Bathing

Companion birds need to have occasional showers (think RAIN when they're in a natural setting). It keeps their skin in good condition and really helps with the itching if they're molting.

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During the winter, when they're inside where the air is dry. I try to do mine at least once a week. I put up a shower-curtain rod lengthwise in the tub with the shower stream hitting the rod at the halfway point so they can either be in the water or out - their choice. they seem to like the water warmish - not hot or cold but warmer than tepid. Lots of steam is probably too warm. If I'm in the shower with them, I just reposition the rod off to the side (so there's room for me) before putting them in. If the rod is adjusted so that it wedges into the wall at a slight slant, you can whack it at one end to break it loose and then re-wedge it where ever you want it. Sugimac, the Greenwing, will usually sidle over to where he's directly under the shower stream and hunkers down, apparently enjoying a shower massage. Jazzy, the Blue and Gold, is usually just the opposite, preferring not to get wet at all. But occasionally, like the video at the left shows, he really gets into it - screaming, flapping and tail wagging. This time, I got him going by splashing a little water on him - sometimes it works, sometimes not. Both love to have their beaks wiped off with a very warm washcloth. They'll hold onto the washcloth for balance, but don't seem at all concerned about it wiping down their beak. After the shower, suprisingly, they'll put up with being towelled off. Again, they hold onto the towel for balance, but are completely at ease with being patted down - BUT that's the only place a towel is tolerated. Elsewhere, it's an evil thing to be run from. They also like being blow-dried with a hair blower but a couple of cautions are due here: Use a NON-TEFLON hair drier Don't let them snag a beak in the grill on the end Use it on low setting and don't get too close Be sure to keep the cord well away from snapping beaks

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During the summer, when the temperature is above 80, they get a daily shower in the outside aviary. I put a quarter-round sprinkler head fastened to the fence so that the spray covers half the cage (again, so that they can either be in it or not as they wish.) Almost always they both get into this. I also let them out occasionally and set them on the edge of the birdbath. The Greenwing stays perched on the edge, but the Blue & Gold will wade in and flap in the water like a wild bird does.

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