how important is bathing?

[Gribouille]

Pichu hates water... In the 4 weeks he's been with us, I have never seen him bath on his own.
I've tried mists, running water from the faucet in my cupped hand, wet leaves, wet plants, water in a bowl, water in a cup, drinking glass, bowl on the counter, on his cage, in his cage, and 2 types of drinking fountains with running water... The only thing I haven't tried yet is to catch him and run him under the faucet or shower him in the bus cage (little transport cage, for those not familiar with my terminology ) but then, against his will.
He doesn't like water, even if I offer him his favorite treats with wet fingers he doesn't want it... So I wonder if I need to find a way around it, or if I can just let him choose to become his own Stinky Pete...?

 

[laracroft]

I wouldn't worry about it, and I definitely wouldn't catch him and hold him under the water. Just keep giving him opportunities to bathe and let him decide on his own when he needs a bath.

 

[Gribouille]

I wouldn't worry about it, and I definitely wouldn't catch him and hold him under the water. Just keep giving him opportunities to bathe and let him decide on his own when he needs a bath.

Thanks, I'll do that! There is no way I'd force Pichu under the faucet, it would be the best way to ruin the trust we have built this past month...
I did bath Twitter against his will at the beginning but he was terrified and it wasn't worth it..

 

[Leih]

I asked my vet about this when I took my conure, Galahad in because he seemed itchy. He said the "new world parrots" (parrotlets, conures, other stuff I can't think of) typically should bathe daily if they want to. So I offered daily for awhile and now every other day. Galahad only wants to bathe about every other day. Now my lovebird, they're an African species, and 2x a week is good for her. And that's all she wants. Speaking of, Wednesdays are one of her bath days!

 

[Fuzzy]

Try running the vacuum cleaner in the background. It gets many birds "in the mood!" Kobe won't shower without it. Bobbie is also learning that vaccum cleaner = shower time. Try also misting very very gently to start with. With Ollie I started by misting up in the air and letting the droplets fall back down on him. Now that he's used to it, I spray him directly.

I have noticed with Bobbie she will enjoy the lightest and slowest of mistings, any harder or faster she'll pull in her wings and endure it or run away. Water does help keep their feathers in good condition. I don't think Bobbie had a shower before coming to me. Her previous owner described her feather condition as poor. With fairly regular mistings here her feathers have improved no end.

If you can persevere gently without it being punishing I think it would be of benefit. If Pichu loves attention try whooping it up with every gentle spray! I do that with Kobe - I talk to him excitedly and praise him. But I know Kobe finds my praise and attention reinforcing. It makes the whole process fun for him. First time you might just gently press the spray once or twice and call it a day... then gradually make the sessions slightly longer with lots of praise.

 

[Gribouille]

I asked my vet about this when I took my conure, Galahad in because he seemed itchy. He said the "new world parrots" (parrotlets, conures, other stuff I can't think of) typically should bathe daily if they want to. So I offered daily for awhile and now every other day. Galahad only wants to bathe about every other day. Now my lovebird, they're an African species, and 2x a week is good for her. And that's all she wants. Speaking of, Wednesdays are one of her bath days!

Lovebirds are African?? I always thought they were from Australia..
Anyway, Pichu being a parrotlet is a new world parrot but he doesn't bath at all... He has the possibility every day though so I guess we are good!

 

[Gribouille]

Try running the vacuum cleaner in the background. It gets many birds "in the mood!" Kobe won't shower without it. Bobbie is also learning that vaccum cleaner = shower time. Try also misting very very gently to start with. With Ollie I started by misting up in the air and letting the droplets fall back down on him. Now that he's used to it, I spray him directly.

I have noticed with Bobbie she will enjoy the lightest and slowest of mistings, any harder or faster she'll pull in her wings and endure it or run away. Water does help keep their feathers in good condition. I don't think Bobbie had a shower before coming to me. Her previous owner described her feather condition as poor. With fairly regular mistings here her feathers have improved no end.

If you can persevere gently without it being punishing I think it would be of benefit. If Pichu loves attention try whooping it up with every gentle spray! I do that with Kobe - I talk to him excitedly and praise him. But I know Kobe finds my praise and attention reinforcing. It makes the whole process fun for him. First time you might just gently press the spray once or twice and call it a day... then gradually make the sessions slightly longer with lots of praise.

Thanks for the advice, I've tried all that already but he just hates it so I gave up. Maybe I should try again...

 

[Leih]

Lovebirds are African?? I always thought they were from Australia..
Anyway, Pichu being a parrotlet is a new world parrot but he doesn't bath at all... He has the possibility every day though so I guess we are good!

Maybe you haven't found how he likes to bathe? Through trial and error I've found my lovebird likes a dish, my linnies like to be misted with a spray bottle, and my conure likes when I hold my hands together under a running faucet. I've taken mu conure into the shower with me and he doesn't really like it...

 

[Gribouille]

Maybe you haven't found how he likes to bathe? Through trial and error I've found my lovebird likes a dish, my linnies like to be misted with a spray bottle, and my conure likes when I hold my hands together under a running faucet. I've taken mu conure into the shower with me and he doesn't really like it...

As I said, I really tried a lot of different things and still, no success. I didn't try to take him with me though, but I don't really have time in the morning...

 

[Leih]

Oh yeah, I get it.

 

[Shezbug]

Lovebirds are African?? I always thought they were from Australia..
Anyway, Pichu being a parrotlet is a new world parrot but he doesn't bath at all... He has the possibility every day though so I guess we are good!

I always thought the same thing. I just googled it and it seems like there are African and Australian love birds......you learn something new everyday!

 

[Leih]

I get the impression they were introduced to Australia, like how we have wild colonies in California but they're native to West Africa as a species?

 

[DoubleTake]

I get the impression they were introduced to Australia, like how we have wild colonies in California but they're native to West Africa as a species?

Probably that, all 9 species of lovebird are from Africa. I guess technically 8 are on the continent of Africa and 1 species on Madagascar.

 

[DoubleTake]

On the bathing subject, I don't know I feel like 4 weeks isn't that much time. I think my lovebird Loki took 3 months before she wanted to randomly bath on her own. Just give Pichu some time, he'll do it when you probably arent looking. They are more vulnerable when they are wet, may not be comfortable yet.

 

[Zara]

Probably that, all 9 species of lovebird are from Africa. I guess technically 8 are on the continent of Africa and 1 species on Madagascar.

The Canus is the only one not African. So 8 are African...
Although that land mass used to belong to Africa millions and millions of years ago...

 

[Mizzely]

I have had big birds only like small bowls, small birds only want giant saucers, some that want ice cold, some that want warm, some that want a shower, some that hate it.

So lots of variations! As long as opportunities are offered, I don't really fuss about it personally.

 

[DoubleTake]

The Canus is the only one not African. So 8 are African...
Although that land mass used to belong to Africa millions and millions of years ago...

Canus is also called the Madagascar, I mean it's right off the coast of Africa. Close enough lol

 

[Gribouille]

I always thought the same thing. I just googled it and it seems like there are African and Australian love birds......you learn something new everyday!

I get the impression they were introduced to Australia, like how we have wild colonies in California but they're native to West Africa as a species?

To be honest I heard about lovebirds for the first time when I was reading a roman as a teen. The story took place in Australia and some of the characters had to leave to Europe, they were missing the lovebirds "those small parrots faithful to their partner to the death". Never questioned it... only to realize yesterday that I have been living on a lie for 30 years!!!

 

[Yoshi&Raphi]

I don’t think lovebirds are in the wild in Australia. I have only ever seen them in captivity.

 

[Gribouille]

I don’t think lovebirds are in the wild in Australia. I have only ever seen them in captivity.

I'll never read that author again!