How to spray a parrot with water?

[JaydeParrot]

I've recently brought a bird sprayer which sprays a fine mist for birds.

My Senegals have taken a while to tame so I don't want to upset them by suddenly grabbing the bottle and spraying them, how do I get them to be ok about being sprayed with water.

I made the mistake several months ago of trying to spray them with a spray bottle I hadn't tried out first, the water shot out like a cheap water pistol and upset them.

How do I get these birds to be ok about being sprayed?

Thanks.

[marie83]

I would just spray it near them to start with and let them make the decision whether to step into thespray or not.

[Pajarita]

If they don't fly away, there are two different methods to start them:
1. Start spraying next to their toes and, when they don't step away, spray the toes - when they don't step away from this, spray their legs and so on and so forth.
2. Spray up so the mist falls on them like drizzle instead of spraying them directly.

My sonnies bathe on their own, have you tried giving them a bowl with water?

[janetafloat]

My Sennie wasn't at all keen on being sprayed though I did keep trying for a while, then I gave up because he'd screech and fly away. He likes bathing in his water bowl (I've tried putting a bowl on the floor of his cage but he never used it other than to drink from, and of course poop got in it). However, he only bathed in his water bowl maybe once a week or week and a half. Now he's moulting like mad and full of pin feathers I decided to try again, since that's supposed to help the pin sheaths soften. When he's on his training perch I would offer him a treat (a little piece of walnut) and while he was trying to get it from my fingers I'd spray, like Pajarita said, about a foot above him so it falls like a fine mist. He's been fine with that and now I do it every day and just offer him a treat while he sits there, and he's become relaxed about it. His feathers do look better for it too!

[cml]

Stitch was used to showering when we got him (the breeder had thought to keep him as his own companion parrot, and thus spent a lot of time with him) so he was showering from day 2 in our house, and he loves it.

Leroy we got used to showering by gradually moving a perch closer and closer to the shower, until it was inside and he was showering. He now loves it as well =).

Both birds hate being sprayed with a waterbottle.

[Eric&Rebecca]

Mine like to be misted from above and then if they are in the mood they do the 'bath dance'. Try it at different times of the day, mine go through periods where they'll bath instead and others where they prefer misting but only in the late morning and early afternoon I've noticed.

[janetafloat]

My cockatiel loved being sprayed and would open his wings and bask in it. My Senegal isn't keen at all, and I've heard that from other Senegal owners.

[EleriDragonfly]

My budgies prefer baths to showers, but they don't mind the spray bottle. I would spray it high over them so that it would fall down gently on them. Sugar seems to like it, she'll try and reach the spray bottle when I use it.

[Pajarita]

Sennies are not big on bathing (same as Grays) and will only do it once every few days but they never smell or look dirty so I guess that's the way it' supposed to be- not like amazons or conures that love to bathe. Tiels like the misting only at certain times during the year (if you keep them to a solar schedule, that is) because, to them, spray is rain and lots of rain bring them into breeding condition.

[marie83]

Sennies are not big on bathing (same as Grays) and will only do it once every few days but they never smell or look dirty so I guess that's the way it' supposed to be- not like amazons or conures that love to bathe. Tiels like the misting only at certain times during the year (if you keep them to a solar schedule, that is) because, to them, spray is rain and lots of rain bring them into breeding condition.

I agree here, my 'tiels have only ever wanted spraying at certain times of the year. Harlie always asks to be sprayed, trying to spray her at any other time freaks her out. She never ever asks when the days are darker.