Is an African Gray Parrot the Right Pet for You?

One of the most beautiful birds in the world and one of the most unique pets of all time happens to be the African Gray Parrot. If you have ever considered buying an African Gray Parrot there are some things that you will want to know and prepare yourself for before taking the official plunge by adding one of these feathered friends to your home.

Neighbors can be a huge factor in determining if an African Gray Parrot is the right pet for you. If you live in an apartment building or townhouse, this pet may not be right for you or your neighbors. However, if your neighbors don't live very close or you live in a single family home, you may have better luck than an apartment dweller. African Gray Parrots tend to be extremely loud, especially when the parrot is experiencing its first few months of captivity. Their loud screeching and screaming is the way that they communicate in the jungle, and it may take them a few months to actually realize that they are no longer amongst their rain forest friends and that they are living in a much calmer environment. Once the bird adapts to your home, their loud screeching will decrease, however, the parrot will start to whistle and begin to mimic words that it hears. So, beware; if you are considering adding this feathered friend to your household, there have been many cases of families having to get rid of their new pet because it made too much noise. Loud pets can also result to having legal issues with neighbors. Know your neighbors before purchasing or adopting your parrot.

Get ready to hear just about anything. If you want to teach your African Gray Parrot how to talk, that's great, however, it may pick up more than "Polly Wants a Cracker." These birds can mimic just about any sound. If you have a phone in the room, it may pick up the annoying sound of the ring. If your family dog is in the house, it may pick up the dog's bark. Or if you are frequently using bad words you may want to excuse yourself out of the room if you don't want your new friend to repeat your words to your father-in-law. The sound factor is a definite consideration when deciding to get an African Gray Parrot. Be cautious of the sounds you can deal with and what exactly you want your pet to say or sounds you want it to have access too.

Can you provide your amazing new pet with lots of love, attention and affection? This is something very important that you will want to consider before getting your new pet. African Gray Parrots require lots of love and attention. If you are a busy, on the go type of person this is probably not the best pet choice. Your parrot will want to have you around to let it go free in the house or just have a buddy to sit and talk with. Loneliness can be very harmful for your parrot and can cause sickness. If your parrot becomes lonely, it may begin to pluck out its feathers and have aggressive reactions. You will definitely want to include your pet in the family and not leave it isolated from everyone and everything.

Children love hanging around parrot cages to watch them talk and hear them mimic their words, however, if you have small children you may want to reconsider getting a new parrot for your home. Children often like to stick their fingers into the cage and can become easily bitten by the parrot without proper handling supervision. This can cause a child to become afraid of the new family pet and keep their distance. However, not all children pose a threat to a parrot or the parrot to them. Parrots often enjoy children because of their smaller size. They like getting fed by children and petted by them too. Children should always have adult supervision when ever they are around the bird cage. Babies especially should never be left alone with the parrot under any circumstances. If the bird feels threatened it can have the tendency to bite or hack at its threat. Most parrots chose an adult as their favorite companion to be around.

Other pets in the home can be a good thing or a bad thing. Depending on the type of pet you have you may want to reconsider getting an African Gray Parrot. If you have a dog, you may be ok; however, there are considerations you will have to make. If you have a well trained dog that you can teach not to bother your new feathered friend you may have a winner. However, if you have a rowdy and rambunctious dog, you will definitely want to reconsider buying a parrot. A dog that is constantly barking at or trying to gain access to the parrot can cause the parrot to become untrustworthy and insecure. You will definitely wan to keep Fido away from the cage especially during the first few months. When the bird feels secure, it will more than likely approach the dog on its own. Parrots and dogs have been known to become good friends.

Cats on the other hand are a definite "no no!" Think about it this way....Sylvester and Tweety. A cat can seriously harm your new pet, so it is not a good idea to get a bird if you already have a cat, unless you get a new kitten and you train it not to bother the parrot.

Parakeets and Parrots are not a good mix either. Because parakeets are much smaller than parrots, the parrot can seriously harm them; especially if they are kept in the same cage. If you have two parrots that already know each other, this can be wonderful for the pets; however, if you are deciding to move another parrot in on your current parrot, this can be a bad idea. Sometimes these birds have the tendency to bully and quarrel with each other. There may not be peace in your home until the new bird is removed. If you do plan on getting a second bird, you will want to keep them separated until they get use to each other. You will want to provide supervision for them whenever they are together, never leave them alone together until they get use to each other's companionship. If you leave them confined to one cage together, they can end up doing serious harm to each other.

Small furry animals may not survive around your parrot. If you have a rabbit, guinea pig, or hamster, your parrot may end up having a delicious treat. These types of pets should never be kept in the same room or allowed access to each other. Your pet parrot can cause serious harm to your furry friend(s).

I hope that this article will assist you in deciding if an African Gray Parrot is the right pet for you.