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Behavior
and Personality
AFRICAN
GREY PARROT - 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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