Doesn't like water

[Roonil Wazlib]

Ok, so, Julian and I have been together for eight days. I haven't seen him take any pleasure in water activities at all. Not in his water dish, or misting with a spray bottle, or running tap water, or letting droplets from my hand rain down - even during this horrible 4 day storm we've been having - it hasn't perked his interest at all. Currently there is a shallow bowl of water at the bottom of his cage, but hes not interested or curious over it like new toys I've given him. He came to us with some poop on his feathers, and now has some on his foot. I asked his previous owner, and she said that she took him into the shower a couple of times and didn't like it - maybe he felt forced when she did it, or has had a bad experience? I don't believe hes had a proper bathe in six months - if he's even had one at all

I'm not sure if he's preening or not - when it seems like he might be, hes doing it rather rough and short - I'm worried he might have mites. I'm planing on getting some mite spray and a vet visit as soon as we can, but we got him the day before the storm hit, and we only just got power back yesterday. Everything has been very Topsy tervy.

Anyway - anything i can do to help him enjoy water would be so great, as he really needs a bath - like, a soak to the bone bath.


From Julian, wanting the keys, as I'm typing, haha = yuy./=]=\

thanks

[Wolf]

Please don't get any over the counter mite product as most of the are actually toxic to your bird. If you are concerned that he might have mites take him to an avian vet.
It is possible that he did not learn to preen himself and it is also possible that he was not taught to bathe himself. So it would seem that you may need to teach him to bathe. Keeping a shallow dish of water where he can get to it is a good Idea and it might help to get his attention if you place some bright colored waterproof item in the middle of the dish of water. Just be sure that it is safe for him to chew on. Other than that you may have to use a spray bottle and be prepared for a wet area to clean up afterwards.
The biggest difficulty with bath by spray bottle is that it can appear that he doesn't like it, when in fact he does like it and is just excited at getting sprayed down. They will run out from under the spray and some will squawk. My Grey loves her spray baths and is the only bath other then her trying to use her water dish for this. She runs all over the top of her cage fanning her wings, twisting and turning this way and that and sometimes she squawks and you would think that I was trying to kill her. But even if I don't follow her movements and just let the spray fall in the same spot she will run back under the water and reach up to the spray nozzle and get a drink.
You need to watch them carefully when you use the spray bottle especially the first few times until you are sure as to whether he will like it or not. Kiki, my Senegal doesn't like being sprayed and will fly away at the first few drops hitting her, she likes her bird bath. Mimi the Amazon like being sprayed, but it has to be done in her cage, because she likes to do all the things my Grey does but she does it while upside down from the top of her cage. They are so funny.

[Roonil Wazlib]

are "vetafarm" products safe? - The previous owner gave me all his things with him and that included "Wormout Gel" and "Spark Liquid" (for stress) - are these ok, or should i chuck them out, and get prescriptions from the avian vet?

He doesn't talk at all when we are playing with water. Thou he does seem to be getting slightly more curious about it. We tried twice this morning. with the spray bottle on his stand - which he flew away, I continued spraying if he wanted to come back and check it out, but he was more just interested from a distance. I put the bottle down and walked away - to which he immediately flew over to check out, haha. I also had a shallow bowel of water in my hand, and was playing with water droplets. I wet his head a little, and he didn't get cranky, but was drinking the water rather then playing - the first few steps i guess. We will keep plugging away at it. And of the mornings, ill put a bowel of water out with a toy in it - see if that perks his interested. Thankyou

[Wolf]

I can't say that I am familiar with either of those products, but you can always have your vet to check for worms when he goes in for a check up, and because of that I would not use the worm stuff unless recommended by the vet.
When Kookooloo came to live with me, she is my Grey parrot, the previous people had her on a supplement for stress due to feather plucking issues and self mutilation. I have no idea as to how long she was on this stuff, it is called Avicalm, but she had muscle tremors and would fall of her perch, it was heartbreaking to watch her. So over the course of 5 days I took her off of it and within a couple of day after this being stopped she was no longer falling off her perches and the muscle spasm or tremors quit and we have never looked back. It is because of this experience that I do not recommend using any suppliments or drugs of any kind without going through my vet first and even them I want all the information pertinent to its use, such as dosage and how to give it as well as when and I want to know exactly what side effect to look for and I want to know exactly what benefit the vet is expecting from its use. I am very picky when it comes to the health of my animals.

[Pajarita]

Parrots have their individual preferences when it comes to where they will bathe so try different bowls (different sizes, depths, material, location, etc). I have a ARB that will only bathe in a GIANT stainless steel bowl full of water placed on the floor or on the kitchen table and I have a gray that will only dip her head in a small bowl and call it a good bath And then I have a GCC that will bathe anywhere (in a bowl, under the running faucet, in the shower, in a cup, etc).

[Roonil Wazlib]

So i've been giving him some foods in a shallow dish. and he'll stand in the water to eat, so thats a bonus. Do you think it might be a good idea to rig something up, like with some parts shallow and deeper parts - and running water, etc... and place his fav food and nuts around the areas to encourage him to explore the water? or would this be asking too much of him?

[Wolf]

I don't know, you can try just about anything, but for the most part I think that if you provide him with a dish similar to the one that you are using that he stands in the water with and just fill it with water at room temperature or cooler that he will start using it for bathing in. Most parrots seem to enjoy baths although they can be rather picky about the dish and other factors related to bathing.

[Roonil Wazlib]

Success is on the way! Its been three weeks introducing him to water in places other than his dish, and yesterday he was confidant to sit on my arm and drink from the running tap!!! Yahoo!! Give it another three weeks and he might be happy to take a little shower *fingers crossed*

[Pajarita]

Good job! Everything takes forever and a day with parrots but, as they say, 'good things come to those who wait'

[Roonil Wazlib]

Update: We've had two showers together now. Yesterday I didn't expect him to want to be with me, but he wasn't content with being on the ledge of the shower. he drank a bit and got some water droplets on his chest. But this morning he didn't even wait for a step up command and tried to fly straight to my shoulder, to which he promptly slipped, but is fine - and full on stood under the water for a good minuet or so, and leaning to get the water under his wings - and flapping them about when he was out of the water I'm so proud! - of cause, he had plenty of options to move further up my arm if he didn't want to be under the water, and it was quickly apparent when hed had enough, so we got out then, but I'm so happy for him!! The only issue is the temp of the water - it was a bit warmer then warm, but not too hot. Is this a major issue, or should it be cool to mildly warm?

I also bought a harness for him yesterday, and he doesn't seem afraid of it at all, and wore the collar for a few seconds at a time with treats. I also got him a couple of forging toys, which i don't think hes had before. Its amazing, this feeling, knowing from his behavior that being with me has truely made his life better and more full with enrichment, even if i do make a couple of mistakes here and there.

I'm so happy