Bathing

[oocreageroo]

Yea!!!! :p Joelie took her 1st bath yesterday! It was so incredibly adorable! :p I cleaned all the toys and cage; shortly after Joelie just started soaking herself. It's almost like she knew everything was sparkly clean and so she should be as well! Here is a phot of her all wet n goofy! :rofl:

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g50/oookristinooo/100_1088.jpg

[butterfly1061]

Wet birdies are the best! Mine like to take turns in how they bathe. Right now, it's in my hands under the faucet in the kitchen. Other ways include: each others water dish, a BIG dinner plate on the kitchen counter, or under the sprayer in the kitchen sink. I ever know when they want to change :rolleyes: But it's fun :D

[Z28Taxman]

Ditto always takes a bath on cage cleaning day. Sometimes it's in my hands under the faucet, and if he doesn't do that he dives into his water dish as soon as he gets back into his clean house! 8)

[kimsbirds]

AWWWWWWWWWWWWW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great pic !!!

[Janie]

Cute, cute, cute!!!!!!!!!! :D

[Alexander]

On the topic of bathes, my lovebird had his first today, and cried bloody murder as I dipped my fingers in the luke warm water and let it dribble onto its head in the bathroom. I seem to be getting conflicting suggestions from people, the nurse at the Vet. said it was normal for one to just pick up their bird and hold it, while breeders and other owners suggest letting the bird decide when and where.

But, since he has spent half his life (3 out of the ~5 months) in a pet store, should I try and get it accustomed to bathes like this, or just spritz it with a misting spray bottle? I've tried the dinner plate and letting it do its own thing, but it just looks at me like I'm crazy. (Just so everyone knows, I didn't just decide that >I< wanted him to have a bath, it had a little bit of poop on both feet, and needed to be cleaned off)

[Janie]

Alexander, what works well for one might not make another one happy. My older bird, adopted by me three years ago, had never been offered a bath. He was around 7 years old when I got him so you can imagine what he thought of a big bowl of water...:eek: He did bathe on his own by sticking his little head in his small water cup but wasn't able to get his little hind end wet and that was the area that really needed it because he picked at his left vent area. I tried misting him and YIKES, he was horrified. Finally, after I'd had him for a few months and knew that he trusted me, I held him in luke warm water in the kitchen sink. I only soaked him from the neck down, a couple times a week during his molt and it really helped the itching, etc. He did not seem to enjoy it but he did learn to accept it and I know it made him feel better. The two that I added last summer were very young and used to bathing in a large shallow bowl that their breeder had offered them. After watching them a time or two, Oliver figured out that it was OK to bathe that way and nearly every time they jump in, so does he! One of my three, Big Boi, loves for me to splash him with water or to let it drip over his head but Oliver and Shy don't. Some birds like to be misted and some are afraid of that. I don't suggest that you hold a bird in water unless it is very tame (Oliver has been since I got him) and has learned to trust you.

My three usually bathe 1 to 3 times a week. I offer them a bath bowl about every other day. Lori suggested to me that I move the water around with my fingers and that made a huge difference. When they hear that, they come straight to the bowl. I still give Oliver a sink bath if he's in the middle of a molt and appears to be uncomfortable but otherwise, he now bathes on his own. :D

[Z28Taxman]

Alexander, what works well for one might not make another one happy. My older bird, adopted by me three years ago, had never been offered a bath. He was around 7 years old when I got him so you can imagine what he thought of a big bowl of water...:eek: He did bathe on his own by sticking his little head in his small water cup but wasn't able to get his little hind end wet and that was the area that really needed it because he picked at his left vent area. I tried misting him and YIKES, he was horrified. Finally, after I'd had him for a few months and knew that he trusted me, I held him in luke warm water in the kitchen sink. I only soaked him from the neck down, a couple times a week during his molt and it really helped the itching, etc. He did not seem to enjoy it but he did learn to accept it and I know it made him feel better. The two that I added last summer were very young and used to bathing in a large shallow bowl that their breeder had offered them. After watching them a time or two, Oliver figured out that it was OK to bathe that way and nearly every time they jump in, so does he! One of my three, Big Boi, loves for me to splash him with water or to let it drip over his head but Oliver and Shy don't. Some birds like to be misted and some are afraid of that. I don't suggest that you hold a bird in water unless it is very tame (Oliver has been since I got him) and has learned to trust you.

My three usually bathe 1 to 3 times a week. I offer them a bath bowl about every other day. Lori suggested to me that I move the water around with my fingers and that made a huge difference. When they hear that, they come straight to the bowl. I still give Oliver a sink bath if he's in the middle of a molt and appears to be uncomfortable but otherwise, he now bathes on his own. :D

All I have to do is turn the water in in the sink and Ditto will come flying over for a bath! :cool:

[Janie]

Dave, not a single one of my three will take a dip in the sink! I know lots of them will and Linda's photos of Echo are proof of that but even Big Boi and Shy will sit on my shoulder when I'm at the sink running water and never venture near. It would be convenient and less messy if they'd bathe in the sink! :whistle: I think I've seen photos of Barb's birds sink bathing and if I'm not mistaken, they have a little ladder there, too. :D

[sdgilley]

Only my Peepo bathes in my hands in the sink. If she's on me and I go there, she runs down my arm and waits. :rofl: Once she's done she runs back up my arm and dries herself on me!

Peter & Luka take turns bathing in their water dish. They like it best when it's just been changed! If one bathes, the other follows in pretty quick order.

Alexander, I'd let your bird decide when and where to bathe unless you have a real compelling reason to push the issue. (Like Janie with Oliver picking around his vent area.) Maybe take a wet wash cloth and wipe his feet clean if they are dirty. It's important to build trust with your bird. I taught Peter to bathe (when he was a single lovie) in a glass loaf pan with a ladder going down into it. I'd make splashy noises with my finger and then slowly back off when he showed an interest. He'd run down the ladder and bathe and then out again. Later, Luka showed him the fine art of water dish bathes.

[LauraO]

Alxander: Granted there was a reason to bath your lovie today, but I would be very careful. Holding a lovie under water can damage trust and make it more difficult to build a relationship, especially in the early days. I have a slew of lovies and each prefers to bath in their own way. Some like misting, some like bowels/plates/pans, and some love the sink. The best thing to do is offer your lovie a number of different ways to bath, and to remember that your lovie may be bathing and drying off when you're not around:) .

[butterfly1061]

I got my Molly when he was a few weeks old and was learning everything associated with being a bird. Bathing was one of them. It took me a couple of months to earn his trust (coaxing & sweet talk) to take a bath in my hands in the sink. I NEVER pushed him - always went at his pace. That's how the trust was accomplished. Today Molly is my only bird who whole heartedly puts his trust in me. I can do anything with him. The one word I can offer is PATIENCE and lots of it. You will be a mazed how your lovie will see you when he trusts you :2cents:

[Alexander]

Alxander: Granted there was a reason to bath your lovie today, but I would be very careful. Holding a lovie under water can damage trust and make it more difficult to build a relationship, especially in the early days. I have a slew of lovies and each prefers to bath in their own way. Some like misting, some like bowels/plates/pans, and some love the sink. The best thing to do is offer your lovie a number of different ways to bath, and to remember that your lovie may be bathing and drying off when you're not around:) .

Well, I didn't hold it in the water, it had both feet wrapped around one finger, I dipped its feet in the water and gently rubbed them, then dipped my second hand in the water and let the droplets roll off my finger tips and drip onto him (ala rain off a leaf, atleast in my mind)

[Janie]

Alxander: Granted there was a reason to bath your lovie today, but I would be very careful. Holding a lovie under water can damage trust and make it more difficult to build a relationship, especially in the early days.

I agree with that. I waited for almost 3 months before I bathed Oliver and I was very careful that not a drop went on his head or near his nares. I dreaded doing it but his vent area was bothering him so much he cried some times when he picked it. Actually, he got a good bath today after I noticed that he was sticking his head in his water dish and then constantly preening his vent area. After I bathe him I dry him off a little with a very soft dish towel (Oliver's towel, we call it) and I rub his head good all over which he really seems to enjoy. I'm sure it is best to let your bird decide when he needs or wants a bath unless there is a specific need for one.

[Z28Taxman]

Dave, not a single one of my three will take a dip in the sink! I know lots of them will and Linda's photos of Echo are proof of that but even Big Boi and Shy will sit on my shoulder when I'm at the sink running water and never venture near. It would be convenient and less messy if they'd bathe in the sink! :whistle: I think I've seen photos of Barb's birds sink bathing and if I'm not mistaken, they have a little ladder there, too. :D

You can't keep Ditto away from running water if he's out of his cage. Usually his hand baths are under the bathtub faucet while we clean his stuff. It's either let him get his shower or he's gonna dive in the tub with the nasty water. If I wash my hands at the sink, birdie has to get washed too. And when I fill a pan to heat water for tea he has to run down my arm and take a few sips first (he then gets put in the cage until the water is done and in the cup so he doesn't try that with boiling water :eek: ).



Peter & Luka take turns bathing in their water dish. They like it best when it's just been changed

Ditto does that too. I swear he is just sitting there waiting for me to get home from work and change his water (which I do as soon as he helps me get his veggies ready) and he dives right in. He does that at least twice a week.8)

[LauraO]

Well, I didn't hold it in the water, it had both feet wrapped around one finger, I dipped its feet in the water and gently rubbed them, then dipped my second hand in the water and let the droplets roll off my finger tips and drip onto him (ala rain off a leaf, atleast in my mind)

Sorry. I didn't mean to imply that you held your lovie under water. I was more refering to the mere act of holding a lovie if he/she is not tame or you have a young relationship with them. That, along with the uncertainty of why they are being held around water is what I was referring too.

:) :)

[oocreageroo]

With Joelie, I never pushed a bath. It just so happened after I changed the cage, Joelie decided it was time he/she be clean as well. I cannot wait till next time Joelie decides to take a bath. It was SO cute to see the splashing water and hear the lil tweets! :rofl: