Parrots bathing

This is a problem that many new bird "parronts" face.

It is something that you presume would come naturally to birds and indeed it does. The methods in how they are administered by humans are not!

Gentle perseverance, reassurance and literally showing the bird how to bathe with your chosen method are good starting blocks for your bird to enjoy getting wet.

In the wild, birds try their hardest to bathe daily where possible. This shows how important bathing is to your baby. He needs a daily wash to soothe irritated feathers, aid preening and maintain good skin health.

There are several methods that can be used and one will USUALLY be suitable for your bird. Bear in mind that a scared baby will not always automatically embrace your chosen method immediately.

Spray bottle

This method is generally a popular one because you have complete control over the situation to begin with and you will also be emulating rain.

Fill a brand new, plastic spray bottle with warm water and set to a fine mist. NEVER use a bottle that has had any type of chemical or anything other than water in it, the plastic will harbour residue of anything that has been in there before.

100% glycerine and 100% rose water (all natural, nothing added at all and available from the chemist), just a couple of drops of each, can be added to the bottle to provide a sweet taste and a soothing aroma to help entice your bird into liking the spray.

Talk to your baby reassuringly and begin to spray your face and arms with the spray making delighted, soothing noises. Your bird will be very curious as to what you are doing that is so enjoyable!

Gently turn the spray towards him, reassuring him all the time. Do not be surprised if he runs away. Over the next few days repeat the same method again, keeping the sessions to 5mins per day. You will probably find that your bird is wanting to have a spray bath inside of a week. Bear in mind, he will not usually stay right in front of the spray, but pick a spot on his playstand or in his cage where he likes to sit while you spray him. If he is not moving, preening or fluffing up, extending his wins etc, then you can be sure he is enjoying the bath!


Stainless steel dog bowl

Some birds will thank you for a large bowl of warm in the bottom of their cage or the floor in out of cage time.

A bird who will bathe in his water bowl is more likely to appreciate this method. Simply place the bowl and let your bird explore it.

Again, you can show him what the function is by dipping your fingers in and flicking them around a bit! Some fresh garden mint placed in the bowl will be an added attraction to your bird. Mint is very calming to birds, provides a healthy dose of vitamins C & D and will also allow him to recognise that the bowl is full of water as the leaves float on the top - a natural aid for flying birds to source water in the wild.

Showering with the flock

Many bird owners have success by taking their bird into the bathroom with them while they have a shower! Ensuring the bathroom is bird safe and there are no open windows, simply take your bird into the bathroom with you and allow him to make his own way into the shower to find you if he so wishes. The humidity of the room is almost like a bath in itself! Special plastic perches with suction cups can be bought readily for sharing showers if your bird enjoys this practice.

The old kitchen sink!

Some birds enjoy bathing straight from under the tap! Again, show your bird how the tap works and gently encourage him to pop into the sink. This method can take an awful lot of patience but it will help if your bird can see how the tap works in day to day life. Sit him on your shoulder while you prepare veg, for example. This method appears to be very much love or hate so do not be surprised if your bird does not entertain this method!

The most important thing to remember is never to force your bird to do anything. Becoming wet is actually a very vulnerable state for a bird to be in so he must have trust in you and his surroundings before he will succumb to any bath. In the wild, birds never saturate their feathers as this leads to quick loss of body heat and can sabotage flying in a deadly manner.

Bearing this in mind, ensure you bath your in warm temperatures and only go for as long as he is comfortable. Watch your birds body language carefully and stop if you feel he is getting uncomfortable. You do not want your bird to fear the method just because you have become impatient.

I have found my own girl dislikes me stopping before she is entirely saturated, but in the beginning when her trust for me was simply not as strong as is it now, she enjoyed just enough to get her top feathers wet and preened the moisture through to her down herself.

You may also be saddened to find that none of the above methods work for you at all and your bird still prefers his water bowl. That being the case, you may need to provide a bigger bowl attached to the side of the cage for bathing and one for drinking. Ensure you change the water numerous times a day.

Good luck!