How to properly dry your bird after it gets wet from a bath, shower, or rain!
For the longest time, I enjoyed bathing my birdie and even going to the shower with him, but I was always confused whether to air or blow dry him after.
For that reason, I went on a little and fun research-cum-discovery expedition in the interwebs and local bird groups to find out what other bird (much so parrot) owners prefer.
And lucky for you, I’m going to let you in on the brilliant and cool hacks I discovered in the post.
Now, air drying and using a hair drier to dry your bird’s feathers are both efficient ways, and from what I gathered, none is less superior to the other.
The only caveats are airdrying takes up more time, so it’s best when you have a while to spend at home, such as on weekends and holidays.
Whereas using an air drier is faster, but you need to make sure you do not dry your birdies plumage too much.
How Do You Dry Your Bird Easily and Quickly
Using a hair drier (blow-dry) is a lot easier and faster than putting your bird out in a cage or aviary to air dry, but you run the risk of overdrying your birdie, which may cause skin irritation.
You generally do not want your birdie’s feathers to lose all moisture, so set your hairdryer on a low warm or cool setting when using it on your bird.
Now, this might be your only option during colder months or when you do not have the luxury of air drying your bird because of time or what have you.
But in Summer, when the air outside is a little warmer, let your feathery friend dry out naturally.
Parrots and most birds kept as pets at home have a body temperature of between 104 to 105 F, which allow them to dry quickly and naturally in Summer.
On overcast days or if you stay in an area with bipolar weather (did someone say the UK, or is it more a tropics thing), start by wiping your small one-off with a towel, then put him on their perches or outside in an aviary.
During the little expedition I mentioned above, I also came across this pretty awesome hack from Gimby, a contributor on Avian Avenue, a bird owners forum, which works pretty well.
He says…
Before I bathe my parrot🦜, I set up his cage with a blanket covering three sides of the pen and hook a hairdryer to the outside. I then turn on the drier to heat the space while bathing my birdie.
After bath time 🛀, I place my small one in his preheated cage as they dry, keeping a close eye on him, of course.
My bird loves it! He preens and fluffs as he dries. It’s like a birdie’s sauna🧖♀️.
Should You Dry Your Parrot After A Bath, Shower
In hindsight, maybe we are talking about drying your bird after a bath, and you never do, and the best this post is doing is vex you. Well, it’s recommended you dry your birdie after a bath, but it’s not a crime if you don’t.
It depends a lot on your local area weather and how you’ve accustomed your birdie.
If you live in a warmer climate, for instance, Australia or the tropics, where the air temperature is rarely cold and wet, your bird will dry naturally in a short while, so drying him is not too necessary.
Yes, you can wipe him lightly with a dry towel, but that’s pretty much all you have to do.
But for owners further North, drying your birdie after a bath is more necessary, more so during Winter.
Leaving your feathery pet with too much water on his plumage for a prolonged period in such weather (cold) will make him catch a cold or even a respiratory infection like pneumonia.
Sneezes and coughs with watery mucus discharge from the nose after a bath are classic tell-tale signs your birdie is cold, and you should consider drying him (her) if you notice this.
Of course, the said signs are more common in parrots (and birds) native to the tropics in South America and Africa, kept by owners living further North of the equator and slightly South of the poles.
Having said all that, please note some birds hate the idea of baths, meaning you’ll need a lot of work and patience to find the suitable washing for them.
Moreover, some dislike the hairdryer and won’t let you dry them off. Of course, if you push them too hard, you get a well-placed bite or scratch.
In which case, the best alternative would be to let your parrot (or what have you) dry naturally in an outdoor aviary.
Should I Let My Bird, Parrot Air Dry
Yes, you should let your bird air dry. It’s arguably better than using a hairdryer (blow-dry), considering it is natural for them, but make sure you do not expose a wet bird to cold wind.
Ideally, you want to let your bird out of the cage in a warm area of the house or an outdoor aviary with access to the sun and let them preen themselves dry.
After a while, he should be dry, but also make sure he does not stay in the sun too long, more so if he is not accustomed to basking outside.
If the weather is a little gloomy for your birdie to dry adequately, you can start by giving him a good wipe with a clean, dry towel before you place him outside.
As you would expect (and mentioned above), some climates support air drying your bird a lot better than others.
Winter weather is less desirable than spring or fall weather.
Summer weather is the best for your bird to dry outside, but not Southern summer with the risk of heatwaves. Essentially, the sun is good for birds, but as with everything under it, too much of it sucks.
Ambient temperature above 104 F is about what is ideal for your birdie.
Why is Your Bird Shaking After A Bath, Shower
I know this is a little off from the discussion we were having in this post, but its a question that comes quite often when we discuss bathing our birds.
So, it’s only fair I talk about it briefly!
See, your bird is capable of drying itself through its body heat and with assistance from the ambient temperature, which explains the shivers.
The same way your body shivers to warm up when you get out of the pool or cold shower is pretty much what your bird does after bathing.
A slight shaking of the feathers that shivers invoke also helps a bird shake off excess water, although it’s not the primary cause for the shivering.
That’s all for this post!
Lovely baths with your little feathery friend🦜🐦.
See you on the next one🙋♀️👋🙋♂️.