When pet parrots are presented, many think of big, colorful birds that talk back at their owners.
This is a beautiful mental picture, but it’s not all there is to know about parrots.
There are several species of this beautiful feathered creature, and they each have a unique look and character.
Hence, if you want to keep one as a pet, you must know what species are available in your environment and the characteristics of your preferred species so that caring for it becomes easy.
One of the most famous species of parrot is the African Grey parrot. People have kept this lovely bird as a pet for thousands of years.
The African Grey parrot has the unique ability to reason and imitate human speech, which has worked well for them as they have become famous due to their strange gift.
They have been the subject of many types of research and have also become a highly sought-after breed of bird in the pet market.
While many people are eager to acquire one of these feathered fellows as a pet, potential owners need to be sure they possess the means and the time required to be a parent to an African Grey parrot before adopting.
This article will explain what the day-to-day activities of an African Grey parrot parent should entail when it comes to caring for the pet.
Popular Name
A name is also called the African Grey parrot; the CAG and the TAG recognize the subspecies.
The TAG is a short name for the Timneh African grey parrot, while the CAG stands for the Congo African grey parrot.
The Scientific Name
The scientific or taxonomical name for the African Grey parrot is Psittacus erithacus.
This bird species has been divided traditionally into two subspecies: The Psittacus erithacus timneh (for the Timneh grey subspecies) and the Psittacus erithacus erithacus (for the Congo grey subspecies).
Nevertheless, subsequent research in recent times has reclassified the timneh grey as a species of its own, the Psittacus timneh, leaving the Congo grey alone in the Psittacus erthacus class.
However, other species are still identified as the African Grey parrot in the pet market.
The History and Origin
The African grey parrot bird species originally comes from the equatorial region of Africa, including Ghana, Cameroon, Angola, Congo, Ghana, and Uganda. This parrot species prefers to live in dense forests and open savanna areas.
They are sometimes found on forest edges, where they are easily caught.
Size
The African grey parrot can grow as big as approximately 12 to 13 inches when measured from the beak to the tip of its tail in adulthood.
The weight of this bird is between 10 to 20 ounces when fully grown, with the Congo grey species being on the larger side.
Average Lifespan
The African Grey parrot is one bird species that has longevity as a gift of nature. When properly cared for, your feathered pal can live as long as 50 years and, in some cases, 75 years.
Temperament
The African Grey parrot is the most intelligent for apparent reasons.
Upon observing their behavior, you can easily tell they are brilliant creatures, apart from their ability to memorize and use hundreds of human words.
These birds are very emotional, and they show it by displaying affection towards their owners and caregivers over time.
They are also a very friendly species of birds, but when mistreated or neglected, they will not hesitate to show their anger at the slightest chance.
This bird is very complex as it exhibits a lot of contradictory characteristics.
It is sociable and sweet, but isn’t a cuddly bird, so you might want to respect the boundaries.
Some of these birds have the trait of becoming friendly to only one person (the owner), no matter how much you train them to be sociable.
So, just like a human, they can be introverts and extroverts.
The African Grey parrot is not a shouter as it doesn’t have time to waste energy on unnecessary screaming when the heat can be channeled to talking and chattering.
So, if you live in an environment where noise is prohibited and need a pet, this is perfect for you.
Colors and Markings
This bird stays true to its identity, “Grey.” They come with mostly grey feathers with a beautiful thing and pale edges in a few cases.
The Congo grey is beautiful with its red tails and shiny black beaks that are strong enough to crack some nuts.
The Tinmeh grey is also lovely, with deep maroon tail feathers and horn-colored mandibles. However, the Congo Grey is much larger than the Tinmeh.
Caring for the African Grey parrot
This species of parrot is a medium to large-sized bird. Hence, it requires a reasonable size of living space.
The smallest size of this bird’s cage should have a minimum of 2 x 2-foot footprint, with a height of 3 feet.
However, a larger pen is always preferable, as parrots like to play around.
We already established that the African Grey parrot is considered the most intelligent of the parrot species, meaning that aside from its ability to learn lots of words and engage in interactions, it requires a reasonable amount of mental stimulation, which is your job to provide.
Without enough interaction and mental stimulation, your pet could become depressed and show it by engaging in some self-destructive behavior, such as plucking its feathers.
These birds are toy lovers, so they are happier and more active when they can access toys, learn a few tricks, and interact with people, especially their owners.
If you are a person who is often very busy and cannot spare plenty of hours communicating and teaching your bird new words, then you shouldn’t think of getting yourself an African Grey parrot.
If you love watching TV or listening to the radio, you should know that you are not the only one in this category.
Many parrot owners have mentioned that their pet loves to have the radio or television playing without company.
African Grey parrots can be snitches, so you might want to be careful of what you do or say around them.
One parrot has allegedly snitched on its owner’s cheating wife by repeatedly calling the wife’s lover’s name using her voice.
You wouldn’t blame the bird because, like little kids, parrots are in the habit of repeating what they hear.
Because grey are sound lovers, they pick and replicate any fascinating sound.
They could make sounds of squeaking doors, fire alarms, doorbells, and even your phone ringtone.
Owners must watch what their birds hear and learn because once they mentally store a bad word, it becomes difficult or almost impossible to unlearn those words.
African Grey parrots are susceptible and can easily be affected by harsh conditions, excess noise, and stress.
You should consider keeping them in a less noisy corner of the room than in the middle, where they would be exposed to such conditions.
Feeding Your African Grey Parrot
These birds are fruit lovers, so your pet would be grateful if you could access pomegranates, mangoes, and melons.
However, a quality-formulated pellet feed is the best parrot diet and should be supplemented with fruits occasionally.
Many greys are nut and snack lovers, so you might want to purchase large quantities of nuts for your feathered buddy.
Another beautiful thing about these creatures is that they can feed on your regular table foods like breakfast toast, leftover salads, beans, and even rice.
However, keep them from spicy foods as they do not do well with pepper.
Leafy greens and other Vegetables are nirvana for Greys, and they are sure to keep your bird very healthy.
Exercise
Didn’t you know birds need training? Of course, they do, and it is very vital if you want to keep them active.
To keep your pet healthy, allow it to exercise for at least two hours outside the cage every day.
Provide your parrot with sturdy chewable bird toys they can play with during their exercise hour, as this is the best way to keep their beaks active and robust.
Common Health Problems
The African Grey parrot can suffer from various health challenges, including feather picking, vitamin-D deficiency, vitamin-A deficiency, psittacine beak and feather disease, psittacosis, and respiratory infection.
You can prevent vitamin deficiencies by feeding your bird various fruits and veggies rich in beta-carotene, such as fresh kale and some nicely cooked sweet potatoes.
When you notice your bird engaging in feather picking, it is a sign that it is bored and lacks enough mental stimulation.
If you feel the African Grey parrot isn’t the right parrot species for you, check out other species of parrot that might interest you in subsequent articles.