Providing Options Parrots love options and should be allowed as many as possible. When bathing or showering your bird you should provide the option of it being able to go in and out of the water at will. To follow a bird with spraying water and not recognizing the need for the bird to retreat to a drier area can cause frustration for your bird. I have always suggested that water be sprayed over one area, allowing the bird to enter and exit at will. In this instance the parrot will tend to exhibit a more natural bathing behavior, appreciate your ability to understand his need for this, and a greater level of trust with the human caretaker will be developed.
Many birds are frightened of spray bottles.
The use of this behavior modification technique in dealing with parrots can be very detrimental to the psychological well- being of the parrot. In taking something as natural as water and employing it in an unnatural manner may make a bird resistant to the bathing process. If your bird is frightened of the spray bottle, and you are uncertain of the bird's history, it may be safe to assume that it has had a negative experience with this object. Examine another method or approach in bathing and find one that your bird will respond positively to.