Bathing Habits of Birds

When exotic birds are in the wild, they have the advantage of naturally being rinsed by rainfall and rainwater.  Many tropical birds take full advantage of daily rain by taking "showers", cleaning themselves, and even grabbing a drink from formed puddles.

Daily rinses in the rain present numerous benefits such as healthy feathers and beautiful plumage.  However, exotic birds that are kept in residences do not have that same advantage, so they have to count on their owners to bathe them.

If you have a bird, you should allow it to rinse itself daily in its cage.  Some owners like to add a small bath to their birds' cages and others mist their pets with tap water from a spray bottle.  Others even take their pets into the shower so they can have their daily baths and stay lustrous.

Birds enjoy their daily rinses, but it is also important that owners allow their pets to air dry after showers, preferably in a warm room or in the sunlight.  Owners can also blow dry their birds, but it is important that the hair dryer is held at least 10 inches away to prevent the animal from overheating.   

Remember, daily grooming is important to a bird's aesthetic appearance and also its health.