Do Amazon's (DYH) bath in pans?

[Linwood]

Have a 3-4 yo DYH. I bath her with a garden sprayer, works OK (though occasionally she just stands there and doesn't participate).

I've tried a few times using a pan, like a casserole glass pan. She won't have anything to do with it. If it's a few feet away it is ignored, if I try to set her into it she panics and flies. I've put a perch in the center and she won't have anything to do with it. I've put food she loves in the center and same reaction. I've put her near it dry and same reaction.

I wanted to try it to see if she would get more wet --- the main body under the wings (despite her holding them out a lot) just doesn't seem to reach the skin.

But it begs the question - do amazons actually bath in a bath as opposed to a shower?

And how did you get them to do so, if so?

Or alternatively... I know healthy skin needs bathing. How do I know if she's getting wet enough through all those feathers? (She did just visit a vet and she said she looked healthy and had no specific suggestions but I didn't ask about baths at the time).

 

[merlinsmom13]

We bath however we like

Seriously merlin doesn't really takea lot of baths but we take him in the shower for a steam as often as we can

 

[Linwood]

Seriously merlin doesn't really takea lot of baths but we take him in the shower for a steam as often as we can

Yeah, I've tried that a couple times. It results in complete panic, and if the door is shut trying to hang onto the top of a mirror or trim or something to get away from me (and failing, falling... repeat...)

I tried putting a floor perch near the shower and it was fine until the water turned on... the complete panic again.

Neither of my showers have adjustable flow, which may be part of the problem (the knob just adjusts temperature).

The garden sprayer is not much of a problem, it's just a very small spray that doesn't get a lot of water.

 

[patchyjoon]

I think it just depends on the bird and it's temperment. Patchy looses it if we used a garden sprayer or any sort of mist/spray bottle. He really likes the shower though. No go on just a regular bowl either. I think every bird has their own preference, you just have to find the one thing they can tolerate.


As for baths, Patchy showers 2-3 times a week.

 

[MommyBird]

Polly OWA will bathe in the shower, she also likes being misted on her playstand and while misting she will go to her water dish and splash her head around in that.
Pepper BFA gets misted and she also will stand around by her own choosing in a deep dish pie plate ( it is opaque white, not clear glass. ) She mostly just stands there in the water though. She is more animated when I'm misting her.
I think you just have to let them show you what they like and give them time to get used to the new dishes, misters etc.
All my flock seems to want me to talk baby talk to them while they take a bath. They give me a look and wait........

 

[Linwood]

All my flock seems to want me to talk baby talk to them while they take a bath.

If their talk is mimicing, this leads to an obvious question....

 

[merlinsmom13]

I don't force him to take a shower. I just set him on the door while I shower. He goes for months between baths so I had to get creative

 

[Parront]

Lucy my OWA is triggered to take a bath when I run the vacuum cleaner! lol There have been lots of suggestions around that in the past. Who knows for sure. But like others said it is all in the birds personality.

 

[Linwood]

So bottom(ish) line is some amazons (specifically amazons as I suspect different birds may have different behavior) do bath in a bowl, but it's all about personality and probably how they were raised and what's new vs expected.

Maybe I'll try a few more times, though what I'd really prefer is a shower she would accept. I think I'll try to find a flow control valve I can put on the shower head -- maybe if it was a small weak spray I could get her under it better.

Which brings up a point -- with the garden sprayer I use hot water -- just shy of where I can't put my hand in it. It atomizes the water and after spraying 1-2 feet to the bird, to the hand it's mildly warm at best. I've tried hotter (in the winter) and colder, never completely tap-cold. She always shivers, and doesn't seem to care what temperature it is. But worst case I figure slightly warm water dries quicker (she is quite pathetic trying to fly while drenched).

If you use a tray/bowl that's different, you don't have the instant cool from atomizing in the air. Slightly warm (85F?)? Room temperature (75F?)? Slightly cool (65F?)? What do they prefer and have you had best luck with?

 

[MommyBird]

So bottom(ish) line is some amazons (specifically amazons as I suspect different birds may have different behavior) do bath in a bowl, but it's all about personality and probably how they were raised and what's new vs expected.

Maybe I'll try a few more times, though what I'd really prefer is a shower she would accept. I think I'll try to find a flow control valve I can put on the shower head -- maybe if it was a small weak spray I could get her under it better.

Which brings up a point -- with the garden sprayer I use hot water -- just shy of where I can't put my hand in it. It atomizes the water and after spraying 1-2 feet to the bird, to the hand it's mildly warm at best. I've tried hotter (in the winter) and colder, never completely tap-cold. She always shivers, and doesn't seem to care what temperature it is. But worst case I figure slightly warm water dries quicker (she is quite pathetic trying to fly while drenched).

If you use a tray/bowl that's different, you don't have the instant cool from atomizing in the air. Slightly warm (85F?)? Room temperature (75F?)? Slightly cool (65F?)? What do they prefer and have you had best luck with?

all of my parrots prefer a slightly cool water or up to room temperature.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

If I had an outdoor flight where I could put a large pan like the kind you can put under a water heater. Those are large and usually round and about five inches or more deep - heavy duty plastic. Mine would probably be interested in a pan bath given the proper size and the sound of splashing water seems to motivate bathing for most birds. If one of my conures is splish splashing in a water cup then they all do at the same time. My Zons both like a garden shower and neither liked the shower perch in the bathroom with the water coming down from the shower head. I used to take them out without being in a cage because their wings were lightly clipped. Not any longer though.... they both have full flights. I do still on occasion take Lola outside for a shower without a cage since she injured herself in a night fright. Always in the back yard where there are no distractions for a quickie do but a good soaking and she loves it. Henry... has to be in a cage. I have a smaller cage I can get him into. Wish it was bigger but he can extend his wings and hang upside down. He loves a thorough soak.

I do need to remove that wood perch and center the other perch so he doesn't rub his tail feathers. Next time!

Henry Splish Splash shower 1 IMG 8535

Garden hose shower he loves.

youtube.com

Shower time IMG 8534

Henry 20 years old this 2026

youtube.com

 

[Linwood]

That's interesting and a lot harder spray than I would have expected to be appreciated. I do take her cage outside to wash it off, I could certainly take her in it. I just feel like if it freaks her out, it's not nice to be locked in. But maybe it's worth trying, and ease the spray in.

But it's not practical 4-5 months of the year due to temperature.

But this does remind me, I need to order a flow valve for the shower, and try to ease her into that.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

That's interesting and a lot harder spray than I would have expected to be appreciated. I do take her cage outside to wash it off, I could certainly take her in it. I just feel like if it freaks her out, it's not nice to be locked in. But maybe it's worth trying, and ease the spray in.

But it's not practical 4-5 months of the year due to temperature.

But this does remind me, I need to order a flow valve for the shower, and try to ease her into that.

This nozzle is a little harder to keep light with finger control so I have to release and start over to lighten up the pressure. Truly, Henry doesn't mind or he would stop lifting his wings for a shower. I do prefer a softer spritz and avoid his face as neither like to be sprayed in the face. I give them time to shake water off before going again and when they decide they're done they will stop actively enjoying the shower. The setting I use is 'cone'. It may look more harsh in the video but really it isn't. Sounds that way with the water hitting the feathers. If I switch the setting to shower so that it falls from the top of the head they stop and hold still. Both like the cone setting. Body language is telling whether they appreciate it or not. He likes to rotate around and take a thorough shower. Lola doesn't like to turn her back and prefers to open wings and also lower her head and point her wings forward for her back to get wet.

 

[alshgs]

I have absolutely struggled with Cody and getting her to take a shower/bath. She hates being misted and freaks out. Wants nothing to do with the sink or glass dishes. The only way I have found that she will take a shower is if I get in the shower with her (I can only do it if she willingly steps up, as she doesn't always do this)