Giving a bird a bath is an art. It is not as simple as giving your little daughter a bath. Birds wash themselves well, but sometimes they could be recalcitrant. How do we tackle this? Here are a few suggestions.
Introduce the concept of a bath gradually. This is because birds are wary of a bath. You could, perhaps, let the bird watch you giving a bath to your dog or cat.
Provide a dish of clean water either in the cage or outside. Birds prefer to have a dish of water inside their cage. They perch themselves on the sides of the dish. Then, they dip into the water and flutter around.
No soap is to be used. In rare cases where the bird gets very dirty or has fallen into oil or a garbage bin, soap can be used.
A thorough bath entails the help of two people. The feathers have to be cleaned carefully. Eye drops have to be applied gently. In case you are not confident of doing this, go to a vet.
The water has to be tepid or slightly warm. You can also use a spray bottle for the feathers. For parakeets, bathing equipment is readily available. This can be hung on the side of the cage. Be careful when you give them a shower. The shower flow should be mild and not a severe one. Small birds can`t take it. It is better to bathe them in a dish of water.
Don`t force your pet bird to bathe. Birds know when they are ready for a soak. The body temperature of a bird is said to be 105 degrees. If you push your bird too hard, she/he could come down with a fever.
After a bath, drying is important. In winter, you may have to towel him/her gently and take him/her near a room heater with a mild heat setting. A hair dryer with a low heat setting can also be used, but from a considerable distance.
A bath helps the bird clean the dirt or extra oil from its feathers. We hope these suggestions will make bathing your bird a happy routine.
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