Most parrots have an oil gland that drains into the base of their tail, however, this organ is absent in Amazon parrots, which includes Piper. Technically he was hatched in Florida, but his species hails from the forests of South America. The gland performs many functions, including waterproofing and keeping the skin, feathers and beak supple. Bathing is very important for feather maintenance as well as skin hydration, especially if sans gland. Feathers, for the most part, are self-cleaning due to powder down which continuously develops on parrots and falls off, carrying dirt away. The shower rinses off dust and surface dirt, moisturizes the feathers, and makes it easier for the parrot to preen (groom) themselves.
Piper absolutely loves his weekly showers. LOVES! He knows the word, getting very excited when we say it. Carrying him upstairs while asking, “Do you want a shower?”, well, the wings come out a little, he starts gently flapping them, leaning towards the top of the stairs where the bathroom is located. As you do, we have a whole system for the event, an old fleece blanket is wrapped around the towel bar inside the shower surround. When we bought our house over 30 years ago, there was a towel bar on the one shower wall. When it came time to replace our tub and shower combo, we told our contractor we must have a towel bar inside. He pushed back a little, indicating it would be better for resale if we didn’t add one. Here on Shower Day, we showed him Piper enjoying himself, the next day a towel bar was ordered for the new bathroom.
One time at a pet store picking up some of Piper’s snack treats, I waited in the car while my husband ran in to get them. He came out without the tasty morsels, obviously excited by something he had seen. He said they had a special hose that attaches to your shower head, with multiple “tropical” spray options. “Should I get it?,” he asked. I just looked at him without saying a word, he responded in kind, turned and went back to the store. To this day, on our second hose, by the way, we joke that we are suckers. One hundred percent bonafide suckers. The hose is most assuredly nothing special, but we spoil our boy and proudly wear the title.
Mister Rain, “Daddy” to Piper, is the Shower Administrator. He used to shower with Piper, calm down, nothing to see here, not that kind of website, but would get too cold always having the warm water on Piper and not himself. Now Daddy closes the shower curtain, only leaving space to stand outside the tub while holding the hose.
Piper is placed on his blanketed perch, he knows exactly where to go when his daddy first raises the nozzle to point the spray towards the wall behind him so he is not getting blasted by a . . . ahem . . . tropical spray. He will stand like a statute, eyes closed, obviously in bliss. You know he’s really into it when the wings come out to be made completely wet. Sometimes he runs to the other side of the towel bar, but then will run back for more water. Daddy keeps his non-hose hand on the far end of the towel bar, and when Piper is done, he will bump his daddy’s hand with his beak.
When he comes out of the shower, he’s placed on mommy’s towel on another bar, where he immediately wipes his beak, as he is not a fan of anything on it. There is also a big shake, you would be surprised how much water goes flying everywhere. If he’s on your shoulder, you will be the one needing to dry off your beak! In case you’re wondering, wet bird smells like wet dog.
Fridays have become Piper Day here on Sister Rain. But Wednesdays are Piper Shower Day in this house. Often that night I will be taking a bath, calm down, nothing to see here, not that kind of website, and there will be a feather on the shower wall, which makes me smile. That’s the thing about Piper’s happiness. Wet or dry, it sticks to you.
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