African Grey Parrot
African Grey parrots are very large birds. However, they have a personality that does not match their large size as these birds are not very wild or aggressive at all. In fact the behavior they mostly exhibit is very loving, warm and charming. These birds are very intelligent and therefore are considered to be extreme quick learners as well. In this article we talk about everything that you ever wanted to know about the African grey parrot including their diet, talking skills, lifespan, personality, behavior and many other interesting things as well.
Characteristics of African Grey Parrots:
- Size: 13 inches
- Weight: 300 to 375 grams
- Wing Span: Unknown
- Lifespan: 30 to 50 years
- Physique: Long body with tail and strong downward pointed beak
- Best Suited for: Indoors and warm environments
- Temperament: Warm, friendly, intelligent, quick learners, peacemakers, polite, submissive
- Comparable Breeds: Macaw
History of African Grey Parrots:
As the name is a clear indication, the African grey parrots are birds that are found in Africa. These birds have a very interesting personality as they can live happily both on their own and in large flocks as well. These birds are referred to as being the ‘Einstein’ of birds because of their intelligence level. Generally, there are two subcategories of African grey parrots. These include the Congo African birds and Timneh African grey parrots.
African Grey Parrots Appearance:
Understandably the African grey parrots are large in size. The average size of this parrot is around 13 to 14 inches and it can weigh anywhere from 300 to 400 grams.
These birds have a long body that is covered from head to tail with long grey and black feathers. There is a very artistic hint of color on the edge of the tail as well. These birds have almond-shaped big eyes that are actually very good observers.
Baby African Grey Parrots:
As babies, these birds have a very interesting personality. They are very lovable and cute little birds with a sharp and intelligent brain from an early age. These birds are known as the peacemakers because they are always the ones who are friendly and loving with every other bird in the flock.
As babies, these birds are also enthusiastic learners. They learn quickly and are good at mimicking others from a very young age. The baby African grey parrots are very keen observers as well. They learn through what they see.
About African Grey Parrots Health:
Just like any other bird, animal or living thing an African grey parrot can fall sick. There are many viruses and bacteria that do adversely impact the health of these birds. However, it is more important to understand the behavior of these birds when they are sick than the diseases that they might suffer from. African Grey parrots are though good pets but there are certain behaviors that are natural for these birds. This means these behaviors are not taught or learned by these birds and are more of a natural instinct. The matter of their health is a similar case.
These birds naturally are very introverts and have a tendency of hiding their health conditions. It is therefore very strongly recommended that if you have an African grey parrot, you need to get it checked on a regular basis because it most likely will hide all symptoms for any health conditions it might be suffering from. Learn more about common african grey diseases
African Grey Parrots Lifespan:
A topic that is mostly commonly subjected to the heated discussion is the lifespan of parrot. Most interestingly, there are hundreds of different breeds of parrots. Each breed ironically has a different lifespan with no two breeds having a lifespan similar to one another. As far as this particular breed is concerned, the lifespan of African grey parrots is thought to be anywhere from 30 to 50 years. It highly depends on the type of atmosphere they get to live in and the diet and nutrition they get. Good diet and nutrition do make a direct positive impact on the lifespan of these birds.
Feeding for African Grey Parrots:
Feeding the African parrots the right type of food is very important. This is because the lifespan and overall health of your birds highly depend on the type of dietary nutrition they receive. The diet that is high in protein is very suitable for these birds. There is an array of food items that can be fed to these parrots. These include seeds of course. In addition to seeds, parrots can also be fed peppers, kale, broccoli, peas, cucumber, and berries. These birds are also lovers of citrus fruits like oranges and kiwi.
African Grey Parrots With Children:
The honest fact about African grey parrots is that they are lovely pets. In fact with an intelligence level that is so supreme; these birds are very understanding towards their human partner. Thus, these birds are very friendly and work quite well with children.
The thing about African grey parrots is that they love to form friendships and long-term loyal bonds with other their human partners. They are loyal pets and very loving as well. These birds are very friendly and warm with children because they get showered with affection from them.
African Grey Parrots Living With Other Birds:
These birds are considered to be one of the most amazing, friendly, courteous and warm breeds of parrots in the world. This is why these birds not only make great pets but also live quite well with other birds.
In the African forests, these parrots live in very large flocks with other birds. They get along fairly well with all other breeds of birds because they have a cool temperament and modest behavior.
African Grey Parrots Training:
Training the African Grey Parrots is actually very fun and useful. Not only does training make them a good indoor pet but it will actually also turn them into a walking and talking package of live entertainment.
There are several basics of training your parrot. Of course, the main reason why you need to train your parrot is that you want to build a stable and strong long-term relationship with your pet. Therefore, you need to condition its behavior. However, there are other benefits and purposes of training your parrot as well.
Training African grey parrots are actually very fun because these birds are good learners. They enjoy what they are taught and are willing to learn more. This makes the training and teaching process all the lot more fun. There are some basic techniques and tricks for training your parrot. The two categories of training the birds are teaching it to adapt behavior and teaching it to avoid a behavior.
The psyche of African grey birds is somewhat similar to the psyche of a human child. It is able to recognize the signs of appreciation and dislike very easily. Hence, if you want your parrot to learn to eat in its cage only you need to be vocal about it. Tell them as if they understand what you are saying and they really will apprehend. Similarly, if you want them to know you do not like them biting, you need to punish to make them understand that certain behavior I bad and not desirable.
African Grey Parrots Talking Skills:
The African grey parrots are one of the most talkative breeds of parrots. The reason why these birds are so talkative is their personality. They very love birds who get along with every other bird and all humans as well. Hence, they love interacting with others as well.
These birds also have a very good observation. They mimic others and learn very quickly. Hence, it is very normal for an African grey parrot to repeat the words that it hears on daily basis. It can actually learn and speak short sentences very audibly.
Read Full Article on African Grey Training to Talk
African Grey Parrots Biting and Aggression:
As far as the biting and aggressive behavior of these birds is concerned, it is strongly reported that these birds are not aggressive at all. They have a very cool temperament which makes them ideal birds. Their intelligent mind makes them a very sharp observer and makes them give very calculated reactions.
Lack of aggression also results in minimal or no biting behavior. These birds are not violent or passive-aggressive. They do not bite or harm other birds or their own owners.
Best Cages for African Grey Parrots:
African Grey Parrots are birds that are though big in size but are not very wild. Therefore these birds deserve to have cages that are more like natural homes and give them a chance to roam freely here to there. Since these parrot can be trained to be very good pets, hence there are many cages that are available for these birds. The best three that are the most unique cages are the reviewed briefly below.
1. Purple Star Perch Tent for Birds:
African Grey parrots are very large birds. This is why the Purple Star Perch tent is definitely a popular choice of a cage for these birds. Big in size and soft in texture, this perch tent serves multiple purposes. It is a very good protection for these birds. It also provides the comfort and solace to these African parrots and allows them to roam about freely in and out of the perch.
2. Prevue Square Roof Parrot Cage:
Made with solid metal grills, this large-sized cage is the most suitable African grey parrots as it provides them with a very spacious area to move. The cage comes complete with a removable tray that can be pulled out very easily and cleaned. The cage dimensions are 25 inches in length and 21 inches in width which is actually quite big enough.
3. Birds Hanging Hommock:
Made out of soft woolen fabric, this Sweet Dog double birds hanging hammock is the best thing that makes a perfectly warm home for the African Grey birds
