a cold. I know that I must bath him in the morning to let him dry the whole day. But what if he is still wet in the afternoon b4 bed time?

[Caspersmum]

I've not had a problem with drying - but then Dundee's so cold in the winter that I have to have the central heating on! I don't know about Max, but Casper never gets completely soaking - just a bit soggy, and so long as he baths in the morning, he's never wet by bed-time. The other option is you could always use a hairdryer - so long as the filament is bird-safe - my parakeet used to love being dried like this!

 

Julia

[dblhelix]

I have heard some people towel dry and even blow dry their birds in the winter. Some have indicated that their birds enjoy the blow drier (once used to it) and the only thing to watch out for it getting them too hot/close to the heating elements and of course chewing on the power cord!

 

We are still working on getting Kip to take showers with us. I am pretty confident she will like it, eventually. Currently she will dunk herself about once/week in her water bowl and she will accept misting. If she's into "dunking" mode then she seems to like the mist. She's still not sure bout the shower, but I think she'll come to like it with time.

[Guest Lidia]

Joshua doesn't like being misted. The droplets falling into the nostrils is the problem, it's unpleasant and uncomfortable. But then again, schizophrenic little monster that he is, sometimes he LOVES being misted, but this is rare.

If it is very sunny outside he seems to bathe in his drinking water and I come home to puddles and wrinkled newspaper.

He sits on the shower rail every morning as I shower, so I suppose he gets a daily steaming, which is probably just about right for him.

If you think about it, greys are one of those few birds who produce powder to aid in their preening rather than oils.

Years ago, when I lived in London, I had a bath, which Joshua used to sit on the edge of when I was bathing. He'd also sometimes jump onto my knee and sit there, with his feet just touching the water. He's always been a little fascinated by bubbles and would lean in and try to touch the bath bubbles. One morning as I was taking a leisurely bubble bath before work, Joshua decided to sit on my knee, and jumped. But my knee wasn't there, and he sank to the bottom of the bath! I quickly hauled the poor, saturated and shocked bird out. I was torn between horror and laughter. He wasn't any worse for it, didn't seem particularly traumatised, just very bemused. Wetter he had never been! I had to stay at home and blow dry him with my hairdryer (he still loves a whoosh of air up into his armpits and under his tail when I am doing my hair).

Oddly enough, he still likes bubbles.

L