She stinks!!!!!

Lauren · May 24, 2011

I haven't posted on here in AGES! But I have a question:

I am currently baby-sitting a 35 year old blue fronted Amazon named Loto..

We're going onto almost 3 weeks of watching her and she has NOT bathed once?!

I've tried some warm water and misting, but she becomes very distraught and obviously does not enjoy it (she did groom/preen afterwards).

How do I go about encouraging this, because right now, she's sitting on my shoulder as I type and she REEKS. Maybe it's an "amazon funk" that I'm not used to (I just have my two lovebirds) or maybe it's due to her not bathing?!

I've offered a bowl of cold water, warm water, a bowl, her water dish etc... splashed it gently with my fingers (she shows interest) but never bathes...

Help?!

And because I know you'll ask - PHOTOS:

MikeyTN · May 24, 2011

Have you tried taking her in the shower with you?

merlinsmom13 · May 24, 2011

Sounds very familiar, we call ours Pee Boy. He simply does not like to bath. No misting. Occasionally I grab him & take him in the shower w/me. I would not recommend that for you, your new girl needs to trust you. Maybe when she gets comfortable, she will start bathing. I make sure that Merlin is on the shower door whenever I shower. I want him to know we all do it & its not something scary.

Very pretty girl!!!

Lauren · May 24, 2011

I haven't tried showering with her yet. I may get up early and try that tomorrow. She does have a window perch (with the suction cups) so I might try that.

Would it be an issue if we had soft water here? (verrrrrry slightly salty)

darkling · May 24, 2011

Hannibal hates baths too. I just try to mist him as quickly as I can and get it over with because if I don't he will turn into a big ole stinky butt too.

MikeyTN · May 24, 2011

I would not use softwater for bathing!!!!! Back to misting the bird.....

merlinsmom13 · May 24, 2011

Really, why not. My water is extremely soft.

Lauren · May 24, 2011

I have been using filtered water for their drinking water and of course misting. I also usually put two drops of GSE (grapefruit seed extract) in the misting water.

I would also think soft water is somewhat better - less drying on their skin?

MikeyTN · May 24, 2011

That water is not drinkable. Your parrot is ingesting excess salt when he/she preens.

Lauren · May 24, 2011

I would imagine the amount she's ingesting would be minimal compared to if she were actually drinking it from her dish

EDIT: Regardless, not to throw my thread OT - for the sake of my birds, I don't offer water from the tap due to it being soft water, just to be on the safe side.

Rio Mom · May 24, 2011

How do you know if your water is soft? or hard for that matter? I just know our water here doesn't taste very good.

Abzeez · May 24, 2011

If you have a water softner, then you have soft water.

I have a blue front, he seems to have a funky smell compared to the other parrots. Its an amazon thing.

Lauren · May 25, 2011

I will still stick to the filtered water - been using it for years with my two lovebirds.

Tonight I'll try putting her on the counter and misting her lightly to see if that sparks anything again.

suebee · May 25, 2011

or leave her on your shoulder an spritzs her there

thats how nut likes to bath, she likes to be on some1s shoulders

means a change of clothing, but anything to keep the nut happy

Spiritbird · May 25, 2011

I have never heard of GSE in bath water. Did you read this somewhere? I use aloe in the misting bottle now because of molting.

Lauren · May 25, 2011

I guess it's not so much intentionally in the bathing water - I usually put a drop in Skittles and Marley's (lovebirds) drinking bowls to keep that biofilm stuff from appearing after a day, and they naturally bathe in it. So I guess it's out of habit that I add a few drops in the misting bottle <shrugs>. GSE is also VERY good for their insides so if they drink or preen and ingest it, it'll be good for 'em. (it's also good for us humans too, if you put 1 - 4 drops of it in a large glass of water - I do typically 2. It has a bitter taste if you use too much).

I use 100% aloe gel if they're in a misting mood and mix it with water. But almost 100% of the time I directly apply the gel to Skittles' neck as she plucks that area.

I'll be trying to mist her tonight while she's on my shoulder. I just cleaned my shower the other day, so I don't want to run the risk of any residual cleaners being left there.

Tammy · May 25, 2011

My Amazon takes a shower with me EVERY day & still stinks! I've noticed that from the first day I got him. I just assumed all larger birds smelled like that. It seems to be only his head & neck that stink but I make sure he washes them both every day. I gave up & just accept it like dog paws stink.

Abzeez · May 25, 2011

I love my stinky amazon! LOL!

merlinsmom13 · May 25, 2011

I love my stinky amazon too.

Lauren · May 25, 2011

LOL!!! I love the funk my lovebirds give off and could spend all day huffing them (it's like a drug hahahaha)

Loto's funk, is.. kind of... um.. different.

I Just got home from work and finished wrestling with a dog ball with her. She's never played with toys in her entire life, so she's making progress.

She stinks!!!!!

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Funny amazon!

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