The African Grey Parrot as a Pet

The African Grey parrot is a highly intelligent bird who is on the near threatened list as they were recently found to be more rare than originally believed. This is most likely due to the damage being done to the forests where they once lived plentifully. Of course a percentage of this mid size parrots are also being taken in for the pet trade. Keeping the African Grey parrot as a pet bird requires quite a bit of commitment, time and care from it's owners but the rewards make it worth the efforts. However there should be much thought before deciding to own one of these beautiful birds as it can possible be a lifelong decision. The African Grey is native to Central Africa. He is 10-14 inches long. Males are slightly larger in most cases. Lifespan is around 50 years or more.

There are mutations of this breed and they do occur in the wild, naturally. Such color mutations include albinos, white in tail, mostly white, yellowish.

Owners of this bird must be willing to devote themselves and be patient. Because of their high intelligence they can have a very large vocabulary and can mimic many sounds that they hear around the house. A parrot that is not properly trained might display excessive chewing behaviors that can be destructive especially outside the cage. So taking the time to bond with and train your African Grey is important to prevent or stop this behavior and possible accidents or poisonings. That being said, the Grey is still considered to be one of the easier to care for parrots. Sexing these birds must be done surgically or by DNA tests. Some breeders claim to be able to tell by head and beak size but this is unreliable.

An African Grey needs daily sunlight. They should be bathed in their choice of bath, shower or mist from a bottle. They need protection from sun damage and from the cold. Provide bedding that comforts your bird. this can be a blankie or tent. They will of course need perches and natural is better. If using natural perches make sure they have not been treated with pesticides or been exposed to anything potentially harmful. For a happy pet African Grey be sure to give him as much time as possible outside of the cage for exercise and socialization. and pink or yellow scallops on the feathers. The noises that an African Grey makes can be quite ear piercing with their shrieks, whistles, clicks, ticks and squeaking as well as mimicking of household noises that it hears often. These birds become well bonded to their owners and vice versa. The African Grey is the most talkative of all parrots. They enjoy a wide variety of foods but beware of foods that are poison to him such as chocolate, cherry pits or apple seeds, avocado, onions, garlic, caffeine and of course any alcohol. Birds cannot digest lactose therefore it is not exactly harmful but it isn't good for them either. This is a most entertaining species. They will mimic things such as doorbells, water running, voices, accents, bells on timers, and telephone ringers. The possibilities are endless.

www.anafricangrey.ca/
www.african-grey-parrotonline.com/index.php