Parakeets may not be the messiest animals in the world, but they’re far from the cleanest.
They, like most animals, are not too fussed about getting a little dirty in one way or another.
But they also seem to be quite good at grooming themselves, so many parakeet owners wonder if they need a bird bath.
Yes, your parakeet will benefit from having a good bath. They are fully able to bathe themselves, so all you need to do is set the bath up for them and they’ll get to cleaning themselves. Your bird should really have a bath to be able to bathe whenever it wants, daily.
Just like you, then, your parakeet should really take daily baths—but that doesn’t mean it always will!
In any case, you should always make sure it has the option to have a bath, as this is one part of its overarching needs to be happy and comfortable.
Let’s find out more.
Do parakeets like a bird bath?
Yes, they certainly do.
Parakeets like to groom themselves just like any other animal, and birds in particular are fond of finding water to bathe in for a few reasons.
Naturally, to start with, they just don’t really have the means to fully clean themselves without the help of water.
They can preen and tidy up their feathers, but they don’t have the ability to completely self-groom, as cats do.
But their feathers naturally attract a lot of dirt and dust, so they need more than a little preen.
Given their ability to fly, birds in general have a unique ability to seek out water for washing very easily.
Larger animals might have a tough time finding a body of water large enough to bathe in regularly.
Parakeets in the wild will bathe in natural water bodies even to their own peril, as bird-eating fish often dwell in the waters.
So, when it comes to your parakeet at home, they will have this same natural instinct.
They will not just be happy to preen their feathers—they’ll want to fully bathe themselves, too.
They don’t need anything particularly fancy when it comes to the bathtub.
An old margarine tub will do the trick! If you’ve got a couple of parakeets, though, you’ll want something bigger to avoid them fighting over space.
So, how often will they need a bath?
How often should you bathe parakeets?
An important distinction to make here is that you aren’t necessarily “bathing” your parakeets yourself.
You won’t be picking them up, putting them into the water, and scrubbing them with your hands.
You don’t really need to be involved in the process at all—they can do that on their own.
So, you’re really just going to leave the birdbath out for them to use at their own leisure.
They should have clean water in their bath every day. Some parakeets will diligently bathe themselves every day.
Others will be a bit sloppier. In any case, they should be able to bathe every day if they want to.
So, give them clean water in their bath every day.
You can encourage them to bathe, by drawing their attention to the bath and trying to get them into it.
Of course, you shouldn’t force it, but a bit of gentle encouragement can go a long way.
If you place the bath in the cage at the bottom, then they will get more used to it as time goes on and may be more enthusiastic about bathing after a short while.
How do I get my parakeet to use a bird bath?
If your parakeet just doesn’t seem to want to bathe, then there are a couple of important pieces of advice to keep in mind.
Again, remember that your bird will likely take time to get used to the bath.
At first, it will be curious and inquisitive, and even a bit nervous.
That’s depending on the bird, of course.
Some will be more enthusiastic and will jump in right away.
But if it doesn’t seem keen straight away, the first thing to do is give it time.
You can put your own fingers in the water to show them that it’s safe and something they should be interested in.
Do this for a few days, and your parakeet should eventually get used to it.
Once it’s used to it, it should start jumping in by itself.
If not, again you can try to gently encourage it into the water with your hand.
But, again, do not force it—if they don’t want to go in, they don’t want to go in!
Eventually, they will succumb to the need to bathe.
There’s not much you can do if your parakeet just isn’t particularly keen on daily baths!
But that doesn’t mean you can’t help them get a bit of a wash.
Do parakeets like being sprayed with water?
Whether or not your parakeet likes a bath, something you can always do on top of that is lightly spraying or misting them with water.
This is something they will almost certainly love, although they may take a bit of time to get used to it.
This is particularly great if your parakeet doesn’t like a bath, they may just prefer a shower!
Of course, all the same caveats apply.
Don’t force it if they don’t seem to like it, and make sure to get them used to the idea lightly at first.
Don’t just start spraying away, and obviously make sure they spray bottle you are using doesn’t spray with too much force.
This can be a great addition on top of a daily bath, or a shower for those who don’t like the bath.
How do you dry a parakeet after a bath?
Ideally, you won’t dry the parakeet yourself—they will air dry themselves over the course of time.
It’s really important that you make sure there are not drafts or that the room in general is not too cold for them, as being wet and cold can have serious adverse health effects.
If they can get a sunny spot through a closed window, this is the perfect way for them to get dry.
Don’t try and use a towel or anything like that. It will just be far too forceful for the little bird.
Give them space to dry themselves.
What temperature water should parakeets use to bathe?
As long as the room itself is at a comfortable 70 degrees Fahrenheit at least, then room temperature water is just fine.
You can always experiment, as your parakeet may like it a little bit warmer or even a little bit colder.
It’s not easy to tell, but what you can do is lay out multiple baths at different temperatures and see which one it likes the most.
Obviously, make sure it isn’t too hot, or this could be a problem for them.
But like I say, they will be fine with water straight out of the tap as long as the rest of their room is warm enough.
Do parakeets need to bathe in winter?
Yes, parakeets need to bathe in the winter just as any other time of year.
Your parakeet really should not experience “winter” in any sense.
The temperature should be constant in its habitat throughout the year, so it won’t even really notice that winter is happening.
So, yes, your parakeets need to bathe in the winter, and nothing about their routine should really change for the winter.
Of course, from your point of view, you may need to adjust heating to make sure they are kept at a comfortable temperature.
Can parakeets bathe in a fountain?
Yes, parakeets can bathe in a fountain.
Again, this is another great choice if your parakeet doesn’t seem to like the bath.
They may prefer to stand under a fountain and be bathed that way.
Parakeets are often found of sitting under faucets and letting the water wash over them.
There are many dedicated bird fountains you can buy which you can have on at all times more or less.
This again gives them the choice to bathe whenever they want.
So, overall, their bathing needs are pretty simple.
Just make sure they have enough room temperature water on hand for whenever they feel like having a bath.
They will take care of the rest by themselves, and they’ll be much happier for it!
Their feathers can attract all sorts of mess that will come to bother them a great deal if they can’t clean it—so give them a bath!