African Grey Parrots
There are many species of parrots in the world. One of these parrots is the African Gray Parrot. It is a brilliant bird that can mimic human speech and any other words it chooses.
Gray parrots are as beautiful as they are intelligent. The exciting thing is that African Gray can use most sounds.
Or you say, “Don’t shake your head,” whenever you give him a piece of banana because he throws it up while eating. Your bird may tell you before you tell him the next time you give him a piece of banana.
Types of African Greys
There are two types of African gray. Congo Gray and Timneh Gray.
Congo Gray. There are many species of African parrots. The Congo Gray is larger than the Timneh. This parrot has red tail feathers and a black beak.
The Timneh Gray: The Timneh Gray is one size smaller than the Congo. It has a slightly brown tail and a slightly reddish beak.
Noise level
Most bird lovers consider the African Grey to be moderately noisy. Unless they imitate other parakeets they live with, most do not scream in the morning and evening as some do.
Please do not misunderstand. African Greys know how to make loud and screeching noises, and they make loud noises whenever they want. If they are upset with a toy or feel they are not being given enough attention, they may choose to make loud noises to express their feelings.
Cuddle Factor
African grays may not have the reputation of being the cutest parakeets, but they can be the best huggers. Much depends on how they were raised as infants and how they are treated after that.
They usually have a favorite, and that will be the cuddler. Experts recommend that when you bring birds home, you socialize with them so that it becomes accustomed to many people.
Still, this is not a guarantee. Some birds will only choose one person they like. My mother’s Congo Grey will let some people pick her up and threaten to bite others. Everyone loves her and treats her kindly. It is his own choice.
Often a bird doesn’t “like” someone because it feels insecure about that person. Please encourage them to relax when handling the parrot. If they seem very nervous, you may want to wait until they are a little more confident.
Sensitivity Factor
Not all parrots have the same characteristics. Some are very sincere, and some are very moody . African Greys are very sensitive to their environment. They are often frightened by unfamiliar sounds, toys, household items, people, and animals.
Try to expose the African Grey to new things and people as much as possible so that it does not become afraid of everything.
Also, making changes in their daily routine can help. Also, make it a habit and do not stress them out about the change. One day you may have to change their routine or leave them with someone else to take care of. Being stuck in a routine can lead to severe behavioral problems.
They know they have behavioral problems.
Some African Greys have a habit of plucking feathers. This is when the bird destructively chews its feathers. Some become bald from the neck down.
Stress, boredom, and feeding problems often play a role. Follow the advice above to reduce stress as much as possible.
Feed a healthy diet appropriate for their type, preferably organic. Chemicals in their food and the fact that they were fed fruits and vegetables while growing up can affect a parrot’s behavior.
Some of the pellets we carry do not even contain artificial vitamins. We highly recommend them for birds suffering from allergies and feather destruction.
Make sure your African Grey has plenty of stimulating toys and change them regularly, so they don’t get bored.
Diet for the African Grey
Buy on Amazon. “Experts say that one-third of an African Grey’s diet should be healthy pellets. We like Organics Pellets because they are 100% organic and free of artificial vitamins. This is important if you have birds with allergies.
It is a good idea to choose organic, not artificially dyed. Artificial products must be kidney cleaned before they can be used. Many pellets are simply garbage.
The following third to half of the diet should consist of various cooked and raw vegetables. Again, organic is best. Who knows what chemicals have been used in their other feedings and sprays?
Some African Grey cats are prone to low blood calcium levels, so include plenty of calcium-rich foods. Suggested foods include broccoli, squash, sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, green beans, almonds, and walnuts.
Note: Never give alcohol, avocados, or chocolate to parrots, as they can kill them.
No matter what the pellet makers say, parrots that eat various fresh foods are much happier and healthier..
If fresh fruits and vegetables are unavailable, dried fruits and vegetables are a good choice. Many birds love crunching on dried fruits and vegetables.
Best of all, they do not spoil so that you can leave them in the cage for hours or days. This works very well when getting them to accept fruits and vegetables.
When you are at home with them, you can moisten them with warm water and give them fresh fruits and vegetables. This is very useful when traveling or hiking.
Fresh Water
Give bath water in the morning and the evening on warm days, but leave it for only an hour or two, so they don’t drink nasty water throughout the day.
Invest in a water bottle. Giving them clean water that has not been bathed or defecated can prevent many potential health problems.
Lixit makes a glass water bottle held in the cage by a wire instead of a spring if safety is important (some birds can get their feet or beaks caught in the springs of other water bottles).
Cage Requirements
The minimum requirement for African Greys is 24 x 24 x 28 inches with at least 3/4 inch spacing between bars.
As mentioned above, provide plenty of stimulating toys and healthy items for the African Grey to chew on. Purchase a cage with a solid liner, as the African Grey will use its beak to climb up the pen.
Playstand
All parrots like to spend time with their human flock outside the cage. Some parakeets enjoy spending time with other parakeets on large play stands.
Time out of the cage is very important when keeping a hand-held parakeet. A sturdy play stand is essential for your parrot’s safety and furniture.
A play stand with food cups, hooks for toys, and casters on the bottom are ideal for everyone to enjoy. Some play stands have an optional seed skirt that catches food that falls to the floor of the stand and rolls or bounces around.