How do you get a parrot to take a shower?

[Owlet]

Trying to get lLincoln to take a shower since he won't bathe on his own if I give him a small tub of water but it's like his previous owner(s) never bathed him

 

[SilleIN]

The way I get my macaws to bathe;

I put a stand right outside the shower. I place parrot on stand. I get undressed. I start taking a shower and sing and dance around in the shower to let the parrot see, that showers are a blast. After I'm done with my business, I ask the parrot to step up on my arm. I talk to it in an upbeat voice while I slowly rotate in the shower, so the bird will move under the water and out again during one rotation.

The first time they have a shower I only rotate about 3 times. The more they relax during shower time, the more rotations I do.

None of my macaws were used to showers, when I got them. They accept shower time now and one of them even enjoys it so much, that I have to stop showering with her as she flies up on my head before I'm done and showers with her wings out. That won't be too bad, but a macaw with extended wings on your head, you could just as well be showering with an umbrella

 

[GaleriaGila]

My conure ONLY wants shallow water in a gigantic wok I got for him. He detests sprays or overhead faucet flows.
Maybe your bird had bad experience(s) with water or baths. I'd experiment with a shallow bowl or such... that worked for me. My bird seemed nervous about the sink, but accepted the wok.
Also, experiment with some gentle trickles from your cupped hand when he is near the shallow water in a wok or similar, and see if he likes that, maybe.
If all else fails, you might just have to give him an unwanted spray now and then for feather/skin conditioning... I'd warn him "Here comes the spray" then do it fast, then give a treat.
My Rbird loves to be blow-dried since an early age. I hold the dryer out at arm's length... he sidles up as close as he likes... about elbow-ish. Patagonians are from a very arid desert-ish land, so this might be too drying for some parrots, but he LOVES it...his little beady eyes almost roll back in his head in ecstasy.

 

[Owlet]

I got him to go in the shower a little bit, he was never in direct contact with the water, rather just sprayed by it. He seemed alright so I moved him a little closer to the water and he came running back to me. I thought it was good progress so I just turned off the shower and gave him a treat for being so good. I'll try what you mentioned SilleIn. I just need to get to making a play stand for Lincoln xD

 

[SilleIN]

I got him to go in the shower a little bit, he was never in direct contact with the water, rather just sprayed by it. He seemed alright so I moved him a little closer to the water and he came running back to me. I thought it was good progress so I just turned off the shower and gave him a treat for being so good. I'll try what you mentioned SilleIn. I just need to get to making a play stand for Lincoln xD

It doesn't have to be fancy. You could place a chair and set him down on the back rest of the chair

 

[SailBoat]

The way I get my macaws to bathe;

I put a stand right outside the shower. I place parrot on stand. I get undressed. I start taking a shower and sing and dance around in the shower to let the parrot see, that showers are a blast. After I'm done with my business, I ask the parrot to step up on my arm. I talk to it in an upbeat voice while I slowly rotate in the shower, so the bird will move under the water and out again during one rotation.

The first time they have a shower I only rotate about 3 times. The more they relax during shower time, the more rotations I do.

None of my macaws were used to showers, when I got them. They accept shower time now and one of them even enjoys it so much, that I have to stop showering with her as she flies up on my head before I'm done and showers with her wings out. That won't be too bad, but a macaw with extended wings on your head, you could just as well be showering with an umbrella

Nearly all of our Amazons started hating baths! One of the problems we found that most shower heads provide way more pressure (strong stream) than most Parrots would enjoy. We targeted specific adjustable heads that provide a more light rain stream and found that made a major difference on how quickly our Amazons became comfortable with showers. Only down side is getting them to come out at the end. Watch temperature very closely, they normally like it cooler then we do.

 

[itchyfeet]

I just have to give him a nice, full, clean water bowl and turn the vacuum on.


Go Figure.

 

[dieselbird]

We have an attachable sprayer , make sure water is warm but not hot. Some of ours like it some don't mind and others hate it. I try to make it as quick and gentle as possible. They look so much better afterward

 

[SilleIN]

Nearly all of our Amazons started hating baths! One of the problems we found that most shower heads provide way more pressure (strong stream) than most Parrots would enjoy. We targeted specific adjustable heads that provide a more light rain stream and found that made a major difference on how quickly our Amazons became comfortable with showers. Only down side is getting them to come out at the end. Watch temperature very closely, they normally like it cooler then we do.

Good point. My shower is a rain shower head, so the pressure is very low and spread over a large area. I never though about that. That could be a reason why mine relatively quickly accepted shower time. I might have been dancing and singing for nothing

 

[Raixalotto]

Jasper doesn't like the shower or shallow dishes, but he loves being misted
He gets annoyed when I stop (even when he's soaking)
The 28's prefer a deep dish to bathe in (they sit in it with the water covering their chest and wings - under supervision though)

 

[chris-md]

The only way I'm able to get Parker to shower is if I pull him into the shower with me. Otherwise he avoids water like the plague. Funny thing is, if he hears running water he goes nuts, he loves it. Whistles and chats up a storm.

 

[Anansi]

I have one of those stands with the plastic standing supports and concrete perch that I designate solely for showering. I put it in, put Maya on it, and then turn on the water. (I have a detachable shower head, so the spray doesn't touch her until the water is properly adjusted.) I put Maya in that way because if I turn the water on first she has to stare at it for five minutes or so before agreeing to go in. Yeah, she's weird. Lol!

Jolly loves baths, so no special sequence or whatever necessary for him.

As Steven (Sailboat) pointed out, a variable pressure shower head is important. (Or an overhead rain style shower head like SillieIN mentioned.) Some birds prefer more water pressure than others. Experiment with the temperature as well. Jolly definitely prefers a cooler shower than Maya does.

 

[Birdman666]

In my house? You turn on the shower and pick them up.

Some of my birds the harder part is getting them OUT of the shower. For that you need to turn the water off on them.

It's complicated.

If your bird hates bathing. Bathe them anyway.

At least once a week. It's good for them.

 

[Mariar]

For me, I didn't trust my birds by themselves while I took a shower. So I would put them on the curtain rod. Now...I no longer shower alone, and there is usually a lot of water everywhere.

 

[Timmah]

Griffin plays in water, but doesn't really get wet. He prefers being soaked with a spray bottle. Ends up looking all spikey and silly but he loves it. Just try a few different methods listed, and then use the one your bird likes the best