The water dish

[Gail55]

I adopted a blue and gold macaw 2 months ago from one of my patients who died. He's 18 or 19 years old. He is a very sweet bird and is adjusting very well to his new home and we have adjusted to him. I have one question about his water. When I first adopted him he ate his food out of his food dish and drank his water out of his water dish. Now I find he is always putting food into his water dish. I am cleaning out his water dish all day long. No sooner than I give him clean water and he's thrown a pellet, grape or whatever he's eating into his water. On the vet's advice, I slowly switched his diet to Harrison's pellets. He was on a seed diet before. He's been on the pellets and off the seeds for about a month now. I give him seeds only as a treat once in a while. He seems to like the pellets and he still gets handouts of everything and anything the humans are eating. I don't think the issue is that he is unhappy with the menu. He's been throwing food into his water for a week or two now. Does anyone have any idea on why he's doing this? I've considered hanging a water bottle in his cage just so he has clean water if I can't clean the dish often enough.

 

[Safira]

It's a bird thing. Most parrots will do this. Mine puts her pellets in the water dish. It's to 'soften' the food up, but most of the time she never even tries to dig it out to eat it again. It's a very natural behavior.

You'll just have to keep cleaning the water dish.

 

[Gail55]

How do macaws take to water bottles? I don't mind the job of "water girl" and changing the water all day long. I just worry about scuzzy water during the times when I'm not able to change it often enough. Someone has to go to work to make money to buy parrot food and toys! These are the times I worry about. I've never owned a parrot before so tell me if I'm being too obsessive with this issue. I know I wouldn't drink water that looked like that!

 

[Safira]

Since your bird is already 18, it may be very difficult to train him to it. You can try though. I work 8 hours a day and I know my bird likes to dunk her pellets in the morning, so I don't get to changing the water until I come home from work and it's fine. She gets a lot of water from eating her fruits and veggies too, not just the bowl.

I generally change water in the morning, and after work. In the evening she's out of her cage and on a playstand with fresh water, so I don't normally have to change it before she goes to bed.

 

[suebee]

as for water bottles bacteria can fester

congrats with the new member to your family an pics please, as long as waters changed out of bowl a few times a day, you should be fine, unless you live in a very warm house, i'd say pop an ice cube in it to keep temp down, nut loves playing with ice lol

 

[cd4565]

Mine had his water in a bowl but he kept dumping it, because he could, so when i was at work i was worried he didn't have a drink all day. I bought a lix it water bottle and have had no problems at all in fact i like it better. He was naturally curious so when he investigated it he learned that water came out when he licked it and took to it the first night he had it in his cage. I got a bottle washer and wash it often and it is no problem. Every one has an opinion and things they might like better. Just try the bottle and if you like it then stick with it. Sometimes you just have to try it for yourself because all of our birds are different we can only give you our personal experiences of our birds. Good luck I bet you like it better than the bowl

 

[triordan]

My macaw is a dunker too, you could try putting the water on the opposite side of the cage?

 

[Printer bird]

I think they all (or most) dunk their food. My Charlie likes to put his veggies etc in the water and then "talk" to them (clicks and chuckles at the water). He'll also pull do-dads off of his toys (beads, chunks of wood etc) and put them in their too. My vet said no worries as long as you change it daily (or a couple of times daily) and disinfect regularly as well.

 

[Gail55]

Some good suggestions. Thanks all. I will try putting the water dish on the other side of the cage. Such a common sense suggestion that I never thought of. I might also try the water bottle and stop worrying. I'll work on uploading some pics of my new pal!

 

[IcyWolf]

I agree, if you are unable to change the water often, try putting it as far away from the food bowl as you can. He may still dunk some things but probably not as much if he is forced to carry each piece the whole way across the cage. Our amazons have a water bottle, when we got them, that was all they had. I have since given them a bowl as well and it took them about two days and now they have started dunking their food and treats, I found a floating chex piece in there last night lol. Just make sure you change the water in the bottle at least once a day and use cold water since it will inhibit the growth of bacteria unlike using warm water.

 

[luvmytooo]

My Goffin and Galah do the same thing. I was told they are making "parrot soup" , lolol.
Just keep the water bowl as clean as possible and don't sweat it.
It's natural for them to do this.
IMO , I wouldnt switch too much given the birds age ,
change in environment and of course caretakers.

Just my two cents Good luck with your new friend