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Behavior
and Personality
Congo
african gray parrots are very common and are one of the most
popular and most frequently bred parrots in the United States.
Since they are happiest left alone, they make good pets for
people who live in quiet homes, particularly in homes without
children. But since they are extremely intelligent, they require
many toys and some interaction to prevent behavior problems.
Young
birds adapt readily to new surroundings and should be exposed
to new experiences. Adults are less adaptable and may feather
pick in response to changes in their routine. In fact, African
greys have a higher incidence of feather-picking problems
than most parrot species.
The
birds – which can live up to 50 years – are stocky,
short-tailed, and colored varying shades of GREY, depending
on the sex and where in their range they occur. The tail is
bright red and the beak is black. African greys have a powdery
white facial patch that extends from the beak to around the
eye. The birds also produce a powdery substance that helps
to clean and protect their feathers, but may be allergenic
in some people.
Congo
african gray parrot range through western equatorial Africa
– from the Ivory Coast to western Kenya, Angola, Tanzania
and southern Zaire. They inhabit primary and secondary rainforest,
forest edges and clearings, mostly in lowland areas. They’re
gregarious, roosting in colonies of up to 10,000 individuals.
Birds
of the eastern areas of the greys’ range – in parts
of Kenya, Tanzania and Zaire – tend to be larger and
lighter in color. The eastern populations also tend to have
some slight red coloring in the feathers. The smaller and
darker birds occur in the western parts of the range, from
Ivory Coast to Angola.
Congo
african gray parrots are very playful and are easily bored,
so they should always be provided with toys – especially
wooden blocks or other objects they can chew on – and
branches from non-toxic trees.
Grooming
Routine
bathing or showering is vital to maintaining good plumage
and skin condition. Bathing will also reduce feather dust.
Birds can be misted and allowed to dry in a warm room or in
the sun, or dried with a blow drier. Care should be taken
not to clip the wing feathers excessively as African greys
often fall and injure themselves, so clip only enough so the
bird will glide to the floor.
When
restraining African greys for grooming, they may produce tears
containing blood. Presumably, these are caused by ruptures
of the capillaries in the eye and do not appear to have any
detrimental effect.
Feeding
Congo
african gray parrots kept as indoor pets especially tend to
develop calcium deficiency, which can be a serious health
threat. Natural or full spectrum light seems to be important
in helping them to maintain calcium balance. There are also
specially formulated foods that provide readily utilizable
calcium to help prevent deficiency.
Congo
african gray parrot should be fed approximately 1/3 cup of
a pelleted diet daily. The diet should be supplemented with
approximately 1/4 to 1/3 cup of fresh fruits and vegetables
daily to add variety. Seeds and other treats may be given
in small amounts as rewards for good behavior. Fresh, clean
water must be provided every day.
Vitamin
supplements are not needed for birds on a pelleted diet. African
greys love peanuts, but they should be shelled before you
give them to your bird as they are often contaminated with
Aspergillus fungus, which can lead to aspergillosis, a respiratory
disease.
Congo
african gray parrots are easy to hand-rear, although care
must be taken in feeding very small chicks as they are easily
aspirated. Chicks wean or fledge at approximately 12 to 14
weeks. Since they are subject to bony deformities, such as
crooked necks and legs, calcium supplementation may be beneficial
but should not be excessive.
Housing
African
parrots are very active and should be provided with as large
a cage as possible. The cage should have two perches so the
birds can move between them. Toys and activities should be
provided.
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