Showering our 4 CAGs

[donald1954]

Hi everybody,

we have, so far sprayed our 4 Cags with water regularly, but unfortunately they are not happy with it and dont seem to enjoy it at all. They bathe in a water bowl sometimes, but not regularly. We would like to shower them in our bathroom, but we need some tips how to start on this. They seem to hate, the sound of the shower, are not relaxed, which makes it difficult for us to make a good start. Have you got an idea who to start on this? Would be grateful for any advice. All of or birds step up, go to their aviary on cue, all works fine. They seem to dislike the bathroom. Momi is a brave bird, she is always first to discover things. We hope the other 3 will follow once she has made a start.
How can we go on about this problem?
Rgds, Don

[Polarn]

I got a pretty big showerhead and can get it to "drop" over a big enough area for 1 bird, and while on such a low pressure it wont make any sounds... I know my old showerhead tho I eather got like 1 drop at the same in one place, but this one actually creates a little rain effect. something like that might work to get em used to the shower and to enjoy it, low pressure small drops pretty much just enough for em to figure out where the water comes from and what it feels like getting hit by a drop. I usually use a flower spray bottle for polarn and he quite enjoys it, if i start spraying it in his cage and he is outside he will climb right in and get infront of it and spread his wings... and he has been that way since I got him, kinda used it in the beginningto be able to go close to him, because he wanted the waterspray so that kinda forced him to get closer to my hand...

[donald1954]

Hi

unfortunately my 4 birds dont like being sprayed at all. We hold them in an aviary( 4mx4m), so when I start spraying them it is all exitement in there, a lot of flying around, screaming and always the thought, someone might get hurt. I would much rather have this done a nicer way, but I have not got a clou how to go on about it. They only need to see the waterbottle and this behavior starts. That is why I woud like to shower them in the bathroom. They are frightend of the water. Is there a training method I could use to slowly get them used to it?

rgds Don

[Polarn]

no clue really, only thing that comes up in my head right now (if you have an outdoor aviary) is to have a constant shower in a corner of it, where the birds can learn to be calm in the rest of the cage, without having to go into the water but feel contempt looking at it shower away in the corner and who knows eventually they might walk into it, but that requires a good source of water no woodenflooring etc etc, so it depends on how your aviary is built (to not damage it) and if you got a well with enough water in it to keep a constant flow of water all day long. Ive never had a bird not liking the shower or to bath, so never really thought about how to introduce them too it, but i think if there is a solution where you can get them used to a shower without actually having to get wet might prove usefull, even if you have to start the first day or halfday with the shower 2 meters outside the aviary or something... if you do this you might wanna get a peice of plywood or something tho to place under the shower to not dig a hole in the yard from the water constantly running... or perhaps use the showerhead to stroke em on the back etc (if they enjoy being petted) then do that several times and at another time just turn the pressure on enough for it to drip a little and pet them with the showerhead, kinda just making them moist where you have betted them, no pressure just small dribbels, they might get scared tho if it is them not liking to get wet thats the issue.... but it should get them used to the showerhead and hopefully in a possitive way rather than try to get them to like the spraybottle that they already dislikes

[macbrush]

I am having the same problem with my grey Spencer as well. I didn't really shower him or spray him thoroughly, I tried spray him once awhile ago, he actively charge the sprayer! I mean like fix bayonet, and charge type! I really can't imagine what he would do if I put him under a shower head...

[donald1954]

Well I will just have to keep on trying. Will properbly take a while, and I will have to do the "hatefull" misting for the time being. Maybe somebody has another training tip.?

rgds, Don

[Naurthon]

I had some issues with Dante not liking the shower too for a while. I ended up putting one of those suction cup perches in the shower so he can be there with me while I am showering. It seems to have helped. He's not all "yay! let's shower!" now or anything, but is a lot more relaxed when getting his shower. I think having him in the shower with the water running for a few minutes while I'm showering has helped him learn to relax. I imagine it'd be a little difficult for you to shower with 4 CAGs at one time, however! LOL

[cml]

Stitch LOVES to shower, but I really cant help you as he's been that way since day 3 or 4. We tried spraying once but got the tip to bring him in the shower so I attached a perch to the wall and now he showers with us everyday. It was as easy as just putting him there and spraying him with the shower head and he loved it from the first drop.

Now, its his favorite time of the day, and as soon as I say "shower" he starts preparing, shrugging and preening himself. He can easily sit there for half an hour or more, talking to himself or singing opera (he loves "The magic flute" and sings it over and over again mostly in the shower, but also outside it).

My advice is this, get a new shower head with a "mist" function. This makes the waterflow way less frightening, and the drops are small and dont make to powerful a flow. They are cheap, we got ours for about 10$ and it is well worth it in my opinion.

[donald1954]

Hi everybody,

yes, LOL, I am not taking the 4 at once, but if I manage one per day that will be fine, my husband and my son can have a go too. Twice a week and I am as happy as I could be.

Shower head, yes, I will have a look in the market. We have goot one of these large ones, but unfortunately, it is loud when the water falls on the floor. I have not seen any with mist function over here, but maybe I didnt look at the wright place. Thanks for the advice, will check on this, this weekend. I move the shower perch every day a bit nearer to the shower, I am nearly there. One day I will get there. At least with the two lady Greys. They are brave, the boys are not. Not yet!

rgds Don

[WVUSAE]

My birds are indifferent to the shower. They like to preen after. Originally, the male tiel would open his wing and get all his feathers wet. Now, he doesn't really do it anymore. They don't get upset, I just put them on my shoulder when I shower (where they spend most of their day outside the cage) and go in with me. They don't fly away from the water or get upset and don't mind being wet. Recently, the female tiel will walk up to me after shower or even on my shoulder and put her head down to be scratched or put her crest in my face (to have me "preen" it with my mouth although she only gets a kiss).

Also, Donald, wo leben Sie in Deutschland? Ich habe deutsch studiert fuer 9 Jahre und deutsch war mein zweite Hauptfaecher in Uni. Entschuldigung wenn mein Deutsch ist schlecht.