Caring For an African Grey Parrot
Similar to toddlers, African grey parrots can become bored quickly and require plenty of stimulation to avoid problems with their behavior. If they don't get enough stimulation, they could become destructive or even start screaming.
Highly intelligent, they are arguably the best mimics among all species of parrots. They can comprehend 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. Although they are omnivores in the wild, they prefer seeds over fruits and vegetables.
In captivity they are more likely to consume fruit and leafy greens than seeds. It is also crucial to check the quality and quantity of their diets as they are prone to excess weight and calcium deficiency. Pellets or complete crumbles are suggested to comprise 75% of a bird's daily diet.
Ideal diets should consist of pellets as well as freshly prepared meals. A good ratio is 60% pellets, 10% seeds and 30% fresh food. Kale, spinach and silverbeet are among the top choices. Also native plants and spurgeoning grasses such as dandelion leaf, endive and sweetcorn are beneficial. Avoid cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and cauliflower as they contain high levels of oxalic acids, which hinder calcium absorption in the body.
Nuts are an excellent source of nutrients to your diet, but they should be eaten sparingly due to their fat content. They are rich in protein, healthy fats and vitamins and minerals.
The rest of your diet should consist of a mix of fruits and vegetables. It is best to stay clear of avocado because it is toxic to psittacines. Other food items that are toxic include alcohol, coffee, chocolate and raw potatoes. If a parrot eats excessive amounts of fruits, they could develop yeast issues in the gastrointestinal tract.
A balanced diet is the best way to keep your African grey parrot healthy and happy. It is crucial to keep an eye on the bird's weight, and to introduce new foods in small quantities. The bird's weight is measured every day. This will allow you to quickly detect any changes and correct them. It's also a good idea to provide the bird with fresh water on a regular basis. This will help prevent the onset of dehydration as well as bacterial infections. It is also important to take away any food items that are not consumed from the cage or play area because it will spoil and could cause health issues for your pet.
Training
Parrots are very intelligent creatures and are able to easily learn to speak, although they may take days or even weeks to repeat back the words they hear. A well-trained parrot will also respond to signals and perform simple tricks. These activities keep a bird's mind engaged and keep them from becoming bored. The boredom of birds can trigger unwelcome behavior like feather picking and destructive chewing. These problems require professional intervention.
It is important to stop bonding in the bud as if a bird becomes totally attached to a single member of the family, it can become territorial and aggressive towards others. This can be very dangerous for people with disabilities, children or those with allergies. To prevent this from happening, everyone in the household must spend time each day playing with the bird and playing with it in a variety of ways. This will help the bird feel more comfortable being touched by all members of a family and reduce the likelihood that it will develop over protective behavior.
When a parrot is bonded with a single person, it may bite and peck at other family members or guests who try to pet or handle it. To prevent this from happening family members should take turns in petting the bird or placing it into its cage. If a parrot is displaying aggressive behavior it should be returned to its cage for a short time and not handled until it has calmed down.
During the petting sessions Be aware of areas that are referred to as "blood feathers" or "pinfeathers." These feathers have a blood supply, and can bleed when touched. If a bloody feather pinfeather is found to be exposed, it must be clipped immediately and replaced with a new one.
In made a post to a petting session, family members should be taught to say goodbye and hello to the parrot. They should also be taught to teach the bird how to identify items, like food or toys. This will help train the bird to speak, and will also allow it to communicate with family members without being physically near them.
Health
While the African grey is one of the most intelligent parrots in the world, it is bored and use destructive behaviors in the absence of toys or other methods to exercise its mind. It also needs a great amount of mental stimulation in order to avoid self mutilation, excessive screaming and feather picking. Parrots can be costly pets to have. The initial costs are expensive, and they require constant new toys that get destroyed quickly. They also are susceptible to infections and can be expensive to treat.
These highly social birds require lots of interaction with their humans, including hours of playtime involving games and puzzles as well as lessons. To stay strong and healthy they must exercise for hours a day and escaping their cage. The cage should be large enough for them to move around freely and spread their wings. It must be clean, safe and made of non-toxic materials. It should come with a variety of types of perches with varying sizes and textures, so that they can change between them. They also require a roost, usually an elevated wooden post or an elevated concrete perch in the corner of the cage.
Parrots need access to water that is fresh at all times, and it must be replenished every day. They should be fed a variety of dark leafy greens and vegetables and treats should be limited to 10% of their diet. They should be provided with an array of nuts and seeds, as well. High-quality formulated pellets or crumble should make up around 75% of a diet.
Most disease problems in parrots are the result of long-term food inconsistencies. Minor issues can result in poor growth, bad plumage quality, or poor breeding performance. More significant changes may manifest themselves as specific disease entities. Many of these can be prevented with regular well-checks by an avian veterinarian and proper diet management.
Care
African greys require mental stimulation and lots of attention to be content. If a parrot becomes bored, it can become depressed and may exhibit negative behaviors such as aggression, self-mutilation and feather-picking. It is important to have routine veterinary exams including fecal screening, vaccinations and feces performed to ensure that your pet stays healthy.
African greys are monogamous and form dedicated pair bonds which incubate eggs for up to 30 days, and caring for the infants until they are about 10 weeks of age. They can fly and are among the most intelligent species of birds. They have long lives and often outlive their human owners, making them popular pets across the world.
They are extremely adaptable and can easily adjust to many different environments, but they prefer a natural habitat with lots of trees and perches to explore. They can use their feet to balance and perch, with two faces back on each foot and two facing forward on each foot, exactly as humans do. Their short beaks have a curved upper mandible that is a perfect fit over the lower one to aid in cracking open seeds and nuts, and their strong grip could cut through bark and wood.
In the wild, African grays will eat dark leaves, greens, seeds and nuts as a part of healthy diet. But, seeds should make only five percent of the total diet and should be supplemented by high-quality formulated pellets and crumbles that prevent pickiness. Also it is recommended to provide an assortment of fresh vegetables, fruits, and cooked beans and lentils. Water that is fresh and clean should always be available, and cages must be cleaned regularly. If the diet is not adequate, supplements like vitamin D or calcium may be required.
The World Parrot Trust works tirelessly to protect Grey and Timneh parrots as well as their habitats, however, their population is declining due to illegal trade and captive breeding. Fortunately, they are protected under the Endangered Species Act in the United States as well as the Wild Bird Conservation Act. They also enjoy the highest protection under CITES. Find out more about these incredible birds in our parrot Encyclopedia!