Bathing?

Wulfgeist

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Sorry I searched for answers and didn't really see what I was looking for.

How do I initiate bathing/spritzing with Jasper? Tico did it on his own, trying to splash in his water so I bought him a bath that hangs in the doorway of the cage. I bought a little bottle for spritzing today and tried doing the "rain" thing with just a fine mist and he seemed a little nervous about it.

My shower perch won't stick in the shower so I have it on the medicine cabinet mirror and put him there when I shower. I figure maybe even a little steam is better than nothing.

Should I just keep him there and eventually try moving him to the shower rod? I have put Tico on a towel there when I shower and despite liking his baths he doesn't seem too thrilled by the shower.
 

Mare Miller

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7yr. old Goffin cockatoo, she IS Sassy!!
I use the spray bottle method with Amigo and sometimes, if he's not in the mood, he'll tighten himself up and look at me like annoying him. Sometimes he'll see me coming with the spray bottle and before I get to him, he's already got wings spread and flipping upside down. Don't give up, I've noticed, too that he's more apt to take to his showers when the sun is coming in through his window.
 

roxynoodle

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It can take some time to figure out what they like. Mine are all different. Rowdy just uses her water dish, and doesn't mind taking a shower with me either. Pete loves taking showers with me, or being sprayed with a bottle. As soon as I say, "Petey, you need shower and blow dry style", he gets all excited. Merlin hates even light mist falling like rain. I give her a large bowl to bathe in when she wants to. I know when she wants to because she will try to fit herself into a water bowl, which is not going to work, lol!

So you can try some different things. Offer him a bowl and see if he uses it. Take him to the sink and see if he will use that with some water in it, or with the faucet running. Or put him on the shower rod and see if he wants to join you one day. And try the bottle.
 

lene1949

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Echo: Galah -
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Luka: Green Cheek Conure -
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I have a shower perch in my shower, and I just take Max in there with me... He enjoys it...
 

Mishkaah

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quaker parrot
Hi

Wow i have had my quakker 2 weeks now and ive never bathed her (blush face) is there a particular temperature the water should be and can i just put her in there with me?

I dont really know how to do this properly
 
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Wulfgeist

Wulfgeist

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I do know you want the water neither too hot or too cold. My GCC was easy, he one day just started splashing in his water cup. I'm hoping Jasper will do that so I know he's receptive to a bath.

This morning I offered him the shower rod but he wasn't ready for that so back to the mirror he went. My perch won't stick at all in my shower I think because it has a slight texture. I've even tried above the stall where the wall is painted, no luck. The only place it will stick is the absolute smoothness of the mirror. He doesn't like the misting, either yet. I'll have to take him more to the kitchen and let him get comfortable there so I can let him try to play in the sink.
 

suebee

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try warm/hot (bath temp) water misting :)

continue letting him see you in the shower/bath

nut no longer gets wet when i bath or shower, but insists on having a good drink of the water

but she does not mind being misted, i think she has got use to the sound the bottle makes

she will also take baths in her water bowl

don't give up it kinds takes awhile, could you make a frame from plastic piping to sit under shower or in bath
 
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Wulfgeist

Wulfgeist

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try warm/hot (bath temp) water misting :)


don't give up it kinds takes awhile, could you make a frame from plastic piping to sit under shower or in bath

OoOoo..now that's an idea..I did go looking at Home Depot after the post about making a stand from pvc pipe. They do have the different joints and connectors..hmm..that's worth a good think!

I changed Jasper's water and was in another room when I kept hearing this odd noise, he was muttering and I was hearing this clanging..what the heck..come in here and yep..he's crouched over his water trying to bathe..

That's a good sign but now where to do from here. He's not yet keen on the shower or spritzing..I tried the kitchen sink with a wee bit of water..nope..should I go buy a glass pie dish and put it on the bottom of the cage?
 
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BillsBirds

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I find birds like to watch something before trying it. Let him be with you in the shower w/o getting wet. Eventually he may join you. Also, I don't put their bath into the cage. I make bathing a thing to do. Someplace to go. Out of their cages. It becomes another activity for them.
 
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Wulfgeist

Wulfgeist

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I find birds like to watch something before trying it. Let him be with you in the shower w/o getting wet. Eventually he may join you. Also, I don't put their bath into the cage. I make bathing a thing to do. Someplace to go. Out of their cages. It becomes another activity for them.

Yeah that will get messy. Sometimes I offer it but most times when Tico wants to bathe he dunks his head in his water and whistles like he's trying to get my attention. I'll go get his bathtub ready for him and hang it in the door. His papers do get a bit wet from splashing and him hopping in and out whilst dripping.

I'll just keep trying different methods especially when he is keen to bathe.
 

roxynoodle

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I made my shower perch so it hangs down from over the top. I didn't trust suction cups, lol! I also wasn't really sure how to attach the suction cups securely.
 

roxynoodle

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I made my shower perch so it hangs down from over the top. I didn't trust suction cups, lol! I also wasn't really sure how to attach the suction cups securely.

How did you do that? Do you have a picture?

I just tried to post one for you, and I got a message that I have exceeded my quota on attachments. I'm not sure what to do about that. I have hardly posted any pictures. Not sure if I can delete some? Does that mean they will disappear from any threads they were in?

Here is a link to the thread I made about it that has links to photobucket to see it for you. http://www.parrotforums.com/do-yourself/15020-shower-perch.html
 

kc_y0

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When I want to spray Audrey I put the vacuum cleaner on. When she hears that she starts flapping her wings and fluffing up getting ready for it. Maybe that could work?
 
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Wulfgeist

Wulfgeist

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Hmm..thanks Roxy..my only problem is there isn't a space to hang it over anything like that. Maybe I'll have to mess around and do what someone suggested earlier and try to make something that will just sit in the shower.

He did go on the shower rod for me this evening. I was acting quite silly, laughing and having a good ole time. He turned around and watched me a little bit but wasn't quite sure what to think.
 

roxynoodle

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Yes, bathrooms were an afterthought in this house as it was built in 1855. It's in what I think was the pantry:D When I moved in it had an old claw foot tub, which was really cool, but the way it was in there I couldn't really add a shower to it, and well, after 2 weeks of playing in it, I wanted a shower. I did what I could as far as remodeling, trying to be as cheap as I could (young school teacher and broke), and as fast as I could since it was the only bathroom, lol! So the tub/shower I put in isn't integrated into the wall like it would be in a newer house. I wonder how sturdy it would be hanging over the shower rod though? I did build that to go over the top of the wall, which has 2X4 spacers behind it. Maybe making the overhang part just barely bigger than the shower curtain rod would work. The inner curtain itself would probably keep it from moving a lot.
 
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Wulfgeist

Wulfgeist

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I find birds like to watch something before trying it. Let him be with you in the shower w/o getting wet. Eventually he may join you. Also, I don't put their bath into the cage. I make bathing a thing to do. Someplace to go. Out of their cages. It becomes another activity for them.

That worked brilliantly! First he's been on his perch on the mirror. The last few times I have showered he's braved the shower rod. The neighbors probably think I'm whacked but as suggested somewhere else I've been going out of my way to make it look fun, whooping and laughing.

This morning when I showered he was alot more relaxed and busy trying to chew up the fabric curtain. When I was done I offered him my hand and he stepped right up. I brought him down by me and he starts stretching his neck and opening his beak trying to drink the shower water. :54:

He didn't really get too far in but he kept going back and forth on my arm to the water to play a bit and back. After a bit I put him down in the tub just out of the spray but he wasn't keen on that. I hope I haven't ruined it but I don't think so.

Now Tico never really liked the shower all that much and has himself a bath that hangs on his cage. However when I was done and went to take Jasper back to his cage I noticed Tico decided not to be left out and made one heck of a mess in his cage with the water. :rolleyes:

Thanks everyone for suggestions and encouragement. :D
 

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