Fear of Water!

[Kween]

Hi all!

I try all kinds of things to get Sushi to try bathing; I've placed shallow bowls, deeper bowls, had water run into my hands, spritzer bottles, running tap water gently into a small bowl... She just doesn't like water! The most she did was in the shallow bowl, she seemed to try it, opening her wings and dipping in once or twice, but the most she did was get a little damp on her chest, not nearly as "wet" as she needs to be for a proper bath. The only thing I HAVEN'T tried is taking her into the shower with me (I do have a shower perch)...

Any idea on why she loves being dirty? XD Or where the water fear would come from? And any tips on how to get her to be on friendly terms with the liquid?

Thanks!

[dovelady4]

I can't really help you, but Louie does the same thing-just enough to get his head, chest and once in a while his wing tips wet, and he calls it good! Healthy birds preen an awful lot so they should stay rather clean...Kind of like a cat bathing itself I would imagine?

[linda040899]

I don't know that I would worry about it too much. Some birds seem to like water more than others and I've had a few that do nothing more than get their feathers damp like Sushi did. While water is good for their feathers, some birds do just fine with once or twice/week baths. Alex, my BFA, is one of a few Amazons who really could care less about bathing.

She will let me spritz her feathers occasionally and she's been known to use her water cup once in a while but she finds too many other things to keep her busy so bathing is not top priority with her. Her feathers are in beautiful condition so I'm not going to try to fight a battle that I'm not going to win anyway! :)

[Janie]

Oliver would only bathe his head in his water dish and because he was so tame, I forced the issue with him and did give him a bath in the sink, making sure his head was ABOVE water. I do NOT recommend doing this with a lovie until you have a close bond and your bird has really learned to trust you. While Oliver didn't like it, I knew I could get away with it with him and the act would not hurt our relationship. Since getting the other two he does bathe a little better on his own after watching them but when I see him picking at his one bad area (usually during a molt) I bathe him. Not sure if he enjoys it but at least he knows it won't hurt him and always makes him feel better. He loves the drying off part.....I gently rub him in a soft towel.

I say, give her time and don't force her in any way. Keep splashing your fingers in the water and she might just surprise you and jump right in one day. Everything is still very new to her but she'll make changes as she becomes more comfortable in her new home. :) Some lovies will bathe every day and others every few weeks.

[Kween]

Thanks for all the comments! It's always a risk getting her to bathe at all, and I usually only try it in earnest like once a week. However, she does preen a LOT, a few times a day. This must be why her feathers stay all nice and soft despite the lack of baths, then. :)

I'll keep at it, and I'll try bringing her in the shower, maybe she'll like that. I assume we should not keep the water very hot if we take our sweeties in the shower with us, right? And wouldn't the watery mist-vapor stuff be bad for their lungs? o.O

[Janie]

There has been a lot of discussion about letting a lovie into the shower stall with you. Here is the deal: the concern is whether the shower stall is clean enough so that your lovies delicate little immune system won't come in contact with any deadly bacteria. I am a pretty clean person but I'll admit that my shower is not likely clean enough for my birds. I know that many people take larger parrot species into their showers but a lovie would not have as hardy an immune system. Just my :2cents:

[Kween]

That's what I thought. I'm not sure it would even work, anyway, I have the impression she would panic when she noticed water, and would try to fly around and fall to the bottom since she'll be wet and heavy, and then I might slip and step on her.... Just danger all around. o.O

I'll not do that then. Perhaps someday when the shower is freshly clean I'll attempt it. :D

[Janie]

That's what I thought. I'm not sure it would even work, anyway, I have the impression she would panic when she noticed water, and would try to fly around and fall to the bottom since she'll be wet and heavy, and then I might slip and step on her.... Just danger all around. o.O



I've never attempted it but I think all three of mine would be scared being in a shower with me. Just the sight of my naked body....:rotfl

[Kween]

LOL, I'm sure Sushi would be scared of my naked body too. Hahaha!~ And she'd most likely want to perch on my shoulder for safety, and then just slip right off. :D

[chromasnake]

Kween, have you tried to entice Sushi into a shallow dish by splashing your fingers and having a marvelous time yourself?

It took me a loooong time to get Little Yellow Bird (he was 4 months old when I got him) to come close to bathing, despite the fact he got all excited and fluffled up (like they do before bathing) when I would splash. He just wouldn't want to get into the water. He eventually came to the edge of the container...perched on it...I would splash and some drops would go on him...he would run away. Gradually he would enjoy getting a bit flicked at him. Then he would bathe his head and shoulders, but that was all. Ten months later (like last week), he went ENTIRELY into the "pool" on his own.

He still seems to prefer head and shoulders out of a round custard crock.

I wish he were like Apple who now tells me when he wants to bathe--literally--with a polite "Take a bath?" LOL!

[Kween]

I did splash my fingers around a shallow bowl, yes. She wanted nothing to do with it. XD I bring out a shallow water dish and splash around, she comes over and drinks from it then walks away. She doesn't get fluffed or anything. She's just not interested. :O I think all the praise she gets about "pretty bird!" has her thinking she doesn't need a bath? ;D