My Carley will NOT take a bath! When I got her she smelt like cig. smoke which has went away but she will not bath and I feel she needs to! She won't even get in her water bowl! I have never had a bird with such clean water(not complaining). I tried putting her on a wooden dow rod wedged under my kitchen window and turn on the sprayer on low/warm water. She seemed to not mind if I got some of the water on her and she even drank from it, but wouldn't get under it. Yes..I acted like I was having a blast in that water! the whole family was looking at me crazy!
So here is the ? should I just spray her down?
Oh she is 16wks old

My Kiwi just hated a bath for 8 years, then this year she started taking one every day after I found just the right bowl to sit on top of her cage. Now she loves her bath and gets so excited. I put different bowls up there for years until I hit on the right one. Picky little devils!
I'm glad the cigarette smell has gone away!

I wouldn't spray her down if she doesn't seem to want it...at least not with a kitchen sprayer. Try offering a bowl of water...it took Elliot several months of us acting like dorks playing in the water before he wanted to try on his own. I know if we would have forced him he would have never wanted to go in. Also, try misting with a spray bottle, that might be less scary than the sink.

Sometimes birds need to be sprayed. If you've had this bird for over a month and during this time s/he hasn't taken a bath, then the bird needs a bath

For my birds who will not use a water bowl/dish, I use a spray bottle. I make sure the spray bottle has only been used for holding water. I fill it up with hot water, because by the time the spray hits the bird, the air will have cooled it down. Then I spray the bird. Some don't like it, and others do. The fact of the matter is, with some birds if you wait for them to bathe, you'll be waiting for months and months.

Thank you for all the advice I am going to try spraying/misting her with a spray bottle and she how she reacts. I have tried the bowl and she looks at me like and you want me to what!
I will be back with the results!

Have you tried a shower? Since your fid accepts some spraying, maybe the shower would be more appealing because you are in there too.

Well I wasn't sure how to do that. Do you let them sit on your shoulder? Carley seems to have trouble doing that with out a shirt on. What temp for the water? Do I just get in and turn the water on? I have a small stand up shower with a door that you have to slam shut, I figure it would scare her to death. Tell me how please and I will try it.

cricket insists on bathing in his water dish but i do take him in the shower with me occasionally. he doesn't like the water spraying on him but he does like the misting he gets.

i have a towel rack (with a towel) and i sit him on that. some people have actual shower perches. it has a suction cup on the end of it to stick to the wall. those are for the birds who like the spray.

good luck!

Well today was the 4th day with our new baby FID, Pretty Boy( AKA Harley). I got him to bathe twice today by playing in the bowl of water and sprinkling a little on his head and telling him what a good boy he was.

After that, he jumped right in and went to town! Dunking his head, tossing water everywhere. He had a ball!!

Hello everyone! Carly finally jumped in the bowl at the bottom of her cage!!!! I tried not to get crazy with glee, but really couldn't so she hoped right back out! I got one blurry picture of her in the bowl. I am now keeping her a clean bowl of water at the bottom of her cage, in hopes that she will hop in again. I did try the spray bottle, and she didn't seem to care for it at all. She keep trying to get away from it. Hopefully I will have a bath loving QP before to much longer.

Wanted to offer you encouragement with Carley....
My 5 month old Dolce will actually start yelling for his bath! At first it was at 10am, now he wants a 3pm bath! Little yelling Green "Brat" Monster!
He also NOW enjoys a misting from those Dollar Store spray bottles and will actually behave like he is showering until I have soaked him! Then it's an hour of "fluffing", "preening", "grooming" and QUIET!!! Ahhhhh! Good Chicken!

Dolce is very particular about his bath water temperature... A little cooler seems to be his preference.... My goodness... what a demanding little brat!!!

Rub a Dub Dub Dolce in his tub!


Splish Splash I was taking a bath.... round about a quarter to 4:00!!!!


Ahhhhh! All wet and clean now!


New QP Dad

Dolce is too CUTE!! You have wonderful pictures! Well I am going to keep trying with different bowls etc. I did try the spray bottle and she tried to out run me! I have also tried the cabbage leaves in the same bowl she jumped in once before, but no luck there. I will keep trying and I know she will bath eventually! Thanks for the post!

I like the way they fluff up right before they dive in (and sometimes right before they poop )

Me too! I noticed your picture will you QP get under the faucet and bath?