Continued from page 1Step two: Singing in the area.
After several days of "pretty birdie in the mirror" you are ready to move on to the next step which will involve some acrobatics on your part. Take the grey into the bathroom and do the pretty birdie mirror thing as if this is a natural part of entering this area. After several minutes step into the tub/shower area with the bird. Be alert to any signs of apprehension and go back to the mirror if this occurs. Frightening a grey is not easily repairable and is best avoided. Giving the bird a secure environment is the key element here. If the grey is comfortable being with you in the tub area start singing or whistling a favorite tune. Tell him how pretty he is and speak in a gentle, calming voice. Follow this routine for several days and do not omit step one. Like dancing; one, two, one, two...
Step three: oh, oh, something new.
Again, "pretty birdie in the mirror", step into the tub area, but this time there will be a foreign object introduced into the tub area before your arrival...the T-Stand/perch apparatus for the ultimate use in bathing. Have the T-stand in the area before you arrive into the bathroom with your grey. Follow steps one and two as usual and don't rush to place the bird on the stand. Stand there and sing to him as he observes the new object and becomes comfortable with it. After some time you may want to place him on the perch while you remain in the tub area with him. Keep singing. Follow this routine for several more days. "one, two, three, one, two, three..."
Step four: step out
Following the illustrated steps it is time for the grey to remain in the shower area on his own. After spending time on step three, step out. Your grey is now in the shower area under his own power. Respect this. Keep singing to reassure him. Introduce no water at this time and just let him enjoy the area and you. Water can wait. Follow these steps for several more days. You're waltzing at this point. "one, two, three, four..."
Step five: the dreaded water
Approach the shower using the aforementioned four steps. Do not eliminate any of these steps as the grey has now come to realize the routine and expects the safety and enjoyment you have established for him at this point.
Now, here comes the tricky part, the introduction of the dreaded water. Go slow and don't attempt to get the grey entirely wet on the first attempt. A little goes a long way here and there is no sense in undoing all that you have already done. A little mist, your singing and telling him how beautiful he is, using the word "shower" in a gentle tone of voice so that he realizes that this endeavor has a name, and going slowly should not send the grey into the next century. After several days of this routine your grey should come to accept his shower without apprehension and fear. If you notice that your grey is not responding well, go back to the drawing board for a few sessions repeating the illustrated steps until he reaches a comfort zone and is ready to move on to the next step. The most detrimental thing you can do is to rush the grey simply because you become impatient with the result. As parrot behaviorist Sally Blanchard always requests, "lower your energy" and see how well a bird will respond to you. It really works well in this case.
The "tutoring method" works well with birds. Canary breeders have been using this method for centuries in teaching their canaries to sing perfectly. They have always simply chosen one of their most outstanding singers and put it in among the novices so that they could learn the perfection of canary song. This works quite well with showering parrots and I have used this technique many times with some of the birds I've worked with. If your grey doesn't get enthusiastic in the shower and you have another species that does, let your grey observe the bird that showers well. Parrots mimic the sounds and behaviors of other animals and birds and learn all that they need to know from observation in their natural environment. This is true in our own homes as well. With a good tutor, such as an amazon, the grey will exhibit amazon showering behavior. Or macaw, pionus, Jardine, starling, whatever it observes and takes to, the grey will imitate it. It is not that they don't have a mind of their own, it is just that perhaps they are so intelligent that they don't want to miss out on anything and will give it a go to see if it suits them. Using a tutor is an excellent method in teaching greys to shower and shower well. This technique is also effective with psittacines of other genera and could be employed in teaching proper bathing to those birds that require the benefit of instruction.
Okay, no tutor available, it's just you and the grey. Don't worry. THINK! A captive bred grey has probably not been socialized to proper bathing habits. It may have never been bathed in its life and now it is up to you to encourage this fundamental aspect of being a grey. A grey loves water; they watch it, play with it, are fascinated by it, and imitate the sound of it. Ice cubes are a grand mystery to the African grey as they hold this cold item in one foot and observe it produce water. Wow, what goes through that little giant brain behind those straw-colored eyes as this occurs? We may never know, but it's an interesting observation when it takes place. To introduce the grey to bathing is an undertaking that we must place upon ourselves. The parent bird is usually responsible for this event, but as our birds are now captive-bred the responsibility lies with us, and we become the "parent bird" responsible for their instruction in the fine art of bathing. Introduce your young greys to bathing as soon as they are able to perch safely without the risk of falling. The young grey will always equate his falling from the perch with being sprayed with water and may forever resist any attempts at bathing. Use caution and technique, always thinking ahead to avoid the dangers and pitfalls . To be safe you should be able to mist the young grey on a flat surface gradually moving to a perching situation at a later date. Visualize a young grey in its natural habitat during a heavy rainfall, the parent bird outside the nest site coaxing the young birds out for their first shower and letting them know that its safe to do so.
Two drops of rain on the head and the young birds scramble, screaming, back inside the nest...until the next time when they get bolder and more confident. Soon it's out on the branches with the parents for a full- fledged shower. (no pun intended) Everything introduced slowly is the way of the parrot.
Given the average rainfall in the natural habitat of the African Grey parrot, their love of water and their need for humidity, the statement that "my grey hates the shower" can no longer be accepted as a reason for not frequently showering the grey. You will have to rethink your methods, not expect one thing or another, and take your time in socializing your bird to bath-time. Concentrate your thoughts on being a bird in the wild. Our birds are not far removed from this environment, they are still considered wild (exotic) animals and should be treated as such through respect and a growing knowledge of their needs. Perhaps it is difficult to realize this when you suddenly hear a little voice from the top of the cage speak to you in your own language and asks, "Want Shower?"
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