Water toys and encouraging water play

[Strawfrawg]

I'm adapting my new Sennie baby to drink from a bowl and get used to playing in water. Putting plastic beads in the water dish got him to peck at the water and get the idea that it was drinkable. A shallow pool with floating bottle caps (with beads and/or pieces of peanut in them) got him to go wading. Not bathing on his own yet, but he's getting more fond of water in general.

What did/do you do to encourage water play and drinking from a bowl?

[marie83]

None of mine needed to be taught to drink from anything although they might if I ever switch to bottles. The toy idea is a good one. I did try floating some toys for ollie once as he loves water so much but he just got peed off at them for being in his way and stopping him bathing properly

[Strawfrawg]

Ha! In my case, floating the toys just makes Marvin forget he's in there to bathe, not play!

It's cute watching him push the bottle caps around in the water, though. I got clever and put him in a plastic bowl and floated him on top of the pool. He was one weirded-out bird....

Also trying a rock island in the middle of the pool so he can hang out there and splash without standing in the water...wading in seems to cause balance problems unless he keeps his upper body pretty still.

[janetafloat]

My sennie's not that fond of water at all, unlike my 'tiel who really enjoys a good spray. I've been working on introducing the spray very gradually, trying to make it fun & rewarding him but he flies away after the first couple of sprays. I regularly introduce him to a shallow tray of water too but he's not having any of it so far.He has a good wash in his water bowl maybe once a week or week & a half. I'm going adapt your idea and float some bottle tops in the tray of water (which he gets treats in usually) and see if that interests him. Thanks!

[Strawfrawg]

Marvin doesn't like being sprayed either, though my 'tiel always loved spray baths.

Hope the floating caps idea helps. Marvin definitely made the jump to enjoying water by playing with beads and caps in the pool. It turns out that he also needed the right dish. A clear glass pie dish did the trick where everything else failed. The clear glass suggestion came from my vet. He said it makes the water less intimidating somehow. Good luck...let me know how your Sennie comes along!

[janetafloat]

Ohhhh, thanks for the clear glass suggestion too...I'll definitely try that and let you know how it goes!

[janetafloat]

ps - it's time you updated your profile pic, Strawfrawg. Dying to see Marvin now he's getting to be a big boy!

[Cockatielsongs]

Thanks for the toys in the water idea! My 'too hates water, not spraying nor dish nothing but he loves his toys so hopefully when I try this it goes great and enjoys the water. Thats interesting about the clear glass. Might try that too if he is still intimidated by the water.

Good luck with Marvin, he sounds amazing.



P.S Yes, do post photos of Marvin, I'd love to see what he looks like now!!

[Maria]

wow that's so neat and cute, how you're doing it, as he's developing into water. Those are really great ideas.

[Maria]

I did try floating some toys for ollie once as he loves water so much but he just got peed off at them for being in his way and stopping him bathing properly

LOL that is so cute, marie, peed off at his toys being in the way of his bathing.