Caring For african grey parrot care to toddlers, African grey parrots can become bored quickly and require lots of mental stimulation to avoid problems with their behavior. If they don't get enough stimulation, they could become destructive or start screaming.
Highly intelligent, they are the most accurate mimics of all species of parrots and understand human speech. They are threatened by the trade in pets and habitat loss.
Feeding
The dietary needs of African greys are slightly different from the other psittacine species. They are omnivores, but prefer seeds over fruit and other vegetables.
In captivity In captivity, they are more likely than not to eat seeds and fruit. It is also crucial to observe the quality and quantity of their diets since they are at risk of excess weight and calcium deficiency. Pellets or complete crumbles are recommended to comprise 75% of a bird's daily diet.
Ideally the diet should comprise pellets as well as fresh foods. A good ratio would be 60% pellets, 10 percent seeds and 30% fresh foods. Silverbeet, spinach, and kale are among the best choices. Also, native plants and sprouting grasses like dandelion leaves, endive and sweetcorn are beneficial. Avoid cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and cauliflower, because they contain high levels of oxalic acids, which hinder calcium absorption by the body.
Nuts are a rich source of nutrients to a diet, but they should be eaten sparingly due to their fat content. They are high in protein, healthy fats, as well as vitamins and minerals.
The rest of your diet should be the combination of fruits and veggies. It is best to stay clear of avocado since it can be toxic to Psittacines. Other common toxic food includes alcohol, coffee, chocolate and raw potatoes. If a parrot is consuming excessive amounts of fruits, they could develop yeast-related problems in the gastrointestinal tract.
A balanced diet is an excellent way to keep an African grey parrot content and healthy. It is essential to keep an eye on the bird's weight, and introduce new foods in small amounts. Doing a daily weigh-in will allow you to quickly observe any changes and then correct them. It is also a good idea to offer the bird fresh water on a regular basis. This will prevent the onset of dehydration as well as bacterial infections. Unfinished food in the cage or play area could ruin the food and cause health issues for your bird.
Training
Parrots are easily taught to speak. However, it may take them a few days or weeks to repeat the words they hear. A parrot that is well-trained can respond to signals and perform simple tricks. These activities keep the bird's brain stimulated and keep them from becoming bored. The effects of boredom can be detrimental to behavior like feather picking or destructive chewing. These problems require professional intervention.
It's crucial to prevent over-bonding because a parrot who becomes too attached to one can become territorial and aggressive towards other animals. This can be very dangerous for people with disabilities, children or those with allergies. To prevent this from happening it is recommended that all members of the household should spend some time each day playing with and engaging with the bird in different ways. This will allow the bird become more comfortable with being touched by all members of the family and decrease the possibility that it could develop over protective behavior.
When a parrot is bonded to a single person it will peck and bite at family members or guests trying to touch or pet it. To avoid this, each family member should take turns petting the bird before placing it in its cage. If a bird exhibits aggression and is threatening to harm another bird, it should be placed back in its cage and not handled for a period of time.
Be aware of "pinfeathers" or "blood feathers" during petting sessions. These feathers are a source of blood supply, and can bleeding when touched. If a pinfeather or blood feather is exposed, it should be promptly clipped and replaced with a fresh feather.
Family members should also be taught to greet and say goodbye to the bird. The bird should be taught to identify food items or toys. This will make it easier to train the bird to speak, and will also enable it to communicate with family members, without having to be physically near them.
Health
While the African grey is among the most intelligent parrots around the world, it is bored quickly and engage in destructive behavior in the absence of toys or other opportunities to stimulate its mind. It also requires lots of mental stimulation to avoid self-mutilation, feather picks, and excessive screams. Parrots aren't cheap to acquire as the initial costs are high and they require a constant supply of toys that can be destroyed quickly, plus food. They are also susceptible to infections, which can be expensive to treat.
These social birds require lots of interaction with humans, including hours of playtime involving games and puzzles as well as lessons. They also need hours of exercise and out-of-cage time every day to build up strength and remain healthy. The cage should be large enough to allow them to move freely and spread their wings. It should be constructed of nontoxic, non-toxic materials and clean. It should have many different kinds of perches that have different dimensions and heights, so that they can change between them. A roost is also needed and is typically an iron or wood perch at the corner of the cage.
Parrots must have access to fresh water at all times, and it is recommended to replenish it daily. They should be fed various dark leafy greens, fruits and vegetables and should be restricted to a maximum of 10% of their diet. You should also provide a variety of nuts and seeds. Around 75% of their diet should be made up of high-quality pellets or granules.
The majority of parrot health problems are caused by long-term nutritional imbalance. Minor irregularities will show up as slow growth and development, poor quality plumage or breeding performance, while more severe changes will manifest as distinct diseases. Many of these issues can be avoided by regular checks with an avian veterinarian and appropriate diet management.
Care
Like any other bird, African greys require lots of attention and mental stimulation to be content. If a parrot becomes bored, it will be depressed and may exhibit negative behaviors like aggression, self-mutilation and feather-picking. To ensure your pet's health, it is important to get routine veterinary examinations, fecal testing and vaccinations.
African greys are monogamous. They form exclusive pair bonds which incubate eggs for up to 30 days. They care for the young until they reach 10 weeks old. They are able to fly, and are considered to be one of the most intelligent species of avian. They live long and are often able to outlive their human owners, which makes them popular pets around the world.
They are extremely adaptive and can adapt to different environments. However, they prefer a natural environment 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 as humans do. Their beaks are short and have an upper mandible that fits over the lower. This helps them crack open nuts, seeds 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. They should be supplemented with high-quality formulated pellets and crumbles that avoid pickinginess. Also, they should be offered various fresh fruits, vegetables, and cooked lentils and beans. Water that is fresh and clean should always be available, and cages should be cleaned regularly. Supplements like calcium and vitamin D may be necessary if your diet isn't nutritionally complete.
The World Parrot Trust works tirelessly to protect Grey and Timneh parrots and their habitats, but their population is declining due to illegal trade and captive breeding. They are protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Wild Bird Conservation Act in the United States and receive the highest protection under CITES (International Trade in Species Controlled). Discover more about these amazing parrots in our parrot dictionary!