# Suggestions for bathing a scared African grey?



## Sarah-Jayne

Ever since I have had Sam (2 years) she won't let me bath her. I tried spraying her with a fine mist of warm water and she screams the house down and flaps all over her cage. I have tried taking her in the shower and she is scared of it. I have tried giving her a big dish to bath in and turning the hoover on (she tries to get in her water dish when I hoover) but she won't do that either.

She really needs to bath and I don't know what to do, I have tried everything above and without scaring her half to death I don't think I can bath her!

Any suggestions?


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## Parrot Lady

I had the same problem with my parrot who will be 3 in July (and they say parrots love to bathe!!!), and I know how upsetting and worried you must be feeling. We tried various different baths (bird baths, bowls etc) and tried spraying her but to no avail. Someone suggested that we hang in some wet greens so that when she plays with it the droplets fall on her so that she gets used to the sensation, I have also heard that 'white noise' eg hoovers, washing machines etc can encourage them to take a bath. I now spray our parrot once a week on a Saturday morning, so that she has all day to dry off, initially I just pumped the handle on the spray bottle a couple of times, congratulate on what such a wonderful good girl she is then give her a nut, then I spray her a couple of more times, again saying what a good girl she is (in an excitied happy tone of voice). I also spray it above her (so it falls down) rather than at her. I did this for several weeks. Just a couple of pumps once a week. Now I spray her a couple of times, pause, congratulate, spray her a couple of more times, congratulating the whole time (your such a good girl etc), after several times of doing this she then starts to open her wings so that I can really give her a good shower, I only give her a good shower if she opens her wings, if she doesnt or looks as though she isnt enjoying it then I leave it until another time, I shower her in her cage and she hangs on the back and flaps her wings, the water goes everywhere even on me! so I laugh and get excitied with her. It seems to work, it is early days for me at the moment but I am hoping that once she gets used to this weekly shower that I can increase it to a couple of times a week but at the moment im happy that she is getting a shower. She gets a big nut at the end as a reward, and shes more than happy with that! Good luck.


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## Sarah-Jayne

I tried that  I got a proper mister and put warm water in it and sprayed it above her cage and she totally freaked out when the water touched her! Problem is everything in her cage gets soaked and all the colours run off her toys too when I do that


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## slugsiss32

She is probably scared of the bottle because she knows it means bath. Maybe leave the bottle with her for a few days gradually spraying things (not her) with it, so she understands that it does spray but won't hurt her. Eventually, spray her once, then put the bottle back on the floor of her cage so she can play with it...she'll soon realise it isn't scary. 

Might work ya never know! : victory:


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## Sarah-Jayne

I have used different bottles, she isn't scared of the bottles themselves she doesn't freak out until the water hits her


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## Nel5on

my meyers is the same, the way ive found around it, is if i have her on my hand, with her feet under my thumb (so she cant fly away) she will happily let me spray her, but if i do it when shes in her cage, she goes ballistic and wont let me near her. might be worth trying?


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## Sarah-Jayne

That won't work if I touch her feet or try to restrain her she will have my hand off she won't let me touch her feet


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## CHUNK

When you tried the big dish of water, were you putting it in the birds cage? If this is the case the bird may be spooked by a large unfamiliar item in it's cage?

Maybe try a large bowl of water outside of the birds cage on the floor of the room and gradually encourage the bird towards the bowl, Maybe even place a favourite fruit of the bird in the middle of the bowl?

I hope you manage to cure the problem soon?


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## Sarah-Jayne

Yes I put it in her cage, she isn't bothered about it being in her cage but she instinctively goes to her water dish instead, I tried removing her water dish but she just looks confused when she goes to where it should be and it isn't lol 

As for outside of the cage, unfortunately I don't have anywhere to put a dish of water apart from on the floor, which she won't go on


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