Bathing Pet Birds – What You’re Getting Wrong
Bathing is more than just a splashy pastime for pet birds - it’s an essential part of their health and wellbeing. Whether you care for a tiny budgie or a chunky macaw (no body shaming here!) it’s important you cater for their basic hygiene needs. Bathing can improve feather condition, respiratory health and even mood. With many years of experience working with birds, I’ve seen firsthand how regular bathing can transform a bird’s quality of life. I can’t stress enough how important regular bathing is - even during winter.
How Often Should Birds Bathe?
Many breeds of birds (particularly the smaller types) will normally bathe on a daily basis but as a general rule, birds should be bathing at least 2-3 times a week. In fact, I often wonder if lorikeets and the smaller types of conures are actually reincarnated goldfish with they way they obsessively jump into any liquid that they see. Sometimes this behaviour can be dangerous. At the clinic, we’ve seen birds that have jumped into a hot cup of coffee and been burned. We’ve even had multiple chemical exposure cases from birds jumping in a client’s blue toilet water. (Drowning is actually a risk with toilets as they can’t always get out and unfortunately we’ve seen that too.) For water loving birds like these, you may need to quite literally put a lid on liquids. For others less disposed to bathing, you may need to be an active participant in the bathing process.
Regular Bathing Maintains Feather Integrity
Feathers are vital to a bird’s health. They provide insulation, enable flight and serve as a communication tool. For feathers to function properly, they must be kept clean and flexible. Bathing helps remove dust, dander and debris that can clog the feather structure. It also aids in the distribution of natural oils produced at the preen gland, which keeps feathers supple and waterproof. Birds that don’t bathe regularly may develop dry, brittle feathers or experience over-preening, leading to feather damage or even feather destructive behaviours. This can then snowball into other problems because the bird won’t be able to maintain their body temperature easily, won’t have all their normal communication tools and this can culminate in significant behavioural problems.
A Water Bowl Is NOT a Bath
As a behaviourist, I’m always whining about fighting behavioural myths and here I am about to do that again. Certain things are just ingrained in culture that become an unquestionable fact in people’s minds. If I say “bird bath” it should immediately conjure an image of something you put in your garden for wild birds, or maybe a dish you might give a pet bird? That right there is the myth at work. People believe giving a bird a water bowl, is the same as providing a bath. It’s not the same thing. Think about it. In the wild birds bathe in the rain, in puddles or from brushing through wet foliage. Larger birds in particular aren’t going to fit in the average water bowl. If you’re not providing proper bathing options for your bird, you’re neglecting them.
Not so long ago, I got called out to a welfare organisation that was caring for a plucking cockatoo. The bird had been in care for 5 years. Its skin was awful. Its feathers were grey (not white) and brittle. I was told the grey was due to the ink from the newspaper that lined his cage that he would endlessly play with. I asked how often he bathes? I was told he has a water bowl. I explained that wasn’t the same thing. I was also told their ethics committee would never approve putting him out in the rain, under a sprinkler or spraying him with a punishment tool like a water misting spray.
I found myself explaining that there was a real disconnect here. If someone came to them with a dog that had a nasty skin condition, who was chewing off his fur, who was discoloured and smelly and hadn’t had a bath in 5 years, but had a drinking water bowl… they’d be screaming abuse and the first thing they would do would be seize the dog and give it a bath. I then asked them if having said that, could they now see the problem like I saw it? 2 weeks later, the bird was white, no longer plucking and regrowing his feathers. I am going to add here that bathing wasn’t the only change made in that 2 weeks, but it was definitely a significant one.
Methods of Bathing Birds
I recently posed the question on Facebook: How does your bird like to bathe? Answers ranged from water bowls, showers with their human (that was popular), rain, small sinks, basins and misting sprays or misting systems. Someone even said their bird likes to bathe in spinach leaves! The answer of how to bathe your bird is really only limited by your imagination. Share your ideas in the comments, you never know who you may help!
A clever tip is to use place wet foliage in your bird's cage so that it "accidentally" gets wet as it moves though the foliage. In fact, in the wild this is the closest a bird will come to using shampoo. Some birds will intentionally rub on foliage such as citrus or (in Australia) eucalyptus leaves, which will leave residue in the bird's feathers. In many cases, this can act as a type of natural insect repellent, or as a natural type of shampoo that may help break down unwanted contaminants on feathers.
How Do You Know If A Bird Is Enjoying A Bath?
If a bird is enjoying getting wet, it will adjust its feathers' angles to allow more water into its feathers. To us, this looks like they are fluffing up. They may flap their wings, shake their head, shake their tail and almost appear to dance under the water. Meanwhile, a bird that doesn't want to get wet, will pull their feathers in tight to their body. If their feathers are in good condition, water should roll right off them. You've all heard the phrase: Like water off a duck's back!
A Bird Can Be Trained To Like Water and Bathe
Not all birds instinctively enjoy bathing, especially if they weren’t introduced to it in early life. Many actually hate water misting sprays and often have a previous bad experience that is reinforcing that hatred. Fortunately, bathing can be a trained behaviour, just like stepping up or target training. If you have a bird that hates water, I encourage you to make a behavioural appointment and learn how to successfully train bathing.
Take your birds preferences into account. Som birds prefer to be in control of their bath, while others may enjoy showering with their owners on a perch. The key is to make it safe, predictable and fun.
What Soap or Shampoo Should I Use On My Bird?
No. Nope. Not on your bird’s life. You should NOT be using chemicals on your bird. Yes there are bird shampoos on the market. They are on the market because there are unscrupulous companies out there who are prepared to cash in on your stupid desire to over-humanise your bird. Yep, if you use them, I’m going to call you stupid. Shampoos, soaps and chemicals are going to strip your bird of the natural oils and powders that your bird needs to maintain its feather integrity. Wild birds are NOT using shampoos. They do not need them. Use water only.
There is one exception. A bird covered in oil (from some sort of accidental exposure) may need to be washed with a non-toxic shampoo or soap that will break down and remove the oil. This should only be done under an avian vet’s supervision and if done, you must realise that this will damage the integrity of the bird’s feathers and they won’t have their normal thermoregulation abilities. That said, the oil would be more dangerous and have already damaged the feathers anyway. So it’s the lesser of two evils in a way, but also a medical necessity.
What about Aloe Vera Misting Sprays?
There are reputable companies promoting these and knowing some of the people behind those companies - they believe in them. I don’t. I won’t endorse using aloe vera misting sprays on birds EVER. Why? I have a different experience of them. I manage an avian clinic. I’m on the frontline when those birds show up at the clinic with swollen eyes and respiratory distress. I have seen allergic reactions. I have also seen birds who aren’t allergic to aloe vera with oily skin and other issues caused by it.
Whole leaf extracts may contain aloin, a laxative compound found in the outer leaf skin, which can be toxic if ingested in significant quantities. You need to be sure whatever spray you are using is free of this and honestly, I think there’s always going to be a risk. You also need to be aware that many aloe vera sprays and creams can contain other things that are NOT safe for your bird. Thinks like alcohol, preservatives or fragrances.
Many people with plucking birds resort to using aloe sprays hoping that it might cure their bird, or help resolve some underlying skin condition. Some avian vets even recommend this (I believe because they don’t know what else to suggest.) In 20 years, I have never seen this actually really help a feather plucking case but I can name plenty of cases where it has made the condition worse. A lot of plucking birds already have chemical exposure as a root cause, adding more chemicals? I’m never going to endorse this. There are better ways to treat plucking.
Bathing for Chemical Exposure.
One of the most significant challenges that pet birds face in comparison to their wild counterparts is exposure to chemicals from their contact with us and our everyday environment. During covid, the residue from hand sanitisers stayed on our hands and then impacted our birds when we touch them. In a similar way, our moisturisers, our leave-in hair conditioners, air fresheners, nicotine from smoking… the list is endless but they all impact our pets when they come into contact with trace amounts of them. This is one of the most common triggers for feather destructive behaviour (plucking). Not many people realise the degree chemicals are affecting pet birds. It is one of the most significant reasons why pet birds need a regular bathing regime. Bathing helps pet birds overcome the impact of this exposure.
Bathing is also a handy test to see if your bird is affected by chemicals. If you bathe your bird and notice that it gets overly saturated and takes a very long time to dry - chances are your bird is being negatively affected by chemical exposure.
Drying Your Bird After A Bath
We often tend to over-humanise our birds. I can’t tell you how many people tell me that they use a hair dryer to dry their birds after a bath. Usually they are worried that the bird might be cold. Unfortunately, this can be very damaging to the bird in a number of ways. Firstly, many hair dryers contain a teflon element. When teflon is heated to a high temperature it emits a gas that is highly toxic to a bird. While the level of gas emitted from a hair dryer is unlikely to kill a bird, prolonged or repeated exposure is very likely to damage their respiratory system, making them more susceptible to other illnesses or toxins. Secondly, the force of the hair dryer may damage the delicate barb structure of a bird’s feathers, It may dry out natural oils that they need. It may dry out the feathers and make them more brittle… you get the idea. Hair dryer = bad idea. Let your bird dry naturally.
A bird has voluntary control over their feathers. They can change the angle of their feathers. They do this for a number of reasons, everything from controlling their temperature to actually communicating with others. In terms of bathing though, if their feathers are in good condition they can change the angle of their outer feathers to control how much water penetrates through to their more water absorbent down feathers. In other words, the bird decides how wet they get. They also know how wet they need to get. They’re not stupid. Let them have this choice. Let them get wet, let them dry naturally, let them control their own grooming. If you don’t - you risk abnormal feather grooming behaviours to develop.
The ONLY thing you need to worry about in regards to drying your bird is to keep them out of wind. Let them dry in a sheltered space. That way they’re in control of exactly what air makes it through to their inner feathers, which in turn allows them to control their temperature, which in turn is going to make them feel more secure and confident about bathing.
Bathing Birds Regularly Is Important.
Regular bathing is not a luxury, it’s a vital part of responsible bird care. By supporting natural behaviours and offering the right opportunities, you not only improve the feather health but also strengthen your bond with your bird. If your parrot avoids water, don’t give up. With the right training approach and a bit of creativity, bathing can become one of their favourite activities.
Thank you very helpful information, but my cockatiel will not have a bath,he flys off,so as I don’t want to loose his trust,I spray him,he fly away if he sees that coming,so please what should I do,he is 2 years old ,thank you,Val.