my BF amazon soaks himself when we vacuum?!

[becky11192]

Monty acts really strange when we vacuum around his cage. He makes lots of his usual noises like singing but then he starts dunking his head in his water bowl. He does not do this at any other time. He conpletely drenches his head and I don't know why!

It doesn't usually seem to do him harm except today for about 10 mins afterwards it sounded like he had some water stuck in his nasal passage/beak. However this now seems to have cleared but will be keeping any eye on him.

Has anyone else experienced this?
Shall I remove the water whenever I vacuum?

I just don't want to be causing him lots of stress but I have to vacuum because he makes such a mess!

Any feedback or advice would be appreciated!


Becky

 

[SandyBee]

The sound of the vacuum makes him want a shower/bath. Lots of birds respond like this.
If you can give him one at that time I'm sure he'd love it.

 

[becky11192]

Oh so it's not necessarily a bad thing! Phew! Will give that a go, thank you.

 

[SandyBee]

Not a bad thing at all, they love the noise

 

[crimson]

I don't own a amazon, but when I vacuum most of my birds act differently to the sound.
male canaries: sing like crazy
budgies: well they just scream
cockatiels--chirp, chirp
Safari-my Senegal he use to run and hide, now it doesn't bother him the slightest
lovebirds- they all sit on my shoulder while I vacuum, it's the funniest thing

 

[ShellyBorg]

My TAG and Quaker love to bath when I vacuum. I have just learned to put towels down when I do!

 

[cnyguy]

My old Yellow-crowned Amazon George often would take a bath when I ran the vacuum. Lots of parrots do. Maybe they think that if the house is going to be clean, they should be clean too.

 

[MonicaMc]

I had someone tell me they thought I was crazy for recommending them to turn on their vacuum cleaner in order to get their parrot to take a bath... but, it worked!

No one fully understands why some parrots bathe when the vacuum is on, but the most plausible answer (at least, the one I like the most) is perhaps it has something to do with the vibrations that the vacuum causes which is similar to that of a thunder storm.

 

[becky11192]

Thanks for the answers guys! I will certainly be letting Monty fulfill his bathing needs next time I vacuum!

 

[christinereed]

I've heard of birds doing that. Emmy doesn't like the vacuum cleaner. But, once a week or so, she does start cooing and trying to fit her body in her water cup head first. We give her a mist shower everday which she tolerates well, but every so often needs to take a bath. I wish I knew when she would get the urge, I'd get her out a bowl that is wider and more shallow.