Reptile & Amphibian Forums

she used to bathe in a shallow dish... when she stopped that i started with the fine mist spray... Then she started running from that and i was afraid she'd hurt herself so got her accustomed to taking a shower with me But the last few times she got scared and flopped into the tub where the spray (still a fine warm mist) hit her from above... and of course i was afraid she'd get water in her nares... sooooo... this little darling hasn't had a "full" bath (i have misted her but it's been short bursts) in 2 weeks! The edges of her tail feathers are beginning to look grungy! (she's a lutino pearl.) (i contiually offer the dish)So should i ignore her panic and distaste and spritz her anyway?

I would not chase her with the water as she will think its a punishment. I would like to suggest you take her into the shower with you and hold her close while the water hits her. For some reason she thinks the water is bad so cuddling her and talking soft might help. Keep offering her the water dish to bath in though. Good luck

Also remember toys and treats can work well. If she has a favorite treat that she can either have while bathing or right after a bath she will associate baths with good things. Also if she has a toys she likes try hooking it in the shower so she can play with it while bathing.

Stephanie

oh dear!
I've had George since he was 5 weeks and he was never bathed whilst being hand reared. I offered him baths, tried to play with him and splash him, and even got my bath-loving kakariki to obligingly show him how it's done. Nada.

Now I put him in a small carrier cage and mist him with a plant sprayer. He doesn't like it at all. Afterwards he's a bit moody with me but gets over it. I've always seen it as a necessary evil.

I don't want to take him into the shower because I use lots of products which I know aren't good for birds. (But I have to because of a skin condition.) so should I take him in anyway?

If your cockatiel gets over it quickly I would say don't change what you are already doing. Even though he doesn't like it he has already come to accept it if it had been going on for a while. It could actually stress him more to change his routine (even a disliked routine). Some birds seem to like having something to complain about LOL!

Many people will take theirs in the shower and eventually their bird will come to like showers. IF you are wanting to try this then I would suggest taking your cockatiel into the shower at first before using additional products and after several minutes setting him in his cage outside the shower/door. IF you do not want to do this then no of course you don't have to change what you are already doing.

Stephanie

thanks for the advice Stephiesoo!

yes he does recover from the trauma quickly and I almost take a perverse pleasure in it because he runs away so it's almost like a game, whether I get his chest wet or not. And after 5 minutes of sulking he's ready for neck scritches again.

Still, I'd like him to enjoy it so I may try to shower option- the only thing is that as we don't have a cubicle, just curtains, he could very easily escape out of the shower and just watch me from a safe dry spot, which would be both useless and rather disconcerting!

Another suggestion that I read somewhere else was to let your Cockatiel sit on the shower curtain rod/or door and watch you shower. While you are showering you need to sing and make a big show out of how much fun you are having in the water. Then if your bird show an interest, offer you finger for him to step-up on then hold the bird close to you and let the water hit you first and bounce off and mist the bird. Of course before you offer you finger make sure you have cooled the water down and soften the spray. This is how we got our tiel to shower with us. If he does not want to shower we do not force the issue because he his getting a steam bath. I let mine watch me and don't always give him a shower that way he does not associate the bathroom with always getting a shower. He is moody some days he likes to shower other days not what he wants. At least once a week I get him in the shower and he tolerates it, then I reward him. I know that this spring when he was molting he did not like the shower but it made him feel better afterwards. He enjoys showering with my husband and I think it is a height thing, my husband being taller protects him more form the spray. Mine hate the spray bottle or dish. Just something else to think about. I feel the humidity in the bathroom for 20 mins is better than nothing.