Importance of bathing

[smallonion]

I can't believe I don't know this, but, how important is it for birds to bathe? Humphrey won't, and he hates being sprayed. Should I continue to spray him? How often?

Thanks, Michele and Humph

[TooLover]

Michele - Every one here gets a bath at least every other day - I know they should be bathed every day, especially my 'toos, to help with their dust, however, some days I am lucky to get MY bath. Elwood is still molting and the baths help him with the itching of the new feathers growing in. Some days they like to be misted, others they don't. I have tried the shower method and bath method, and have no takers. They will "tolerate" the misting. My sun conure and quaker both bathe when I run the vacuum!

[smallonion]

Thanks Laurie! I think that is so funny - they take baths when you run the vacuum. Birds are so amusing. Now, have you ever ran the vacuum just to get them to bathe?

Humphrey is not dusty like a 'too, so how often should he be bathed? I do it around once a week/every 10 days, because he hates it. Today I started spraying him and noticed I needed more water in the sprayer because every time I tilted it, it stopped spraying. I went to get more water and when I came back....Humphrey was out of his cage! I had shut his cage. It turns out he came out through the hole where his food dish is (I removed it for the spraying). He was really determined to avoid that bath!

Humphrey's molts have been weird. Heavy for a day or two, then nothing, then a little bit here and there. Right now he has some pins on his face and some fluffy down feathers at the bottom of the cage. Whenever I see him scratch I'm reminded to bathe him. He wants to kill me. I want to say, "You're a BIRD! You're supposed to like baths!" Oh well.

Thanks!
Michele and Humphrey

[The Outlaw]

Michele:

Some of the birds in the keet family require very little bathing. I'm not sure about Humphreys needs, but I would at least insist on a good spritz. I bath every single bird here in the shower on a rod about every other day. Even the little quaker. I line them up, 3 at a time. Around here, its the way things are done and they just do it.

THE OUTLAW

[sweetie&meli]

im glad to say that i no longer have that problem , my bird (tiel) took her own bath in her water bowl it was so cute to watch..so soon i will buy a bath that hooks on to the cage side so she has fresh water to bathe in every day :)

[smallonion]

Congrats sweetie and meli, it must have been adorable to watch your tiel splash around!

Outlaw, you crack me up. Line 'em up, 3 at a time! I be they know they don't have a choice so they might as well enjoy it! I'd love to spend a day at ********** and watch all this go on.

Best
Michele and Humphrey

[Casa Amazona]

Nancy, I just love the mental image of the little quaker in the middle of a pair of macaws. If he wanted to he could just hide under one of their wings and never get a drop on him!

Other than my lovebird (who loves to bath in my cupped hands under the kitchen faucet), none of my guys have much interest in a shower. They just look at me like a teenager enduring a lecture on telephone protocol.

[The Outlaw]

Actually, the Quaker, the Severe and the TAG all shower together. The Ekkie, the Amazon and the CAG shower together and the 3 bad macaws shower together. Of course, the Fabulous Margarita showers alone or with Nanny. She will have nothing to do with the riff raff.

THE OUTLAW

[smallonion]

Speaking of bathing, this morning after I changed Humphrey's bath water, I moved the bath from behind to in front of his play stand. Immediately he jumped on to the side of the bath, flapping and spreading his tail and running around. He dipped both open wings in, as well as his tail. He was definitely trying to take a bath. I've seen him do this once before with his birdbath, as well as a couple of times wtih his water dishes. He just doesn't seem to understand, or doesn't have the confidence, to know that you have to GET IN. Maybe he'll figure it out soon.

Michele and Humphrey