Grey Hates Bathing

[GypsyVisions]

When my CAG was younger I used to take him into the shower with me. I had a shower perch. He never did like it and last time I took him in the bathroom he bit me hard. I've tried misting him with a spray bottle and that makes him really mad too. He'll try and bathe in his water bowl, so I tried putting a large glass 13 X 9" baking pan in the bottom of his cage but he won't bathe in that.

What do I do? Do I mist him anyway even though he hates it? I'm worried about him never getting a bath.

[patti]

Hi there. I had a problem with a young African Grey. He too disliked bathing - a LOT of them do. I overcame this problem by placing a bowl of water near him (inside his cage if it is big enough) or outside. I then put pieces of cabbage leaves or a couple of toys (whatever your Gey likes). They are very curious by nature and eventually with encouragement from me he began to investigate what was in the bowl of water. He took tentative steps at first but then all of a sudden he just waded in and started splashing around. I praised him a lot!! He would find it a lot of fun to stomp right across the bowl and out the other side it was very comical but he was having a bath! Try it and see what happens. Good luck Patti

[cbalvino]

neither one of my Cags like water! they act like I'm trying to kill them! the teils look at them like whats up this is so great! they don't agree,so I just mist them and move on,they growl the whole time and are pissed off at me

[Rocky's Mom]

My female lovebird wouldn't bathe either and hates mists, showers...even the sound of a shower. She had been poorly treated as a baby and was very neurotic when I got her, mistrusting all sounds, paniced at the sight of a glove and went absolutely bonkers at the sight of a spray bottle. I used successive approximation with her on just about everything including bathing, starting by getting the tips of my fingers wet and petting her, gradually adding more water and having her watch me get my fingers wet. She loved being petted and associated the moisture with the petting and my fingers splashing in the water gave her the idea. Still hates misting but will revel in a dish of water like a kid in a wading pool
Granted, she is not a Grey but I think the premise works with all creatures of intelligence and greys certainly are that...
I use the same techniques I used in my old days as a Psych aide and art therapist working with children. It gave me a good base for living with and understanding these friends of mine...

[Tishrei]

Hi,

My bird also HATES to be bathed. I can't put a perch in the shower as things that look like sticks freak him out. I don't know why he can handle the perches in his cage but a perch outside his cage freak him out. It's actually sad to watch his fear.

To mist him, I have to hold him on my finger and mist him but he hates it. He keeps trying to get away so it makes it difficult. Because he hates it so much, I only bath him once or at most, twice a week. What I do is put him in the tub and shower him (light mist) and get him totally wet. He tries to get away but there's nowhere to go when he's in the slippery tub (and no, he can't hurt himself).

I then pick him up and wrap him in a towel and lay him on his back in the crook of my arms like a baby - that part he ABSOLUTELY LOVES. This way, I soak up most of the water ... and while he's in the crook of my arms in the towel, I kiss his pretty little beak (well, it's a BIG beak) ... and he loves that attention.

I don't know why Ducky dislikes the the shower. I know why he's scared of the perch but I don't know why he hates the shower or mist.

[two_bluebirds]

When we were on vacation my grey loved being misted outside in her cage but hated it inside in the RV. She hates baths to like yours. I finally gave up with the misting/bowls of water and just bathed her and made it a fun time for her. She's good getting the bath , it's catching her to give her one. Yet, I've seen her bathe her head in a bowl and love it so I can't really help with this question and sure wish I could. Jean

[Jackk]

My grey is the same...one day I took a large,somewhat flat dinner plate,filled it up with water and set it on the floor. My gre kahlua went to go explore..the next thing I knew he was running through it like a child in a sprinkler on a hot day....so cute....note,he doesnt always do it,just when he is in the mood: jackk

[GypsyVisions]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll just keep putting the dish in the bottom of his cage. Maybe eventually he get brave enough to explore it. He tries to bathe in his water dish which looks funny since that dish is small and this big bird is standing in it, trying to flap around, LOL.

In the meantime, I'll go ahead and mist him. He'll be mad at me for awhile but I know its good for his health.

Thanks again everyone.

[birdlady49]

Only one of my CAGs enjoys bathing ... KoKo ... but it has to be on his terms. He prefers just throwing water out of his bowl onto his body. At the same time, he'll say "shower? shower?" So, even without looking in his direction, I know what's going on.

Hansel will be misted but he always goes to the back of his cage where it's more difficult to hit him with the spray. He tolerates it.

Mickey absolutely hates the spray bottle. As a matter of fact, when I try to pick it up, he attacks it (so I have to grab it from the bottom to avoid being nailed). Once in a while, he'll jump into his water bowl.

I try to make it fun by saying "wheeeee" with each spritz. They don't buy it one bit. But I do it anyway.

They must have baths so I keep spritzing despite the protests.

[magnumsmom]

Whenever I run the vacuum, Magnum will go in his crock of water and soak himself! If I don't wan't his cage to get wet, I have to pull the dish before I vacuum! He loves showers, and the hose in summer. Doesn't really like getting misted w/a bottle, though. Spraying it above the head so it gently rains down is a good way to get them to enjoy a bath.