Question on how to get my cockatoo to have a bath

[Vickkaax90]

Hello,

I need help on how to give my cockatoo a bath.

He is 20 yrs old, only ever received the "misting" from a spray bottle.
Only he is so "dusty" and I would really love to give him a full shower, in the shower.

He does not let me hold him, or step up yet.

Any suggestions?

 

[Sunnyclover]

Hmmm that's a tough one. Get him to step on to a perch and take him to the shower? If not I think you must master step up training to get him into the shower.

 

[Owlet]

If he takes misting from a spray bottle, then just keep misting him with said spray bottle until he's dripping. My eclectus will only take baths via spray bottle.

 

[DiscoDuck]

pic is worth a thousand words

 

[MonicaMc]

You could try providing bathing opportunities in different ways. Here's some ideas!

• 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 small rocks or pebbles
• 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 running
• 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
• Try playing videos of other birds bathing

Don't hate on any methods until you've tried them! Birds are weird!

 

[Vickkaax90]

Thanks guys!
Im gonna try something today after work

 

[DiscoDuck]

You could try providing bathing opportunities in different ways. Here's some ideas!

• 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 small rocks or pebbles
• 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 running
• 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
• Try playing videos of other birds bathing

Don't hate on any methods until you've tried them! Birds are weird!

LOL! Pics or none of that happened!

• 
  Try a huge out door bird bath
  
  
  
  Try outside in the falling snow while on your shoulder.
  
  
  
  Try outside on a perch, let him scream at global warming.
  
  [/B]

 

[MonicaMc]

I've had several people tell me they thought I was weird recommending running the vacuum cleaner... but they tried it... and it worked! lol


Casey, my tiel, will bathe with the vacuum cleaner running, but Charlie, my conure wont bathe with it on. In fact, if he was bathing and I turn on the vacuum, he'll stop!

 

[Vickkaax90]

Just an update, I got him in the bathtub! He trusted me and I put him in the shower for five minutes and already his feathers look so much better. He didn't seem to hate it as much as I thought he would.

 

[Scott]

Good job! Hopefully he will continue to enjoy the benefits of bathing!!

 

[Siobhan]

Rocky immediately wants a bath when I run the vacuum. He also bathes when his daddy is mowing. Of course, he bathes in his water dish, and won't use anything else, so sometimes I use the mister on him, which he doesn't much care for.