How To Make Your Bird Comfortable When Bathing

Since there are some birds that are not comfortable with bathing yet, you might have to try several things to help get them used to the water and to bathing. There are several different options that you can try to get your bird comfortable when bathing so that you can figure out what they will enjoy and what will work the best for them an dyou. Some birds will love the feeling of a trickling shower, some prefer a fine mist, others prefer to dunk themselves in a small pool of water - but remember that every bird is different. If you are having a hard time getting your bird to take a bath, try one of these three suggestions:

1. Shower For Two: Since birds are naturally social creatures, many birds will enjoy taking a bath with their owner. There are even some special bird products that you can purchase for this shower time, such as sprayers and shower perches. If you decide to introduce your friend to a shower, it's better to do so with a lot of patience. Allow your bird to watch you in the show before trying to get them to join you. Let your bird decice on their own that the shower is a friendly thing and not something that will hurt it.

2. Soothing Mist: Sometimes a fine mist from a spray bottle is the best way to get a bird use to water and to give them a bath without too much shock. Since a lot of caged birds originate from warm, tropical, or humid climates, the spray can help to rehydrate their nasal cavities as well as help clean them. If you want to go this route, make sure that you have only clean, warm water in the spray bottle. Use only a brand new spray bottle, not anything that you've used for another purpose. This way, you can be sure that there are no chemical residues in the bottle that can harm your bird.

3. Dip In The Sink: If these two suggestions don't work, you can always try a dip in the sick. Pool a bit of warm water in your sink and have your bird step down into it. There is a great chance that your bird's natural bathing instinct will take over and they will be happily splashing away in no time. If you have a smaller bird that is reluctant to stand in the sink, try to cup the water in your palms and let your pet sit on the side of your thumb. Sometimes just knowing that you are there and feeling your hands under their feet will help them and it will be a great bonding experience for both of you.

Take a good look at your bird's reactions to these different suggestions and take note of the one that your bird likes the most. Of course, this is only half of the bathing equation when it comes to birds. You also need to figure out how often your bird needs a bath as well as how to coax a picky or flighty bird into the bath.

How To Bathe Your Bird

Just like any pet, birds too need baths. The problem comes when new owners aren't sure about how to bathe birds and some birds haven't been conditioned to accept baths yet. Many tamed birds don't realize that daily showers would be a part of their natural daily grooming activities in the wild. It can take an effort on your part to learn what grooming methods will work the best for your new bird, but even the most reluctant birds can be conditioned to accept it. Here are some helpful rules to follow when bathing your bird:

1. Plain clear water ONLY: Even though some pet stores and companies offer commercial "bird shampoos", the best way to wash a bird is with plain water. Since birds produce a special oil that they preen their feathers with, soap can easily strip this oil away and cause health problems with your friend.

2. Bathe only during the warmest part of the day: Wet birds can easily get chilled and this can be a major health hazard. So, make sure that you bathe your bird during the warmest part of the day so that their feather's have a chance to dry completely before the temperature drops before nightfall. You also want to make sure that your home isn't too cold inside before you give your bird a bath.

3. Water temperature is key: Make sure that you check the water temperature before you allow your bird to get in it. Too hot or too cold water can shock a bird's system, or cause serious health problems like burns. Always check the temperature of the water before hand and make sure that it isn't too hot or cold. It should be right at room temperature or lukewarm.

4. Don't saturate your bird's feathers: Since wild birds don't allow their feathers to get completely soaked through, you should not allow this either. This can lead to your bird losing body heat and impare their flight.

5. Don't rush or force your bird: If your bird seriously fights against bathing, you want to make sure that you ease them into bathing. It might take a while for them to be completely comfortable, but it will happen. If you force your bird to get in the water or rush them to do so, they may rebel against it even more.

Simply follow these few rules when bathing your bird and you will find that they will start to truly enjoy bathing.

How To Attract Breeding Birds In The Fall - Pt 2

Now that you know what foods to offer the birds when you set out feed, what are some other ways that you can attract birds to your yard in the fall and winter? Easy, offer them a water source. Fresh, unfrozed water is sometimes harder to come by than food for birds during the winter months. So, if you can offer them water, they will always remember that they can go there.

For those that live in areas that get a lot of snow or freezing temps, it's a good idea to find a heated bird bath that will keep the water from freezing up. There are some that look like large rocks that sit on the ground with a heater built in the bottom. Others look like normal bird baths with a heater in the bottom of the bowl and a plug in at the base that will hide it from the weather. There are also heating elements that you can buy that will soak in the bird bath itself and turn on when the water starts to freeze.

Always keep in mind that offering water to your birds that will not freeze over throughout the winter will mean more to them than anything else.

So how about feeders? I mean, we haven't talked about that yet right? A specific feeder design isn't really as vital to getting birds to your yard as you might think. You can spend as much, or as little, as you want on feeders. As long as they offer the food in a way that birds can get it, they will work. Here are some of the different ways that you can offer food that will appeal to different kinds of birds:

1. Spread the feed on the ground: Some sparrows and other birds enjoy eating on or near the ground. So, you will find that throwing out a handfull or two will bring in those birds that love to feed off the ground.

2. Hanging feeders: When you purchase hanging feeders, you want to make sure that they are placed somewhere that water will not build up in the bottom and rot the food. There are plenty of different types of hanging feeders that will really be beneficial to the birds and will bring you in different types of birds. If you are trying to attract specific birds, such as finches, make sure that you purchase the feeders that are designed for them.

3. Homemade feeders: Believe it or not, but birds don't look for designer labels. Some of the very best feeders can be made right at home. In fact, one excellent design is to hollow out a coconut leaving a round hole in two sides (about an inch in diameter or so), wrap it with small wire, and suspend it from a tree. Smaller birds especially will love this one and it's a fun project to make with kids. You can also sink a post in the ground, put a platform on the top with molding around the edges to keep the seeds on with a small area at each end for water to run off, and you have another cheap, homemade bird feeder.

Remember that it doesn't matter what types of bird feeders you have in your yard - as long as you keep them filled and keep a fresh, unfrozen water source, you'll attract breeding birds all year long. Make sure that you read the first part of this blog to ensure that you are planting the right things in your yard to attract more wild birds.