Cockatiels make great indoor pets. These are birds that can fit into your abode, whether it is an apartment or a mansion. Furthermore, they are quiet and disciplined birds that do not cause disturbances in the home or in the neighborhood. They are also very great companions as they seek physical touches from their owners.
However, just like any pet, they need to be well taken care of. One of the caretaking things you need to do to your cockatiel is bathing them.
Bathing offers a lot of benefits for you and your cockatiel.
- First, bathing can help soften the dirt in the cockatiel’s feathers. Bathing regularly maintains the brightness and cleanliness of the cockatiel’s feathers.
- It removes pollutants from the body of the bird.
- Bathing encourages the cockatiel to preen.
- Bathing eliminates skin issues such as dryness and itchiness.
Best Ways to Bathe Your Cockatiel
Give Them a Bathing Dish
This method allows the birds to bathe on their own. Birds enjoy bathing on their own. Fill a heavy bowl halfway with clean water. Be mindful of the temperature of the water. During winters, use lukewarm water.
During summers, use room temperature water. Moreover, make sure that the bowl or dish is wide enough for the bird to have space to roll around in and have the bottom part of their wings cleaned. If you can, use a bigger birdcage for your cockatiel so that they can enjoy bathing more.
The Misting Method
Misting method might be the easiest method. This is a great choice for birds who don’t want to make use of bathing dishes. Keep in mind not to spray your cockatiel directly. Spray into the air so that it may seem like raindrops falling on your bird.
Misting may not be a common choice so it would help if you condition your cockatiel before misting her/him. Demonstrate misting to your bird by spraying your plants with water. If not, you can also let your cockatiel watch while you spray your hair. On another note, make sure that the spray bottle you use is emptied after use, cleaned and dried before using it again.
Shower Method
This shower method is a cool and convenient method. This is an alternative method if your cockatiel refuses to bathe using the bathing dish method or the misting method. Furthermore, this may be a bonding method for you and your pet bird.
You may place the bird at a reasonable distance from the showers so that the bird will not be drenched with the heavy droplets from the showerhead. You can also let the shower droplets reach your hand then gently flick the water towards your pet.
Sink Bath Method
Birds have a natural instinct to bath in a pool of calm and still water. Therefore, it would be a good idea if you can fill up a lavatory or a sink with water in the right temperature. This might be the most enjoyable method of bathing for the bird. You just have to make sure that the lavatory or sink is free from bacteria and/or chemical substances that may harm the bird.
Things to Keep in Mind When Bathing a Cockatiel
Make Sure That Everything You Use is Clean
Make sure that the bowl, sink, and lavatory that you use are clean. Make sure that there is no soap or any other chemical.
Make sure that you use a new spray bottle. Never use spray bottles that used to contain chemicals such as alcohol, soap, and/or shampoo. These do not help in cleaning the bird and may impose harm to your cockatiel.
Use clean water. Make sure it is not chlorinated. Make sure it does not contain soap.
Check the Water Temperature
Birds prefer to bathe in lukewarm water. You may also use room temperature water.
Frequency of Bathing
Cockatiels, just like any other bird wants to bath as frequent as possible. However, during the colder days of winter, it is okay to bathe the cockatiel twice or thrice a week.
When your cockatiel is going through a molt, it is safe to bathe the cockatiel as much as you can. Bathing will help break the keratin to help the feather inside push through.
Pay attention to their behavior. If you don’t bathe your cockatiel everyday and it starts rolling in its drinking water, it is a sign that your cockatiel already needs another bath.
It is advisable that you bathe your cockatiel one hour a day.
Other Reminders
Bathe your cockatiel during the warmest period of the day. Nighttime baths are not recommended as a cockatiel chilled may be a health hazard to your pet bird.
Do not saturate your cockatiel’s feathers. This is to make sure your cockatiel does not have its body heat drop. Furthermore, making sure that the feathers are not soaked lessens the chances of your cockatiel having flight impairment.
Do not blow-dry your cockatiel’s feathers. Allow your bird’s feathers to dry naturally. A blow-dryer’s temperature may impose health hazards to your bird.
When using the Spray or Mist method, never spray into the bird’s eyes and face.
After bathing your cockatiel in lukewarm water, make sure that there is no drastic change of temperature after the bath. Turn on the heater if you must to maintain the warm temperature around the bird.
Never force your bird to get wet.
When using spray bottles, make sure that the water will come out as fine mist and not a long and strong squirt.
Conclusion
On a final note, it is quite likely for you to not have trouble in bathing your cockatiel. You just have to take the time and experiment with your pet which bathing method is most enjoyed by it. Knowing which method your cockatiel enjoys makes sure that you are taking care of your pet well. Bathing your cockatiel properly helps keep your pet healthy.