I put a dish of one of the Cockatiel's favorite treats - cooked oatmeal with soaked pellets. Anyways, I left it out on the table so she could help herself.
The diamond dove walked over, sat down in it, and proceeded to take a nap. (Don't ask me why - he's a very lazy bird). I think he liked it because it was warm. Anyways, he now has a coating of oatmeal on his tummy and parts of his chest and legs. Should I clean him off with some water? Or should I leave him alone. He doesn't feel like showering today (he ignored the spray bottle) and I don't want to cause him unnecessary stress.
He doesn't seem uncomfortable yet, but I don't want him to have problems later once the stuff dries and cakes all over his feathers.
If it's still real moist, gently wipe off what you can. Then use a wet rag to wipe off more unless he struggles too much. Put a warm dish of water in the cage. If he doesn't get into it and splash around on his own, help him to rinse off as much as possible. You may have to repeat the cleaning a few times unless he works on it on his own. Give him a little rest between each cleaning.
No bird I know of appreciates a bath. Just spray it with a fine warm water mist till you see droplets on it and it should clean itself, preen.
I had a Red Cheek Concord who loved getting into the shower with me. After we where done he would what for his small towel to be dried off. WATER only though.
Well Birds really don't like bathes ..... My Scarlet Macaw doesn't like them anyways ..
Doves and pigeons like to sit in bowl shaped items for sleeping. Our always sit in the seed dishes which means they poop on the food. They are ground feeding birds which is different than a cockatiel who wouldn't forage on the ground to get food.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com Most all birds enjoy bathing some more than others (that's why they make bird baths) but if they aren't given access to bathing when they are growing up they wont be used to them. I would give him a shallow bowl of water like a inch deep and see if he will sit in it. Try to give him some opportunities to clean himself. Birds generally will keep their feathers clean if they aren't sick or otherwise compromised.
