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Post by Scratchpost on Oct 13, 2022 13:08:56 GMT -7
Hi everyone,
It's summer in SA at the moment and the temp reaches about 30-32 degrees Celsius from about 11am-3pm. Aka hates the spray bottle and tries to attack it (it doesn't matter what the bottle looks like or the type of spray) when he see's it. I know he needs sunshine to be healthy, but at the moment this isn't really possible because I can't put him in the sun safely.
I have tried putting a small bird-bath in the cage filled with rocks for him to stand on and his favourite fruit or peels (like orange or tangerine) as incentive, but he picks at the peels from outside the bath and just doesn't get it. Do you have any advice on how to get him to bath so he can cool down? I am at a loss here, I have tried every type of favourite food, every type of safe rock on the bottom, and different temperature's for the water. I don't want to force him because that will have the opposite effect, but I''m scared of him over heating when he's in the sun.
Thanks.
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Post by Jane on Oct 14, 2022 1:03:37 GMT -7
We had a heatwave in the summer and temperatures got that high. Monty and Mitzi didn't show any concern about it.
I think if Aka was uncomfortable he would be panting or holding his wings out.
It is difficult with water because some Greys just don't like it. Mitzi never used to like it but I kept trying with a very small spray bottle (5 inches by one inch) and she tolerates it now although she has never been as keen as Monty.
You could try getting your hand wet and then dripping some drops on him while you are holding him to see what he thinks about that, or playing with the water yourself, picking up the peels and splashing them about. They often show more interest in something if you are showing interest as well.
Make sure he always has the choice of being out of the sun.
Jane
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Post by Scratchpost on Oct 14, 2022 3:08:48 GMT -7
Hi Jane,
That's the problem, after about ten minutes, he was panting and holding his wings out. I got him into the shade as soon as I saw but it took a long time for him to cool down. I will get another water fountain (we had a solar-powered one for the cage but it last two months) and see if he'll bath with that.
Great thanks, I will do that with the water and peels, the bath is in a sunny area in the cage but where his food and chop is, there is shade so he can go to shade when he needs to. The last time (after he over-heated), he didn't even look at the bath and only stayed in the shade with his food.
I'll let you know how it goes with the peels etc.
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Post by Jane on Oct 14, 2022 4:56:11 GMT -7
Have you got a little fan you could use, a little hand held one but he might be frightened of that. I had a hand held one that was useful during the heatwave (for me) and Mitzi was interested in it rather than frightened of it, surprisingly.
Jane
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Post by Haz on Oct 16, 2022 9:10:28 GMT -7
I never put Chy in the sun when the temperature is too high. She stays in the air-conditioned house. She also hates water and being sprayed.
Haz
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Post by Scratchpost on Oct 18, 2022 8:15:05 GMT -7
Hi Jane,
I don't have one at the moment but I will get one ASAP. I think I could hide it behind something that he knows is there (his cage sits next to my husband's desk so I could put the fan behind a speaker etc.
Hi Haz,
Yeah I have had to stop the sun times for the moment, when its cloudy I put him in front of the sun if it isn't too hot. We went out over the weekend and he put one foot in his bath to get to something in the middle of it while we were outside so I think we are making progress.
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Post by Adele on Oct 28, 2022 16:25:11 GMT -7
Can you give him a shaded area where he can step under when he's outside? I used to let my guys outside up to 35C, but it was not humid at all. They had plenty of shade though. They didn't go in the water bath really and just hung out in the shade. Sometimes they'd be in the sun and get all hot, then cool off in the shade. As long as there is shade, they should be able to self-manage.
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