Shampoo for Birds?

I'd like to get a proper shampoo specifically for Parrots for my pet Green Cheek and Kakariki. Not only so she's all nice and super prettiful but to keep all her feathers and skin in great condition.

Does anyone know of any good shampoos? (I'd be buying it online and shipped to AUS)

You GCC needs to only wash with plain water!! NO SHAMPOO of any kind. Proper diet, good lighting and fresh water is all needed for her to be super prettiful.

Nope! Shampoo should NEVER be used on birds except in the most dire situations, such as birds rescued from a oil spill.

Use plain water, or use the product "rain" by Avix.

Echo said:

You GCC needs to only wash with plain water!! NO SHAMPOO of any kind. Proper diet, good lighting and fresh water is all needed for her to be super prettiful.

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They already prettiful (been vet checked and super healthy) I'd just heard of shampoos for birds and was thinkign perhaps it'd be good to have one. I wouldn't wash them all the time, just once every now and again to keep skin and feathers in top condition.

But then you are very correct. ^^ I remember my old Jenday, just giving her a good diet made her feather colours pop! Thanks for reminding me

Copperarabian said:

Nope! Shampoo should NEVER be used on birds except in the most dire situations, such as birds rescued from a oil spill.

Use plain water, or use the product "rain" by Avix.

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Ah. So shampoos are actually not good at all unless absolutely needed? What are your thoughts on a tiny bit of dishwashing liquid when the bird is filthy? I have never used it, I refuse to.. however there have been a couple of times when my husband has used it. Just curious to know if it actually damages the birds skin/feathers..?

shampoo and dish soap can damage your birds skin and its respiratory system too NEVER EVER use ANY SOAP/SHAMPOO ON BIRDS EVER! Unless its like copper said very dire need such as an oil spill your pet birds should never get that dirty just provide them with a dish big enough to bathe in and they will bathe when they know they need to if they dont just take them in the shower or mist them with only water!

MarciaLove said:

shampoo and dish soap can damage your birds skin and its respiratory system too NEVER EVER use ANY SOAP/SHAMPOO ON BIRDS EVER! Unless its like copper said very dire need such as an oil spill your pet birds should never get that dirty just provide them with a dish big enough to bathe in and they will bathe when they know they need to if they dont just take them in the shower or mist them with only water!

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Oh goodness! I knew never about the respiratory system issues it can cause O.O Ok that's it I'm not using shampoo. Will certainly make sure to tell the hubby why he is not to use the dishwashing liquid.

what if the bird has been to the local park? I should always give them a bath when we get home yes? (without the shampoo etc)

Whenever you bird is extra dirty just carefully rinse them off with warm water, or wipe them down with a warm wet cloth

Your bird should have a fresh water bird bath (water bowl or body of water) available daily for bathing purpose. They know when they need to bathe. Well GCCs are really water lovers and usually will bathe daily. Other species might benefit of water sprays and/or showers, however, even those who are not fond of water can't resist the sound of a vacuum cleaner at times!

Being outside doesn't mean your bird will be dirty and will need a bath.....

Copperarabian said:

Whenever you bird is extra dirty just carefully rinse them off with warm water, or wipe them down with a warm wet cloth

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Yep. Already know a fair bit of this, it's just good to have what I believe to be correct actually affirmed. It helps a lot. Thankies

Echo said:

Your bird should have a fresh water bird bath (water bowl or body of water) available daily for bathing purpose. They know when they need to bathe. Well GCCs are really water lovers and usually will bathe daily. Other species might benefit of water sprays and/or showers, however, even those who are not fond of water can't resist the sound of a vacuum cleaner at times!

Being outside doesn't mean your bird will be dirty and will need a bath.....

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They do. ^^ And I keep having to refilling it coz they just keep playing with it. Noticed this morning my Sepha was deliberately trying to splash ME with it.. -_- Haha

I was thinking more-so in case it got little bugs or parasites etc on it from being on the grass (if the bird sits on the ground at any point).

Anything that gets on the bird will be removed by the bird. There skin is as thin as frog skin and can not take rough handling. The birds beak is the perfect tool to get anything!

ShellyBorg said:

Anything that gets on the bird will be removed by the bird. There skin is as thin as frog skin and can not take rough handling. The birds beak is the perfect tool to get anything!

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They do have super thin skin, you can pretty much see through it in certain spots. On Rosie's bald underlings I can see her muscles, veins, and white ligaments clearly.

ShellyBorg said:

Anything that gets on the bird will be removed by the bird. There skin is as thin as frog skin and can not take rough handling. The birds beak is the perfect tool to get anything!

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That is right. Don't worry about bugs, insects etc. your bird can take care of it. What you do need to be careful of are bee stings and mosquito bites. I make sure the birds are indoors at sunset (or before the mosquitoes are out)...

Shampoo and soap can dry out their skin, remove the oils/dusts from their skin and feathers, and in some rare cases, even result in plucking. Most parrots naturally produce oils that they spread over their feathers. This helps to protect the feathers from damage. Some birds produce dust as a form of keeping their feathers clean.

There are bird specific shampoos out there, but in general, I wouldn't recommend them! Water is best!


If a bird is experiencing dry/itchy skin then extra bathes, occasionally adding aloe vera to the bath water, or even using something like Soother Spray or Rain Spray temporarily from Harrison's Bird Products may be beneficial in the short run, but probably not good in the long run. Adding red palm oil/coconut oil/fish [liver?] oil (vitamin A and E) can also be beneficial to their skin.

But dry skin is most often linked to low humidity and a poor diet. Some supplements may cause more harm than good in the long run, so it's not good to supplement or add anything to their bathing water unless you know what you are doing.