Buddy won’t bathe!!

[ladybird]

I am trying to get Buddy now about 14 weeks to like bathing.   He is a very timid bud and things scare him easily.    I have tried a shallow dish on top of his cage and at the bottom of his cage, but he is too scared to go near.  I have tried a spray mist, he hated it and  now if he sees the spray bottle he is scared.   I have tried a big bunch of wet herbs hanging in his cage and he won’t go near it…..
    He has started his first mould and is itchy and I think he would benefit from a bath but I can’t think of anything else and don’t want to loose his trust…….., As I say he is very timid and we do have a nice bond….he sits with me and plays round my neck but I can’t introduce any new toys or  even move quickly he easily spooks and goes back to his cage……..
so any ideas about  bathing ?   Or would you just leave it…….I don’t want to push him and frighten him…….

[Loz]

My experience:
None of my budgies so far like bathing. I've had Mr Hibs and Herman join Chocobo in the bath (Chocobo loves the bath) and stand around in it, but generally - some of the budgies prefer to let Chocobo give them a shower, most budgies like to drink from the bath but none of them will get in it on their own (or most cases, at all). Chocobo isn't best pleased to share her bath and sometimes shows it.
As far as my flock is concerned - until I get a budgie who loves bath-time, and encourages the others, none of my buds will be bathers.

[ladybird]

Buddy is the first bud I have had that doesn’t like water……Charlie used to like sitting in my hands under the running tap.  

[ladybird]

Well I never!! This afternoon I tried the casserole lid on top of his cage again…..he climbed up the front of his cage and jumped straight in! He paddled around for ages and then had a good splash around….. what funny little creatures we own 😀😀. Good boy buddy 👏👏

[blueelephant]

Sounds like Barney. He's very particular. Some days he insists on a taxi to the kitchen sink where he has a drink from the tap and then walks back up my arm. Other days he is full on in there fluffed up and showering under the dribble of water.

Toby, likes a spray and a bath in a dish or a bowl, as did Finlay. The spray terrifies Barney and he simply will not entertain standing in water.

I'm glad to hear today was the day for the casserole dish. They do make me laugh with how they are so fickle!

[Marianne Marlow]

They do like to surprise you don't they

[tweetiepiesmom]

My two love a bath. I have a bird bath that attaches to the inside of the cage. I put it in and then put the water in the 'tub'. After I put it in the cage, Buddy comes running, standing inside the empty tub looking at me with an expression that says 'pour that water in'. They splash around getting their cage and everything wet. That's when I thoroughly clean the cage.

[Hezz]

While he has now gone in for a bath, don’t fuss about budgies not bathing. They are a desert bird who have evolved to clean themselves on the drips off the tips of leaves, and while most do love to jump in for a good old splash around, not all do. Smudge never did until she had to have her preening gland op. You could have knocked me down with a feather when I first saw her tippy-toe in for a splash after however many years.

And they bath when they want to, or need to. I’ve found the best time to get them into the water is when they are out getting some sunshine.

[Ira]

Mine have all been different. I have some who rarely bathe and have had others who would jump in several times every day (looking at you, Peri).
Munchy would bathe at most twice a week if he was moulting, and then not again for several months. So with him I would take him into the bathroom when I showered and he'd come in if he wanted to. It was especially good once my grandparents had turned the bathroom into more of a wet room because there was no bath anymore, so I just used to put Kevin the ball on the floor and then Munchy would run around the glass panel to get into the water if it took his fancy.

Pippin and Aster will only bathe in the fountain.
Yuki will bathe in either the fountain or my hands.
And Gwen and Indie seem to prefer my hands, although Indie is not much of a bather, he usually just waddles in for a drink.

[Budgie Boo]

My budgie Boo used to like having a bath then went completely off them we used to offer him them and he would just ignore them.But what we found was to try offering different items to bath in, some he would others he wouldn’t. One day while washing my hands he was sitting on my shoulder he saw the water splashing in my hands and went down to have a shower it was so funny, just make sure the waters is tepid and not flowing to strong

[Budgiefeets]

Our female budgie only bath 1-2 times a year !
each time i show her the water then she drinks a bit and fly away while chirping in protest.
Like she sais " no i dont want a bath"

Also when i need to show her new things or new places to sit, then i have her on my finger and then i touch or tap
the things with my other hand while she watches, that way she understands its not dangerous if i touch it first.

[lemonora]

They are completely different
It comes down to their individual personalities
We have Elsa (our princess) she bathes a lot we have the fountain and she would go in a couple of times a week 🥰
But on the other hand her brother Tutu we had him for over 4 years before he passed a few months ago, he would go stand on the edge of the founrain while she’s bathing and drink from it, act like he was going in but NEVER did, he never had a single bath his whole life, but was squeaky clean (as Hezz said) they can clean themselves really well
They are amazing mind blowing little creatures 🥰🐥
And we are so lucky that we have the chance to have them in our lives ❤️