Never uses bird bath?

[vicky]

I recently got a parrotlet named Louie. He is about 10 weeks old.
I put a shallow dish of room temperature water in the bottom of his cage but he never uses it. I spray him with a mist yet he absolutley hates water. How do I get him to use his bird bath or like the water. If the spray bottle is torture for him i assume so is the shower?:eek:http://www.talkparrotlets.com/C:\Documents and Settings\donnaclare\Desktop\family pics starting july 20 2009
Ive only had him now for about two weeks

[LBTerry]

He'll come around.... don't be surprised if he decides his water dish makes a better bath than the shallow dish you provide for that!

Eddie didn't actively try to bathe until very recently, about 5 months old... he's almost 7 months old now.

Eddie also showers with me on occasion. At first, he'd just sit on the shower door and watch me. I started to put him on my head and let a little bit of water splash toward him. He was scared at first, but now I can't keep him off my head when I bring him in the shower!

I'd probably not use the spray bottle if it scares him... you got him so recently, you're giving him reason to fear and avoid you early on. There's also those personal misters that you pump up ahead of time, and they quietly mist, so its less likely to scare the bird.

[vicky]

Thanks. Hes completly fine when it comes to handling he loves to be pet. Do you think I should try the shower or the sink? Just bring him into the bathroom and let him explore?

[michiganlet]

Don't try shower or sink let him be for a week or so. If you are spraying him everyday he won't want to bath because you are doing it for him. Some birds don't bath daily.
Mine takes a bath in his water dish every time we go for a ride in the car, but not daily at home.

[vicky]

How often should I mist him?? And when do you think i should try the shower? When he finally tolerates the mist?

[michiganlet]

Vicky call the previous owner and ask if Louie bathed for them and how he did it.

[BeakerLuvsBunsen]

Have you played with the temperature of the water?
My guys prefer it quite cool as opposed to warm or even room temp

[pam311]

My Hadji, hates to bathe...he really is like a teenage boy!

[chemiro]

I have had Herbie for approximately a month now and he does not like to bathe either! I keep leaving a bowl at the bottom of the cage and nothing....however, he did decide to jump into my pool yesterday! It was the funniest thing because I stood at the edge of the pool and put my hand out, called his name and he came right to me. He is never in the pool area without us......He seemed to thoroughly enjoyed skinny dipping LOL.

[Lola B.]

Delphi isn't into bathing either. I make my husband mist him.

[squid-finch]

after I read this with the thing about the cold water, I put my purifying pitcher in the fridge (I usually drink room-temperature water) and poured a bowl of water for my new guy, Salsa, whos feathers have been kind of grungy since he came home and is not tame enough yet to bring into the shower with me like I do with Pie....well, 15 minutes later Salsa was all over that dish! He took the longest bath and got every part of him all soaking wet! It was just the cutest thing ever and now I'm going to do this with both birds, as Pie likes the humidity of the shower but never seems to enjoy getting wet, I think its good to let them do it when they feel like it, but man it sure does make their feathers look prettier! Thanks for that advice Steph!

[BeakerLuvsBunsen]

No problem! It took me about a year to figure that out myself-- but cold water
seems to be their favorite to bathe in

[ParrotletsRock]

Mine likes cold water to...right out of the fridge!

[Dora Manning]

Hi, I have had a green Parrotlet named Jasper for about a month and a half. He seems to hate anything to do with water. I have tried misting, the bathroom sink, in a dish, refridgerated water, and lukewarm water. He just sits there and lets me get him wet :( and then just glares at me until his feathers dry :mad: (he does not even preen while drying). I do notice that after a bath his feathers seem to be alot smoother and prettier.

Is it necessary that they bathe???

[Steve]

mine won't bathe... I have to take her into the shower and she absolutely hates that. It's the only way though nothing else has worked.

[jodeg]

Mine will only bathe in their water dishes and only on their own terms! Feisty little birdies! :D

[chemiro]

Herbie won'd take a bath either, but he seems to like the pool. This is turning out to be a problem.....He stares at the pool and then just flies right in. I thought it was an accident the first time he did it but now I think he does it purposely. It has been three times already! I stand at the edge of the pool, call him and he peddles his way right to me. I am worried the chlorine is not good for him.

[BeakerLuvsBunsen]

I would also assume the chlorine is definitely not a safe thing to expose a little bird to

is it an indoor pool? if it is outdoors why is he loose?

[chemiro]

I would also assume the chlorine is definitely not a safe thing to expose a little bird to

is it an indoor pool? if it is outdoors why is he loose?

We have a screen enclosed patio/pool area where we watch TV and Herbie has his one of his play gyms there. When we are there, Herbie is with us, when we go inside, he is on his indoor play gym. If his flying into the pool continues, Herbie will just have to stay on his indoor gym.