Pigpen needs to bathe!

We've had Buddy over a month now and he's doing great. He's not talking much but loves making a ton of different noises. He says hello when someone comes in the front door at least. But, I'm having a hard time getting him to bathe or play in water. He only drinks from his bowl of water. I bought a spray bottle, filled it with water. Showed him, sprayed my hand and let the water drip so he could see it. Did this several times, keep saying "shower", got daring and raised my hand above him and let a couple drops land on him. Wrong move, you'd think I lit him on fire. I've done this each day but today I turned my shower on, Buddy came out and got on my hand, we went to my bathroom and I showed him the lovely rainfall. He runs up to my shoulder, touch the water, show him the drops on my hand, he starts wolf whistling, fluffing up and saying hello. I got so excited until I realized he was looking the opposite direction at a sexy green bird with a red head IN THE MIRROR!!!!! He wasn't paying attention at all. So I'm still trying to get him to get wet. I swear he has a cloud floating above his head.

Lol it's funny how they react when they see themselves in the mirror!

Here are some other things you can try...
*turn spray bottle on "mist" and spray above him and let the water fall down onto him
*use a travel cage and take him outside and spray him (gently) with a hose (if it's not too cold out)
*turn the vacuum on and then bathe him (some birds get in bath mode when they hear it)
*provide a shallow bowl/platter with water in the bottom of his cage (he might get in and bathe himself)

Sometimes it just takes a while of persistence- it's sad when they've been so long without a bath that they don't know what to do!

Here's some bathing techniques you can try....

• Try luke-warm water
• Try cold water
• Try ice-cold water
• Try a spray bottle
• Try a plant mister
• Try in the sink with the water running or just some water in the bottom
• Try in the sink with the sprayer
• Try in the tub with some water in the bottom
• Try a casserole dish or similar with some water
• Try the dish with ice
• Try the dish with foot toys
• Try the dish with some leafy greens like endive or other types of lettuces that may create a "natural" bowl
• Try the dish with a vacuum cleaner
• Try in the shower with you - watching you having a blast getting wet!
• Try dancing the bird into the shower with the water already going
• Try spritzing yourself, and have fun doing it! Then spritz the bird
• Try outside in an empty cage large enough to spread wings during a nice rain shower
• Try outside in an empty cage using the hose with a mist/shower attachment

Keep trying, and eventually you'll find a way he enjoys bathing! Not sure why, but I think many amazons enjoy the vacuum recommendation......

Sammy had not had a bath period in the past year and a half of his life before I got him. I started with the spray bottle to. I let him climb the kitchen curtain and I sprayed til my hands hurt. lol he was able to
run away" up the curtain so he would not feel trapped and get violent with me. ( for my safety not his lol) after a few days of this I started taking him into the shower with me. I didn't put him in, just let him sat on shower rod and watch me play in the water. WORKED!!! within a few days he was holding out that leg saying "come'mere" !I got him and held him out from the water just close enough he could get a drink. then I placed him back on rod and would ask in a few minutes "wanna bath?" hold my hand up and here he came.
I was actually ready to get attacked the first time. lol

the bad part now, every shower he wants to be in there. I have got to get a shower perch. waited on that to see if he would actually like it first. now I have to make him go back to rod. I learned to get me shower finished before he gets in.
but I love it!

Need me to make you a 'shower perch" ? i think we have a couple of threads about making your own. Most of mine like the shower curtain rod. I put them up there while i shower. By the time i;m done they're ready and i put them on my arm and drench them,LOL. Of course sometimes they get pretty excited and a "perch " is a better choice. My longtime hen zon,Jake, gets very upset if i take a shower without her, LOL.

I know what you mean!!
We take our Pionus, Pascal, into the shower with us. Pretty much ever since he's come home we haven't showered without him. Whenever he hears the water start running, he gets SO excited! Even if he's been in a grumpy, I-don't-want-to-step-up mood all day, he'll pace back and forth and flock-call until one of us bring him into the bathroom.

I plan on getting one of those shower-curtain-rods that grips by pushing against both walls, wrapping it in vet wrap and letting him use that so he can walk the length of the shower.

Edit: My post was supposed to be in response to Dreamin_Sqaw.. I just scrolled up and realized there was more to this post.. my bad

LOL!!! I just received a shower perch for Buddy along with a harness. Bulk ordering. I have been scoping out my shower for the "best" location. That being where he can see me having fun w/o freaking out. I will have an update in a couple of days, lol!

Taw5106 said:

LOL!!! I just received a shower perch for Buddy along with a harness. Bulk ordering. I have been scoping out my shower for the "best" location. That being where he can see me having fun w/o freaking out. I will have an update in a couple of days, lol!

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Yikes, and gratz lol. Jasper had his first shower with me tonight, that didn't go well at all, I need to get me a harness next time. He's mad at me and won't stop growling like a tiger lmao.

Lol! How did Jasper react? Buddy freaks. I have a spray bottle to mist him with, and I've tried dropping water from my fingers, showing him and dropping droplets on his head. No go for either. I think the one on one time you are giving him is so beneficial. Keep it up. As for the harness, I put mine in Buddy's cage so he sees it. Been playing with it daily so he sees it but he goes into his " red rum" voice. His "red rum" voice is from The Shining movie. He talks low and croaky. Cracks me up.

Taw5106 said:

Lol! How did Jasper react? Buddy freaks. I have a spray bottle to mist him with, and I've tried dropping water from my fingers, showing him and dropping droplets on his head. No go for either. I think the one on one time you are giving him is so beneficial. Keep it up. As for the harness, I put mine in Buddy's cage so he sees it. Been playing with it daily so he sees it but he goes into his " red rum" voice. His "red rum" voice is from The Shining movie. He talks low and croaky. Cracks me up.

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He fly around the bathroom landed on my back, at this time I had one glove and went to help him up when crawled on the floor he bit my thumb my bare hand that I use to pet him with. So after that hassle I gave him one peanut, just ensure to him that his shower is suppose to be a good thing. I tried misting and he just runs from the bottle.

Probably gonna get a harness because I do not want him flight less

At least twice a week, I roll the cages outside with the birds in the cage. After scrubbing down the cage, I put the spray gun on mist and shower everyone like it's raining. The bird's have all learned to love it. I believe they like drying and preening in the sun too. ChuChu, the wondrous Lilac Crowned Amazon, will soon be showering with me as my friends are bringing a shower perch back from Canada. I hope he loves it. Here in Mexico, the people are amazed at how we expats relate with our pets. The local hardware store had no idea why I was buying so little PVC pipe, but many connector pieces. They couldn't keep from laughing until I took in the photos of my cockatiels playing on the new gym. Now when they see me they want to know what I'm making for the birds.