Can my parrot have a shower?

Question

I would like he smeels as something better. I am planning to use some neutral shampoo and apply a little antiseptic to him beak.
Could it be harmful for him?
Help me please...I don´t want to damage his health...Thanks in advence

Answer 1

Everything you need to know just follow the link.

Answer 2

Every bird has its own smell. If you think your bird smells funny and it bothers you, please take it to a vet. The vet will tell you if the smell is normal or not. If it's not normal, the bird is probably sick and the vet will give the bird medicine. If it's normal, but you still don't like the smell, maybe you should give the bird to someone who doesn't mind the smell.

Please do not use any kind of chemical on your bird. Birds clean their feathers and feet with their mouths, and leftover soap or antiseptic could make your bird very sick or kill it when it tries to clean itself. Birds need showers, but they will usually take baths themselves if you give them a bowl of water and leave them alone for a while with it. You can also spray it with a squirt bottle (using the fine mist setting). Sometimes birds don't like that at first because they're not used to it, but they'll get used to it. Make sure your bird is in a warm place when you give it a bath or shower. Unless it is very cold in the room, don't try to dry the bird. It will dry naturally. Don't use a hairdryer, because that could burn your parrot.

Also, you might want to make sure that the smell is not coming from the bird's cage. Sometimes my parrots' poop smelled really bad even after a day in the cage on newspaper lining. I started using wood pellets that you can buy in the pet store. The pellets are usually used for the bottom of hamster cages, but they work just as well for bird cages, and they absorb the smell and aren't very expensive. You can change them only twice a week with no danger to your parrot's health.

Good luck!

Answer 3

DO NOT use any shampoo on your bird. Some birds have an odor to them. Why do you want to apply an antiseptic to it's beak? When it comes to birds you have to be careful what you are treating them for. If your bird likes to be showered then that is fine, but you don't want to be putting any kind of soap on it. Birds have natural oils and when they are preening after a bath they distribute the oils though their feathers. Using soaps or shampoos will dry out the skin, and it will be bad for the bird.
You should never give your birds any over the counter medications unless an Avian Vet has told you to.


Sapphyre
Certified Avian Specialist
http://www.borrowed-rainbow.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BorrowedRainbowAviary/

Answer 4

My bird is an African Congo Gray and he takes a shower pretty much whenever I do. A couple of times he was being a clown and flapping a little crazily and got poop on his wings and he would get a shower then too. One of his favorites phrases to say is "Wanna take a shower?"

While I do my thing he sits on a tee stand in the back of the shower chatting and singing away. Then I tell him that its time for his shower and hops up on my finger and I place him in the stream of water, usually he will happily wag his tail a couple of times. I have a bunch of different shower settings but he only likes one of them, the one with lots of small streams. After that he hangs upside down from my finger and with my free hand I create a shield for his head and then I place him in the stream again to wash his underside.

It's important that you don't force them into shower and keep in mind that what the bird likes can vary from bird to bird, for example my bird is only just tolerant of spray bottles outside the shower but doesn't seem as mindful of the inevitable random sprays (from water bouncing off of me) that happen in the shower. If the bird likes showering then thats does make it alot easier to clean them.

As I understand it, Congo African Grays are one of the more dusty types of birds but I've never had any reason to use shampoo or such. Everything I've read or heard says that its not a recommended practice to use shampoo or such.

Answer 5

Don't use any soaps or antiseptic on him. You can put him in the shower and let it 'rain' on him (don't let the tub fill) but not with shampoo. Remember, when he is wet he cannot fly. The water should be room temperature, he afterward he should be kept out of drafts until he dries (you can wrap him in a towel, too). He will probably enjoy the water! My birds do.

Answer 6

I have a parrot and I do not actually put it under the shower, I spray it with water from a little spray bottle and that is the best way to keep it clean and will not harm it!

Answer 7

Our blue and gold macaw loves to take a shower with my husband, he just gets her on his shoulder and she does the rest, he doesn't use any shampoo just plain water, and lets her play in the water to her hearts content or until she is we enough. But one thing put her out of the draft and not high up, because her being wet she can't fly at all or well.

Answer 8

BEFORE bathing you bird with anything other than water or applying any kinds of medications....i suggest you contact an AVIAN vet....local aviary or bird specialist to help inform you on what types of products to use( pet stores have NO clue)....as well as the do's and dont's of bathing birds. If you have no luck getting that information locally.....there is a bird group in yahoo that you can join.... we have a wonderful , well informed man named Greg who helps with those kinds of questions. I believe he is in the feather pluckers groups.if you cannot find the info , email me & i'll get back to you with the info. Good Luck!

Answer 9

I always bathe my birds with liquid soap, and I use my fingers to rub on their whole body, then I just wrap them in a towel until they are dry. After they're all dried they look clean, smell very good(especially if you use a scented soap) and feel so soft. Just don't let water in their nostrils because then they vomit all the water and it looks disgusting.

Answer 10

Actually you should consult a vet or a employee at a local pet shop. You might be able to find bird shampoo,etc.

Answer 11

Don't use shampoo!!! It's not a dog.
Water only.
Birds have a natural body odor. I love the sweet smell of my lories; even a bag of their feathers smells good to me. If you dislike the smell of your bird that much, I have to question why you bought it.