Ask Lafeber

Lovebird Bathing

Hey, i have 3 lovebirds, do they need bath, cause they stink… cause they dont bath, is it very important?

Hi Moses,

Your birds should not have a bad odor. They preen their feathers with an oil gland, and stay clean that way. Not all pet birds choose to bathe. But even if they do not, they still should not smell bad. It sounds more like the cage is not being cleaned. The cage should be cleaned daily – they need clean paper or bedding in the cage tray every day. About once a week you need to wipe down the bars and cage grate, clean any perches that have droppings on them and clean the bottom of the cage thoroughly.  Food and water need to be changed daily and the water bowl washed daily. The food dishes should be cleaned when they get soiled, and any with fresh foods should be cleaned daily. These are guidelines – in some cases the floor grate may need daily cleaning or perches and toys might need more cleaning. If your cage is clean and the birds still have an odor, then you should take them to an Avian Vet to find out what is wrong to cause this odor.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda