Bath Time!

[Mary]

Hi ,
We have had Houdini a little less than 2 weeks. He seems much perkier since his antibiotics and he decided to take a bath in his water dish today!

I know this is normal-- but how do you anticipate their bath time?
Do you plan to give them a bath every so often-- or do you just let them bathe whenever and wherever! He succeeded in getting the cage very wet!

Just curious as to how others handle this -- we are brand new to bird owning!

Thanks!
Mary :)

[Lovebirds1578]

It was not a fun cleanup. I had to wipe everything dry and stuff. But i'll admitt, it was extremely funny and cute. He looked all soaked and dark colored and i just had to laugh!!

-Ben

[Janie]

Mary, I offer them a bath bowl every day to every other day. Sometimes they'll use Oliver's water bowl instead. How often my three bathe varies from every other day to once a week. Yep, things do get wet! :D There are times when I felt like I had taken a bath and I was 3 or 4 feet from the cage. :lol

[Buy A Paper Doll]

Mine change their minds on when, where, and how often they like to bathe. Milo used to prefer a glass salad bowl but now he likes the deep blue water dish, even though his little featherbutt doesn't fit all the way in there. Other times, Melody decides she prefers the water dish in the night cage, so she'll wait until bedtime to bathe.

Sometimes Milo hears the water running in the sink and he fluffs up his feathers. Then I know he's interested in a bath and I bring out a bath bowl. Sometimes Melody lets me know she wants to take a bath by trying to bathe in the cap from my water bottle. It's a truly funny sight!

[Tango's_Mom]

Tango never wants to take a bath more often then every 3 days or so (found this out by offering a bath every day and watching to see when he uses it) I try to offer the bath every 2 or 3 days, before I tidy the cage, Tango is very good about using the bath within the first 5 minutes or so after I have put it in if he wants it, and if he doesn't use it right away, he won't that day, no matter how long I leave it for him (this is not something I taught him, he is like this on his own) that way once he's done I go about the regular cage cleaning like always, the only difference is that I have to dry the tray and cage off before I put fresh paper down. I also try to make sure he gets a bath in the mornings on the days i take apart his cage to clean it, that way it's getting cleaned and dryed any way so who care if he makes a mess.

[Z28Taxman]

Ditto takes a bath in his water dish whenever he feels the need.

If he's out with me and I turn the water on in the sink he'll run down my arm or fly to my hand and fluff up like he wants a shower. So I cup my hands to make a pool and he lays down in the water under the stream and gets soaked! (wet parrots don't smell as nice as dry ones BTW :rofl: ).

On Sundays when it's time to tear down the cage and give everything a good scrubbing he's guaranteed to get a bath. If he doesn't take a shower he'll bathe in the water dish as soon as he's back in the cage. Can't be a dirty birdy in a clean cage! :cool:

[butterfly1061]

Like Jennifer, mine change where, when & how they take a bath. Olivia & Daisy at the moment like to bathe on a big white dinner plate (don't tell my mom :eek: ) or in my hands under the kitchen faucet. Molly right now likes to bathe in my hands under the bathroom faucet and Piper, my stinky bird who never bathes often, will take a bath on the big white dinner plate if no other birdie is around (he did this yesterday :) ). I guess to each his/her own. I offer water about every other day or if they fluff their feathers while the water is running :D I don't mind getting wet cause I can just wipe it up or let things dry. Oh, did I mention, Molly likes to take his bath & shake off the water on me AFTER I've had my morning shower :rolleyes:

[Z28Taxman]

Like Jennifer, mine change where, when & how they take a bath. Olivia & Daisy at the moment like to bathe on a big white dinner plate (don't tell my mom :eek: ) or in my hands under the kitchen faucet. Molly right now likes to bathe in my hands under the bathroom faucet and Piper, my stinky bird who never bathes often, will take a bath on the big white dinner plate if no other birdie is around (he did this yesterday :) ). I guess to each his/her own. I offer water about every other day or if they fluff their feathers while the water is running :D I don't mind getting wet cause I can just wipe it up or let things dry. Oh, did I mention, Molly likes to take his bath & shake off the water on me AFTER I've had my morning shower :rolleyes:

Ditto got a shower from a thunderstorm yesterday. We had a nasty thunderstorm roll through and ditto was standing on my shoulder watching the rain/lightning out the kitchen door with me. It got windy and blew some rain in through the screen and he just fluffed up and enjoyed the spray. I wasn't so happy about it however but couldn't spoil his fun. Not that he would let me anyway, I tried to get out of the rain and he flew to the door and hung on the screen just chirping away. Now where did I put that mop. :rolleyes:

[Lovebirds1578]

yeah, we got hit by that storm badly as well. Boy what a sight! Sadly my houdini was at home alone with no power. I was at my grandparnets with the family for dinner. We didn't expect it to be that bad, but houdini seemed just fine waiting for us when we got home! I noticed the wet parrot smell...very interesting. haha

-Ben

[butterfly1061]

I noticed the wet parrot smell...very interesting.
Here's a post you should read :D http://www.lovebirdsplus.com/community/showthread.php?t=4484&highlight=smell

[bellarains]

I do offer a bath everyday to every other day. I offer more often when the humidity levels are low to help them keep their feathers preened properly.

I give mine a deep plate on top of the cage, then pour a glass of water slowly into it. The water trickling noise gets them almost every time, and they fluff up, and run toward the plate to take a little dip. Sometimes it's a full fledged bath, sometimes it's just a little splish,splash, but I'd rather take the bath away untouched, as to not offer one at all. I leave the decision up to them.

[Lovebirds1578]

:lol That was very funny. I got a good laugh out of that!!:D

-Ben:rofl: