Caring For an African Grey Parrot
Like toddlers, African grey parrots can be bored quickly and require lots of mental stimulation to avoid behavioral issues. If they aren't stimulated, they could become destructive or even start screaming.
Highly intelligent, they are arguably the best mimics among all species of parrots. They can recognize human speech. The trade in pets and habitat destruction are the main threats to them.
Feeding
The diet requirements of African greys differ from other large psittacines. They are omnivores, but prefer seeds over fruit and vegetables.
In captivity they are more likely to eat fruit and leafy vegetables than seeds. They also are prone to obesity and calcium deficiencies which is why it is essential for owners to monitor the quality of their diets. Pellets or complete crumbles should comprise 75% of a parrot's diet and it is recommended that they are sourced from quality brands like Harrisons, Murphy's or Vetafarm.
Ideally the diet should comprise a mixture of pellets and fresh foods. A good ratio is 60% pellets, 10% seeds and 30% fresh food. The best choices are spinach, kale, silverbeet, pakchoi, sweetcorn, carrots, and broccoli. Sprouting grasses and native plants like dandelion greens, okra and okra are also beneficial. Avoid cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower and cabbage, because they contain high levels of oxalic acids which may hinder calcium absorption in the body.
Nuts are an excellent source of nutrients to your diet, but they should be fed sparingly because of their fat content. They are rich in proteins, healthy fats as well as vitamins and minerals.
The rest of your diet should be an assortment of fruits and veggies. It's best to avoid avocado because it is toxic to the psittacines. Other common toxic food includes alcohol, coffee, chocolate and raw potatoes. In the same way, if a parrot consumes too many berries, they can suffer from yeast-related issues in their digestive tract.
A balanced diet is a great option to keep an African grey parrot content and healthy. It is important to watch the bird's weight, and to provide new food items in small amounts. The bird's weight is measured every day. This will allow you to quickly observe any changes and then correct them. Giving the bird water regularly is an excellent idea too. This will help prevent dehydration and bacteria-related infections. Unfinished food in the cage or in the play area may be spoiled and cause health issues for your bird.
Training
Parrots can easily learn how to speak. However, it may take them a few days or weeks to repeat the words they hear. A parrot that is trained well can also perform simple tricks and respond to cues. These activities keep the bird's mind stimulated and stop them from getting bored. In the event of boredom, it can lead to undesirable behaviours like feather-picking and destructive chewing. These issues require intervention from a professional.
It's crucial to prevent over-bonding as a pet that becomes too attached to a person can become territorial and agressive toward others. This could be harmful for children as well as the elderly or people with allergies. To prevent this from happening, all members of the household should spend time every day with the parrot in various ways. This will make the bird more comfortable with being loved by the family and decrease the likelihood that it will develop an overprotective behaviour.
A bird that is tied to one person is likely to begin pecking and biting at other family members or visitors when they attempt to pet it or even touch it. To prevent this from happening the entire family should take turns petting the bird before placing it in its cage. If a parrot exhibits aggressive behavior it should be returned to its cage for a short time and not handled until it is calmed down.
Be aware of "pinfeathers" or "blood feathers" during pet-loving sessions. These feathers contain a blood supply and may bleeding when touched. If a bloody feather or pinfeather is found to be exposed and bleeds, it should be removed immediately and replaced by another one.
Family members should also be taught to greet and say goodbye to the bird. The bird should be taught how to label toys or food. This will allow you to train the bird to speak and will also enable it to communicate with family members, without having to be physically near them.
Health
The African grey parrot is considered to be one of the smartest animals in the world. However, it can become bored and engage in destructive behavior if it is not provided with enough toys or ways to exercise their mind. It also requires a lot of mental stimulation in order to avoid self-mutilation, feather picks, and excessive screams. Parrots are not inexpensive pets to own - the initial costs are expensive and they require constant new toys that can be destroyed quickly, plus food. They are also susceptible to infections, which can be costly to treat.
These birds are extremely social and require lots of interaction with humans, which includes hours of playing games, solving puzzles, and learning lessons. To stay healthy and strong they should be active for hours every day and out of their cage. The cage should be large enough for them to move freely and spread their wings. It must be clean, safe and constructed from non-toxic materials. It should include a variety of perches, with different heights and textures so that the birds can move between them. They also need a roost, usually a tall wooden post or a concrete perch at the corner of the cage.
Parrots must have access to fresh water at all times, and it should be replaced every day. They should be fed a variety of dark leafy greens and other vegetables and should limit their treats to 10% of their diet. They should be served a wide range of nuts and seeds as well. Around 75% of their food should consist of high-quality pellets or granules.
The majority of parrot-related diseases are caused by long-term diet imbalances. Small irregularities can be manifested as poor growth, bad plumage quality or breeding performance. More severe changes could be a sign of specific disease-related entities. Many of these can be avoided by regular check-ups by an avian vet and appropriate diet management.
Care
African greys require mental stimulation and lots of attention to be happy. If a bird is bored, it may exhibit negative behaviors such as aggression, self-mutilation, or feather grabbing. It is important to have regular veterinary examinations as well as fecal screening and vaccinations done to ensure that your pet stays healthy.
African greys form monogamous couples and incubate eggs for between 21 and 30 days. They take care of their babies until they reach around 10 weeks old. They are able to fly and are among the most intelligent species of birds. They live for a long time, and often outlive their owners, making them a beloved pet in the world.
They are extremely adaptive and are able to adapt to different environments. However they prefer a natural habitat with lots of trees and perches. They can use their feet to balance and perch - with two facing back on each foot and two facing forward on each foot, exactly like humans do. Their beaks are short and have an upper mandible that fits over the lower. congo african grey parrot helps them break open seeds, nuts and wood.
In the wild, African greys will eat nuts, fruits seeds, dark leafy greens as part of their balanced diet. However, seeds should only make less than five percent of the total diet. They should be supplemented with high-quality, formulated pellets or crumbles that prevent the emergence of pickiness. They should also be provided with various fresh fruits, vegetables and cooked beans and legumes. Water that is fresh and clean should always be available and cage maintenance is essential on a regular basis. Supplements like calcium and vitamin D may be necessary if the diet isn't nutritionally complete.
The World Parrot Trust works tirelessly to protect Grey & Timneh parrots as well as their habitats, but their populations are in decline due to illegal trade and captive breeding. Fortunately, they are protected by the Endangered Species Act in the United States as well as the Wild Bird Conservation Act. They also receive the highest level of protection under CITES. Learn more about these fascinating birds in our parrot encyclopedia!