African Greys–5 Things That You Can Do They Will Mean The Most To Your Parrot

African Grey Parrots are some of the most intelligent, well spoken, and beautiful pet birds available for adoption today. Because of their many fine qualities they are also one of the most sought after parrot species for pets.

With proper care their life span can easily exceed 50 years. And here are 5 things that you can do for your Grey that really matter.

1. Spacious Living Quarters–The more space you can provide, the happier you Grey will be. It will reward you in countless ways including but not limited to a great disposition, and a bird that’s always happy to see you. The minimum size for housing should be large enough for your bird to fully spread its wings while facing any direction in the cage.

The bar width should be narrow enough so your bird cannot get its head caught between the bars. And there should be lots of horizontal perches to allow your Grey to climb without restricting its ability to spread its wings. Stainless steel cages are expensive, but they are without doubt the best value for the money. They do not chip, rust, or peel, and they are strong enough to withstand chewing from your parrot’s very strong beak. A stainless cage will last for the life of your bird.

2. Fresh Food and Water- Your parrot will enjoy eating fresh organic vegetables, fruits, sprouted seeds, and a very high quality pellet mix. And it goes without saying that clean water should be available constantly. Be careful not to feed your bird too much Vitamin C if you are using a pellet diet as this can cause its body to absorb too much iron and lead to Iron Overload Disease.

Use your vet as a resource for your birds diet–including what to feed, how much, and how often. It is easy to speak in generalities about Greys, but because each bird is different, talking with your vet who has your bird’s blood work and vitals makes for a more accurate diet that is sure to be appropriate for your particular bird.

3. An Attentive Owner- Providing a good home physically is only a part of what makes a good home for your African Grey. It will need your support in adjusting to your home, and to others in your family. Setting aside at least several hours each day for human interaction will serve you well in making a loyal, friendly, and loving companion.

African Greys have phenomenal vocabularies, and tend to respond with appropriate conversational language. Spending time with them, and encouraging their language skills can be highly rewarding for both you and your bird. Short but daily sessions of 10 minutes or less will yield a parrot that is obedient and a joy to be around.

A bird that is kept alert and engaged is less likely to engage in destructive behaviors such as chewing, biting, and feather plucking. Always praise your bird, and keep training sessions short, and fun.

4. A Great Selection of Toys- Because of their incredible intelligence African Greys can become easily bored. Keep boredom at bay by offering a variety of toys that you rotate in and out of the cage. This keeps new toys appearing constantly and gives them little chance to become bored. Continually inspect toys to make sure they remain safe for play. Remove those that have even the slightest potential of causing harm.

5. A HEPA Air Purifier to Filter Their Air- All birds, parrots included, have highly efficient and sensitive respiratory systems. And when they are kept indoors, unless you actively filter the air, their airways will easily become clogged with dander, feathers, dust and other particulates.

Clogged airways are almost always the beginning of disease and infection. And because your Grey is programmed to keep a stiff upper beak when it is ill, you as owner are often the last to know that they are ill. And often, by then it is too late.

A high efficiency particle arresting air purifier will eliminate the airborne white powder dust that Greys are so well known for, as well as their dander and other particulates as small as .3 microns. Taking these pollutants out will help keep you and your African Grey healthy and happy for many years to come.

Understanding African Greys’ Behavior, Personality, and Sociolization

Personality

Strangely enough for a bird who tends to have such a big tendency to be fearful and neurotic, the African Grey possesses the most stable temperament in the psittacide world.  As much as he can prove to be rather unruly when he is young, further down the line when he reaches maturity hiss temperament becomes calm and thoughtful. In contrast to other parrots, the Grey does not have the inclination to change his personality or behavior during the mating season, which is in my opinion a very big point in his favor.

In that respect you’ll alos be glad to learn about the African Grey’s mating call, or rather the lack thereof. In fact, this parrot does not really have a recognizable mating call per se, which is good news for the heat of spring – when hormones are raging and most parrots are screaming. However sound-wise they can still drive you crazy: African Greys can make their imitation of the microwave oven beep or other electrical appliance every bit as maddening as a repetitive mating call!

Even though they are less popular, Timneh African parrots have a less sullen character than their Congo cousins. They tend to be less nervous and more rebellious, and also more inclined to do silly things to attract their audience’s attention or simply to have fun.

Behavior

The more intelligent an animal is, the more he is at risk of developing behavioral problems, and as you know, the African Grey is extremely intelligent! For example, only attention-hungry Cockatoos engage in more severe feather plucking than Greys do, so their sensitivity has to be taken into account to avoid similar excesses.  

Due largely to his sensitive nature and to his impressive intelligence, the African Grey can react in a very negative way to a clumsy educator or to a coercing training session. This is why training African Greys should never imply forcing them to do what they do not want to, otherwise it is practically certain they will develop a phobic behavior.

Greys only learn through positive reinforcement, therefore educating a Grey should draw more from child pedagogy than from dog training principles.

Socialization

Socialization is a very important consideration when rehoming an African Grey parrot.

In your first days with an African Grey, he will start to weave a very strong link with his perceived partner (be it another bird or a human) and will become totally devoted to him or her. He can become possessive with the latter and aggressive towards their entourage, and even be jealous of his favorite human so much that he will reject all the other members of the family, including other pets.  

A good socialization can prevent that problem. Greys are the most gregarious of all parrots and need to feel accepted as full members of their social group (or human family). On the contrary, lack of socialization in his early days could turn your feathered friend into a neurotic adult parrot.  

In a word, even if you try to socialize your bird as much as you can (and you should), remember that as they are distrusting, shy and anxious by nature, Greys will not very sociable towards strangers, and in general will not get along with children.

The bottom line

In contrast to what is often heard, the African Grey is a very affectionate bird. In his early childhood, when your Grey has not yet developed a high level of mistrust, it is necessary to handle him often and to let him live safe “adventures”, like seeing different places in the house, or meeting different people and realizing they’re not a threat. Teaching him early on that biting is not a means to communicate will also help. After this stage, your Grey will become a lot more ready to accept new humans and new objects in his familiar environment.

African Grey Parrots and Stress

The grey parrots may have many behavioral problems and most of them are caused by the humanâ??s lack of understanding that it is first of all a prey bird and has little to do with a life in captivity. Many people fail to understand that and wonâ??t allow that bird to manifest like a bird.

The grey parrots are exotic birds and come from strange lands. As strange as we find those lands, the same is for the parrots. They are not accustomed with the habits, the language or any other form of communication. A person should accept the parrot because the parrot also tries to understand the human behavior and tries to understand and live in peace with the human being.

Grey parrots caught in the wild are not aggressive when they are in a pair or breeding. They feel fear, which is justified, when they feel the presence of a human being, but they donâ??t have violent reactions. Usually, they share food, they play and they interact in a non â?? violent manner. Strangely, the grey parrots who act more violently while breeding or in pairs are the domestic ones.

The domestic grey parrots have a few reasons to become aggressive:

* They loose the respect and consideration for themselves when they are in captivity.

* They loose the desire to live safe.

* They are affected by human aggression because avian species knows that pain or aggression mean death. Those animals are not used to touches, pokes, pushes, chasing, shaking or striking. Those actions are frightening and dangerous for the parrots.

* Their self confidence, their trust and their comfort are shattered if they are intimidated. Standing over them, or staring at them may have a strong impact on the birds.

* A grey parrot will never trust a person who tries to dominate him or control small aspects of the nature.

* Just as any human being, a grey parrot wonâ??t trust a person who uses sensory deprivation as a mean of punishment for misbehavior.

A comparison between a wild animal and a domestic one would fail from the beginning in every way especially when it comes to birds, which are usually predators. Genetic inheritance eradication would require thousands of generations of selective breeding to obtain a domestic bird like a grey parrot and it is not always possible.

A bird that becomes stressed will start self mutilating or biting or will develop phobias. There are many factors that could induce stress to a bird. When it comes to grey parrots, a person should know what actions stress the bird and try to avoid them in order to keep the trust of the pet.

The grey parrots are intelligent and sensitive birds and they have the tendency to find in the human caregiver the qualities of a teacher, parental figure and mentor. They get attached to their caregiver and expect to be treated with respect and compassion. This is a method that works as well for birds as it does for humans or dogs.

Thinking Of Buying An African Grey Parrot? Part 1

One of the most sought after pet birds in the world is the African Grey. This bird, native to Africa, is considered one of the most intelligent of birds. It’s amazing ability to speak and mimic sounds make it an entertaining companion.

African Greys are a medium sized parrot, predominantly grey, with accents of white. The two most common subspecies are Congo, noted as having a cherry red tail and black beaks, and the Timneh, which is smaller in size, darker gray, with a maroon colored tail and light colored mandible. The Congo is considered the better talker, but both are very capable of talking and equally intelligent.

African Greys have a long and rich history being kept as a pet. Egyption hieroglyphics dating back 4,000 years depict pet parrots. Throughout the Greek, and Roman histories Greys were highly valued for the ability to talk, and kept in very ornate cages. King Henry VIII had one, and Portuguese sailors kept them as companions on long voyages. This probably led to the images of pirates with parrots on their shoulders.

In 2007 the Grey Parrot was uplifted to Near Threatened status by some environmental groups. The international community is prohibiting the capture and import/export of wild caught Greys. In America, it is illegal to import these birds. Therefore, all Greys currently sold have been raised domestically. They are readily available, but can be quite costly

THE COST- When you begin your search for your Grey, you are going to be amazed at the wide price range. A bird breeder in Florida will sell a young Congo for as little as $600. Drive a few hundred miles north and the price jumps to $1000. Walk in to a New York pet shop and you will be lucky to find one for $1500. So why the price variations?

The costs start with the bird breeders. A properly raised handfed Grey require constant attention. Babies must be fed every 2 hours, 24 hours a day. This requires a tremendous amount of labor. Once the baby has been weaned, little is needed except to give the bird constant attention. As the bird gets older, this time must be compensated, so the cost goes up. A 1-year-old Grey now costs as much as $950-$1200. Some breeders who do this for a hobby are not as interested in recovering labor costs, as they do it for the joy of it.

Another factor is location. Birds bred in warm climates require little environmental control, and birds can be raised in outdoor flight cages. In northern climates, they can’t handle the cold weather (remember, these birds are native to Africa) so the cost of housing adds up. Therefore, expect to pay a bit more for birds raised in these areas.

Pet stores very rarely breed their own birds, and depend on “jobbers”, breeders or even wholesale dealers to supply them with birds to sell. They may get a price advantage from buying large quantities of birds, but they also must make a profit for themselves. This explains why pet stores sell Greys for as much as $2000.

Therefore, when you begin your search for your new pet, the key to getting a good price is research and negotiation. Whether you buy from a breeder or pet store is up to you. There are good and bad in both groups. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Call around and find the price range that Greys are being sold for, and make an offer.

HOW MUCH ATTENTION THEY REQUIRE?

African Greys are a highly intelligent bird. They will require a lot of interaction from the owner.

If you want your bird to talk, don’t expect it to happen with those DVD’s, tape recordings or other easy methods. It takes human interaction. Sorry, shortcuts won’t work. You must teach your Grey to talk by starting with short, simple phrases. Be consistent, and reward your pet whenever possible. Greys should begin talking at about 1 year old. But be aware that your bird must want to talk, and many times they never will. In our experience they may not say a word for many years, then suddenly will begin repeating everything they have learned. Just be patient. Move your bird to another room, away from his cage, and work with him for 10 minutes per session. Interact as much as possible. Your Grey will devote itself to you and clamor for your attention.

The Grey does not like to be left alone without attention. They have a tendency for feather plucking and self mutilation. This is a clear sign of stress, insecurity or boredom. Move your bird to an area where the family is at. Place it in front of a window. Be sure your bird has lots of toys. But none of these replaces your interaction with the bird. You need to set aside a part of each day to give your bird attention.

CAGES- There is no such thing as a cage too big. But every bird owner will have their restrictions, and in many cases they look for the smallest cage possible.

African Greys require a medium sized parrot cage. It must be able to spread it’s wings, move freely about, and have room to hang toys and food/water dishes. The minimum preferred size is at least 28 inches. Preferably a cage 36 inches tall to allow for lots of exercise room. Bar spacing should be no wider then 1 inch, as the bird can get it’s head stuck between the bars. The material should be of strong gauge wire, because Africans can easily destroy a cage designed to hold parakeets or cockatiels.

When you buy the cage, keep in mind that you need to clean it frequently. Fancy ornate cages can be very time consuming. Metal cages will rust if not dried thoroughly. Stainless steel cages are preferred, but very expensive.

Examine the cage for dangers such as doors that don’t fit properly. Greys have been known to get their feet caught in entry and feed doors, so look them over. Look for bad welds that may have sharp edges. These are all common with inexpensive cages.

Make sure perches are big enough for your bird. Your Grey will spend much of his time standing on them, and improper perches will result in feet problems. A variety of different sized perches is a great start.

Find bird cages that have replacement food/water cups, and by extra sets. This way, while one set is in the case you can be soaking and cleaning the others. Contaminated water dishes is a major cause for disease, but such a simple problem to fix!

DIET- You can talk to ten different breeders and get ten different answers on this topic…all can be correct. My standard answer? African Greys have the same exact nutritional requirements that humans do. What would happen if you ate seeds and nuts all day long? Why would you expect anything different from your Grey?

Grey’s require a higher protein diet then other birds, and a lot more calcium. By feeding your bird a good quality commercial bird pellet diet, and supplementing it with lots of fruits and vegetables, you will never have a problem. There are commercial diets available formulated specifically for African Greys.

I also disagree with many assertions that Greys should not eat meat. Keep in mind the Grey’s ancestral history of coming from Africa. While they do eat lots of seeds and vegetation, they are also part scavengers. Meat is loaded with protein and high in vitamin B’s, which is missing from a seed and vegetable diet. Pelleted foods add these vitamins and addition protein to correct this, but you can do the same by sharing your meals with your bird. Not only does this improve the birds diet, but it increases the interaction you are having with your bird. But just like humans, don’t overdue it.

Another major source of argument between breeders is whether to give birds milk and dairy products. Here is the scoop…

Milk and dairy products contain lactose. In order to properly digest it, your body produces an enzyme called lactase. Birds do not produce this enzyme, and it’s actually toxic to the bird! Too much milk results in diarrhea, which in turn causes severe medical problems for birds. So the uneducated breeder just removes dairy products from the diet.

But milk also contains a huge amount of calcium and other minerals that are sorely lacking from the birds diet. While this can be replaced with supplements such as cuttlebones or other sources of ground up calcium, it’s still depriving the bird of other vital items it needs in the diet.

African Greys can easily handle small amounts of dairy products. Cheese and yogurt, rich in calcium but low in lactose, is an excellent treat. Be creative… Give your birds an occasional slice of pizza, or a splash of milk over their favorite cereal in the morning. Just don’t overdue it!

LIFE SPAN-African Grey’s, like other larger parrots, have a long lifespan. This fact must be taken into consideration by the new bird owner. What do you do with the bird when you die and the bird outlasts you?

Greys reach the age of maturity from 3-5 years old. A properly raised Grey will live from 35-50 years. It is not unheard of for Greys to live up to 80 years old!

So if you choose an African Grey as a pet, you can expect a very long lasting relationship with him.

Cute African Grey Parrots For Adoption

Owning and taming and African Grey parrot is some thing that bring lots of love in a family as they get along with every one. I have two cute and adorable African Grey parrots ready to met new families.My birds are very lovely and cute. They are very sociable and love to play with other house hold pets and kids. They are very good in identifying letters of the English Alphabet and can repeat words we pronounce. Singing is a part of their daily live. Adopting our birds will mean that you need not worry owning a watch dog because they will always keep you alert as soon as a visitor moves in to your house. They are medically up right and have all their DNA vaccines up to date. they are hand tamed and have very good temperaments. Contact E-mail:(jsimsons@yahoo.com) for more information and pictures

Owning and taming and African Grey parrot is some thing that bring lots of love in a family as they get along with every one. I have two cute and adorable African Grey parrots ready to met new families.My birds are very lovely and cute. They are very sociable and love to play with other house hold pets and kids. They are very good in identifying letters of the English Alphabet and can repeat words we pronounce. Singing is a part of their daily live. Adopting our birds will mean that you need not worry owning a watch dog because they will always keep you alert as soon as a visitor moves in to your house. They are medically up right and have all their DNA vaccines up to date. they are hand tamed and have very good temperaments. Contact E-mail:(jsimsons@yahoo.com) for more information and pictures

Anitha cowan has launched new African Grey Parrot forums

As a bulletin board for the ones who love the African Grey Parrot, greforums.net – even though it has a small community – tries to address issues that the African Grey lovers encounter- Training, feeding, and living with this unique bird, which is considered to be one of the smartest, interesting and most intelligent birds.Young hand-fed African grey parrots may start to mumble human sounds at a few weeks of age.

Just as wild parrots learn natural vocalizations from their parents, companion parrots learn to imitate human sounds from their “surrogate parents.” The first words they learn are usually simple words their owners have repeated often with enthusiasm like ‘Hello’, ‘UP’, ‘Hi!’, or ‘Wanna Bite’. Some greys start talking at a young age while it is not unusual for others to start talking after they are over a year old. I am often surprised when people tell me their greys are not talking, yet I listen to them and I hear words. Parrots learn to talk much like small children.

When they hear certain words over and over, they start practicing the sounds. At first the sounds are simply incoherent mumbling but the proper inflections are often there. This is the origin of much ‘baby-talk’ in humans. Just as small children need an adult to listen carefully to pick up what the child is trying to say, young greys also need a human to reinforce the words they are trying to learn and teach them to say the words correctly. Pay close attention to the mumbling and you will begin to hear the words as they develop. Remember although a grey bappy may be fully feathered and looks much like an adult, they are still learning a great deal. Don’t expect too much. Your six month old baby grey will not learn the “Gettysburg Address.”

Be patient – and work with your youngster even though he may just be mumbling incoherently. Successful learning in intelligent species often requires more maturityGreys who have shown no indication of talking by the time it is 2 or 3 years old may not become good talkers. However, I do know of many exceptions. These are often birds who are placed in new situations where they receive more stimulation and attention. Please do not misconstrue this to mean that if your grey does not talk, he is unhappy with you. Many of the non-talking greys I have met have been contented parrots. Another misconception I have heard is that parrots will not learn anything new after a certain age. This is absolute nonsense. Bongo Marie, my grey who is at least 25 but may be well over 40, is constantly learning new words, expressions, sounds, and even sentences

http://www.greyforums.net http://www.greyforums.net

The African Grey Parrot

THE AFRICAN GREY PARROT (PSITTACUS ERITHACUS)

The African Grey Parrot is restricted to the equatorial forest belt from guinea-Bissau to Kakamega forest in western Kenya. In Uganda, It is found in appropriate habitat across the south of the country, north to Kaniyo Pabidi in Murchison falls protected areas, across the Mabira Forest and Ssese Islands. Different tour companies can organize have guides that can spot this bird like Abacus African Vacations did it for me.

This beautiful Parrot has two described races or forms which are physically different in appearance, the paler nominate, which is scientifically known as Psittacus erithacus in central east Africa and the darker P.E. timneh in the west with a cline of escalating size from West to East. The sexes are similar, the male becoming darker with age and the young bird is told from an adult by a grey, not yellow iris.

It is a big Parrot, slightly covered in size by the grey headed parrot piocephalus suahelicus (seen only in Uganda at Mgahinga and Bwindi, ruhiza national parks) and usually seen flying overhead in flocks of 2-20, uttering a series of screams, screeches, pops, whistles and croaks. Its demand as a very popular household pet is proving to be the cause of its increasing rarity in the wild, through illegal collecting as well as habitat destruction.

There are only 21 species of parrot in Africa compared to 52 in Australia and 70 in south America.

Traditionally, this species would have been far more wide spread within the forest biome, but the fragmentation of forest cover over its range has reduced it to isolated population in pockets of forest.

In Kampala, we see them usually in the morning and evening coming to and from perch. They are particularly fond of oil palm fruits, of which there are many mature trees in Kampala, planted years ago as ornamental specimens.

Birds flock together at night at traditional communal roost sites(in Gabon traditional roosts of 5-10,000 birds have been recorded!) and depart in the morning to fruiting trees sometimes flying great distances to feed.

Being confined to the equator, it does not have seasonal migration pattern but flies far and wide in response to fruiting trees in different seasons. During the rains it will capitalize on fruiting forest trees not traveling very far, but during the dry season it will often move away from the forest into agricultural areas to feed on maize, causing considerable damage to subsistence crops. It can be seen flying over Lake Victoria between the Sesse Islands and Forest patches in and around Masaka, distances of up to 50km.

African greys nest in large trees, in old growth forests that have plenty of dead wood to support naturally occurring cavities. They will use woodpecker holes and lay 2-4 white eggs.

Parrots are the only birds that have a movable maxilla, the upper bill attached hinge like to the skull. They can exert tremendous power with the bill, which is used to open the more stubborn of nuts and fruit. They have the most remarkable feet, using them not just as other birds do, but as hands to hold food items like a stick of sugar cane in the same way that we way that man would. Instead of normal bird feet, three forward one back, they have two toes pointing forward and two back (Zygodactyls). These feet combined with the bill, which it uses to hold onto branches, enable the bird to climb very well along flimsy branches to reach fruit at the tips, giving it an advantage over other birds its size, which are physically unable to climb in the same way.

Given their impressive natural vocabulary and range of calls, they are very well disposed to pick up new sounds in and around their environment. This is a particular attraction for the bird as a pet, which will imitate everything from cell phone to the toilet being flushed!!

Parrots generally live to a great age the famous sulfur-crested Cockatoo at London zoo lived to 126 years old!!

Without the pressures of survival in the wild, African Greys will live up to 60 years in captivity, and around 40-50 in the wild.

If their breeding habitat is removed, they will be seen mistakenly thriving for years, but not breeding. Eventually the population becomes too old to breed and suddenly over a short period of time dies off.

The main predator, other than man , to prey upon African Grey Parrot is the Black sparrow hawk, the largest of the Accipiter family, sometimes seen around Kampala and Entebbe.. The predator is by nature secretive , ambushing its prey from thick cover. Others include Ayres’s Hawk Eagle and African Harrier Hawk ( or Gymnogene) the latter using its specialized long, double jointed legs to reach into the parrot’s nest-hole to reach the chicks.

With old growth forest severely depleted outside of major reserves, breeding habitat can be simulated in suburban areas. Firewood collection has put great pressure on hole nesting species and those which feed on invertebrates, through the collection of dead wood, which in a forest is as important as live wood.

An exciting activity to experiment with is to install parrot nesting boxes. Anyone in Kampala with a garden having medium to large trees, that attract feeding greys, can try putting up different designs to see if they become occupied.

A basic box shape 250 by 250 cm wide by 600cm long with an entrance hole 12 cm diameter may attract parrots to it. It can also attract bees, so caution is advised as to where it is actually placed. I had a pair of brown parrots nest in a box in Muyenga a Kampala suburb as well as a pair of Burchell’s starling at Kawempe. Black and white casqued Hornbills may also greatly appreciate a tea-chest or beer keg sized nest- box, which they readily take to.

There may be as many as 2000 pet African Greys in Kampala ‘, most having been caught in the wild. Bird breeders who rear African Greys are supposed to fit a closed ring to the leg of the Chick before it grows too big. Therefore an adult with closed ring will probably be a captive bred bird.

Guide to the African Grey parrot

The African grey parrot is 14 inches long and it is considered a medium sized parrot. This parrot originates from Africa and that from where he gets his name.

The kings of greys are the African parrots with the red patches. These African greys are known as kings because they are considered superior specie of parrots. Some African greys have been seen that do not have the red patches. This is normally considered an abnormality and the cause of this abnormality is thought to be sickness or malnutrition. The size of the male and female is different; male being 12-14 inches taller than the female African greys.

The African greys are considered as the most intelligent among parrots and this makes it difficult to keep them as pets. You will need to create a more recreational and lively environment to satisfy them. When they start chewing things they are bored and they want to learn new things. They can also feather picking if they are not taught new things and they are bored. African greys are usually kept by those who are expert trainers because their training requires real skill and patience.

The best thing about the African greys is their life span. They live up to 60 years and they will stay with you for the life time if you are able to make them friends with you. You can only do that if you have the skill to handle the bird. They will learn but you will need patience to teach them.

Because this specie of parrots is the most intelligent one, it talks a lot and is considered best talker. It is believed that the African greys are so intelligent that they can understand the actual meaning of the word that they hear often.

The Joy of Owning an African Grey Parrot

The great thing about keeping an African Grey parrot as a pet is that it can form a strong bond with you. Unlike a dog which can fetch a baseball, an African Grey can talk, well at least mimic the sounds you and others around you make, including the telephone and microwave oven.

Just like any other pet, this bird requires all the attention you can give to it. Spend some quality time feeding your bird and you will discover their amazing character and affection. Unlike a cat or a dog, an African Grey parrot can live as long as humans do, and some even outlived their owners. In that sense, it is a great companion to have.

Considering that this bird is going to live with you for a very long time, it will need a big and sturdy cage for comfort, with doors opening on the front and at the top. It will not be a problem to source for a suitable cage because pet shops carry a wide variety of cages for parrots. And with the internet so accessible to anyone, ordering a bird cage from a website is also a good option if there are no pet shops in your area.

Unlike other pet birds, this parrot needs stimulation. Get parrot toys so that your bird can amuse itself during the times you are not at home. The most common ones are plastic rings that you can hang from the top of the cage. They love to bite, climb and hang upside down on the rings.

The African Grey loves dry natural seed and nut mix. You should be able make this yourself with ingredients from the grocery store or supermarket if the pet store is too far away. Fresh cut fruits and vegetables like celery and asparagus are also good for the parrot for the vitamins that they provide.

This parrot likes to be spoken too, especially by its owner. But be careful with the vocabulary that you use because the bird is actually studying all the sounds that you make and registering it in its head. But one good idea is to let it speak your name, home address and telephone number. This is exactly what an owner did and when his African Grey flew away through an opened window, the person who found the parrot managed to return it because the bird kept on repeating its owner’s phone number.

Caring for an African Grey Parrot

African Grey parrots are amazing and beautiful birds. They make perfect companions for the right people. If you are considering purchasing an African Grey for your family, then youâ??ve got to make sure that you are prepared for the responsibility. They require a lot of attention and love from their owners. Follow my tips and youâ??ll have a happy healthy African Grey parrots.

The first thing you will need to do is purchase a proper sized bird cage for your African Grey. The cage you choose should be at least 4 feet long, 3 feet high and 3 feet wide. In all honestly, the bigger the better, so if you can purchase a larger cage then go for it. Next you will need to invest in a perch and some toys for your parrot. Most cages come equipped with a wooden perch. Toss this out and replace it with a softer perch so that your young African Grey can hold onto it easier. When it comes to toys, you will want to have a huge variety to keep your African Grey occupied and entertained when you arenâ??t around. They are easily bored and are known for being destructive with toys, so you will want to purchase organic made materials especially made for African Greys. Once you bring your African Grey home, you will want to establish a feeding schedule. He or she should be fed twice per day and there should always be plenty of fresh, clean water in the cage. African Greys require high quality pellet bird food, as well vegetables and nuts such as, almonds, broccoli, spinach and carrots. Make sure that you have plenty of time to dedicate to your parrot everyday. By interacting with your bird everyday, you will be helping with the socialization process.  You should invest at least one hour per day to interact and talk with your bird. This will greatly increase your birdâ??s overall happiness and it will encourage verbalization, however this may take years to develop.

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