Special Tricks to Make Greys Like Water?

[Cockatude]

For years, I have had trouble getting my Congo grey and citron-crested cockatoo to bathe. They hate the shower. They don't even like being in there and being sprayed gently with a plant sprayer. As a result, I don't bathe them much.

The room where I keep them is out of control. The dust is driving me crazy, and I know it's because they're not being bathed enough. I have to do something.

Today I saw a Youtube video of a grey waddling around in a sink while the owner hosed it with a spray nozzle. It never occurred to me to put a bird in water several inches deep. I figured they would panic.

I tossed the cockatoo in the sink and he was okay with it, although not thrilled. The grey acted like I was trying to make soup out of him.

Are there any bathing strategies that work particularly well with greys? It looks like the cockatoo's problem is solved, but my grey still prefers to be filthy.

[Michael]

It is pretty typical of African Parrots to be indifferent or uncomfortable with showering.

[Saerphe]

Something that often works with budgies is to give them a bunch of wet lettuce. They like to roll around in it and nibble on the leaves. I dunno if that would work with your Grey though.

I think the best thing you can do for your Grey is to let it decide to bathe at its own pace. Maybe try introducing it to a dish of water slowly. Or go in the shower together without turning on the water for a while, get out, and reward. As it gets more comfortable, you can start turning on the water to a slow trickle, but not get it wet. Work up to showering or bathing really slowly, and always reward your bird for going in and out comfortably.

The thing is, Greys and Cockatoos are powder birds, so they're naturally dusty to begin with. If the dust is really, really bad, you might want to invest in an air purifier to help keep things clean. And make sure your doctor knows that you own birds - bird dander can actually cause respiratory complications if you aren't careful.

[Wolf]

There are no tricks for getting your Grey to bathe, however I wait and watch and when my Grey tries to bathe in her water dish I spray her. Don't spray her directly, spray the water and let it fall on the bird sort of like rain would do. My Grey, does not like being sprayed until she is ready and then she loves it.
Your problem with the dusty room is not because the birds need a bath as that will not stop them from producing dust which is used to waterproof their feathers. The problem is that you need a good air purifier that produce no or almost no ozone. This is the best help that you can get, but it should be rated for at least double the size of the room. I hope that this will help you with this issue.

[Cockatude]

I appreciate the responses. It looks like Marv will just have to get used to being mad.

He does forgive quickly, though.