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African greys (Psittacus erithacus) are high-maintenance birds, so meeting their care desires isn’t simple.
These intelligent, emotionally delicate parrots need the right-sized cage, toys, meals, water, prepare, consideration, and ambiance to thrive as pets.
If African greys are left alone, not typically depart their cages, lack a continuing routine, or have little to do, they’ll grow to be unhappy or distressed. This sometimes manifests as behavioral points and stereoptypies.
Cage Setup for African Grey Parrots
An African grey parrot’s cage must be at least 36 x 24 x 48 inches.
In step with the Center for Animal Rehab and Education, the bars must be ¾ to 1 inch apart. It’ll forestall hurt or escape, enable climbing, and make it less complicated to attach devices.
African greys are delicate to noise and movement. They’ll develop distressed when overstimulated by their setting, so place the cage in a nook of the room.
Cage Lining
African greys are messy birds. They poop sometimes, drop meals, and chew points with their beaks. Moreover they launch mud from their wings. This could be a powder down that coats the wings, insulating the feathers.
Whereas parrot mud is simple to scrub, pay attention to respiration points. Parrot mud can set off bronchial bronchial asthma assaults or end in a respiratory state of affairs known as Rooster Fancier’s Lung (BFL).
We advocate cage liners, newspaper, and paper towels as cage liners.
Perches
Add 3 or additional picket perches at completely totally different ranges and angles. At least 1 perch must be elevated on account of birds favor bigger vantage elements on account of they’ll survey their setting.
Toys
African greys have a low tolerance for boredom, so that they need toys to entertain and interact them. This can be achieved with bells, rope swings, picket blocks, climbing frames, and distorted mirrors.
Temperature
African grey parrots reside inside the scorching climes of Africa, preferring an ambient temperature of 72–80°F. Stay away from positioning the cage in a draughty house or direct daylight.
Some publicity to UV light is required for vitamin D3 synthesis. Parrots can’t absorb calcium with out vitamin D, which is necessary for healthful bones and eggshells.
Meals And Weight reduction program
African greys are granivores (grain and seeds) and frugivores (fruits). They’re typically fed pellets, nuts, fruits, greens, white and lean pink meat, fish, and eggs. Pellets should comprise 50-75% of their meals plan.
Healthful fruits and greens for parrots embody:
African greys get pleasure from consuming nuts. Nonetheless, they’re extreme in fat, which could end in weight purchase.
The biggest nuts for African greys embody:
- Pine nuts.
- Almonds.
- Macadamia nuts.
- Cashews.
- Brazil nuts.
- Walnuts.
- Hazelnuts.
Feeding Frequency
African grey parrots must be fed twice each day, as quickly as upon waking up and as soon as extra inside the evening. You may additionally provide a parrot some nutritious midday snacks for good habits or as a training reward.
What Shouldn’t Be Eaten
An African grey mustn’t be fed the subsequent meals or drinks:
- Chocolate.
- Espresso.
- Alcohol.
- Onions and garlic.
- Stones (seeds) from fruits, like apricots, apples, and peaches.
- Avocado.
These meals are toxic to parrots. As an example, the seeds of stone fruits comprise cyanide.
Feather Care
African greys molt their feathers as quickly as every 12-18 months, typically on the onset of spring.
This molting will take away worn, damaged feathers and encourage the growth of brighter, extra wholesome replacements. Allow parrots to scrub generally to keep up their feathers pristine.
Birds preserve their very personal bathing within the occasion you current them with a bowl of contemporary water. You may additionally mist the parrot with lukewarm water or wipe away meals particles with a washcloth.
Beak Care
The beak is manufactured from β-keratin and on no account stops rising, so parrots chew points. Chew toys, bird-safe branches, cuttlebones, and tough-shelled nuts might also assist take away the excess.
The beak might need to be trimmed to forestall overgrowth, misalignment, and malocclusions. As an example, scissor beak can forestall parrots from consuming and maneuvering.
Claw Care
Pet parrots aren’t uncovered to abrasive surfaces as loads as wild parrots. Their nails can grow to be overgrown and misshapen, stopping them from performing necessary duties.
A vet can trim the claws, however it certainly’s actually useful that strategies are equipped to placed on down the claws naturally. As an example, picket perches can reduce the dimensions and sharpness of claws.
Talking Capability
African greys are among the many many parrot family’s most superior and gifted audio system. Following ongoing teaching, some birds might be taught an entire lot of phrases.
Parrots appear to talk in context, nevertheless they seldom understand the meaning of their phrases.
Age Start Talking
Most African greys begin talking as quickly as they’re 12–18 months earlier. They start mimicking phrases and sentences you prepare them or they hear of their ambiance.
Noisy vs. Quiet
Anticipate to take heed to African grey parrots vocalize all via the day. If an African grey realizes that screaming will get consideration, it’ll accomplish that every time it wants one factor from you.
Sleep
African grey parrots are diurnal, so that they sleep in a single day.
An African grey ought to rest for 10-12 hours. If it doesn’t get adequate sleep, it’ll be irritable in the midst of the day, whereas prolonged insomnia can lead to comparable nicely being factors expert by individuals.
Whereas some householders choose to sleep beside their parrots, that’s inadvisable due to the hazard of crushing them.
Cowl The Cage
A parrot’s cage must be coated at night. African greys battle to sleep if uncovered to artificial light at bedtime, as circadian rhythms regulate their sleep-wake cycle.
Practice
African greys ought to allowed exterior their cages for numerous hours.
Flight is basically essentially the most pure method for African greys to coach. Stay away from clipping a parrot’s wings till it’s for his or her safety and welfare. You can bird-proof the room sooner than allowing exploration.
African greys choose to climb the partitions of their cage, traverse between perches at completely totally different ranges, and play interactive video video games the place they’ll profit from their thoughts.
Companionship
African greys like spending time with their householders, so don’t depart them alone of their cages for a protracted interval. In step with PloS One, solitude causes distress and illness.
Lone Parrots vs. Pairs
African grey parrots require loads consideration that householders might undertake a pair. African greys are social birds which can need sharing a cage with a same-species companion.
Do you have to get two African greys, seek out birds born and raised collectively. If this isn’t an risk, the two birds need to endure a cautious introduction course of.
On a regular basis take care of every parrots equally to avoid jealousy, even when one appears needier.
Indicators of Happiness
When an African grey parrot is totally happy, it’s extra more likely to present the subsequent indicators:
- Vocalizations: You’ll hear whistles, chirps, or utterly happy sounds, significantly initially of the day.
- Full of life and curious: It’ll flap its wings, fly, climb, and uncover its cage.
- Consuming properly: They’re going to be smitten by their favorite meals and drink adequate water.
- Feather nicely being: They should have vibrant, strong, and healthful feathers.
- Social habits: An African grey is happiest inside the agency of individuals and same-species parrots. It reveals care and affection by nuzzling and preening its companions.
- Alertness: It’s best to look at a curiosity about what’s going down of their ambiance.
- Physique language: Its posture must be upright, and its feathers relaxed.
Parrots have distinctive personalities, nevertheless these behaviors current an notion into their way of thinking.
Behavioral Points
With out teaching or the becoming residing conditions, African greys can develop behavioral points:
Aggressive Conduct
African greys aren’t naturally aggressive nevertheless can grow to be so when scared or harm. They’re merely agitated by totally different pets and can vocalize and present distress as soon as they technique.
Jealousy
Parrots grow to be related to their householders, leading to jealousy in the direction of people and totally different animals.
Stress
African greys are inclined to emphasize as soon as they lack socialization and psychological stimulation.
The indications of stress in African greys embody:
Switch the cage to a quieter location. Moreover, play, put together, and work along with the hen additional incessantly.
Feather-destructive Conduct (FDB)
Self-mutilation is painful, so why do African grey parrots select their feathers? It’s linked to meals plan, stress, and despair. When unstimulated, they take away feathers with their beaks to self-soothe.
Swearing
African greys are inclined to repeating profanity. As an example, Lincolnshire Wildlife Park had a difficulty with swearing and obscenities from African greys.
African greys will proceed using phrases that garner a response, so be careful the best way you reply to inappropriate language. Do you have to ignore it, the parrot will probably develop bored.
Bonding Collectively
Forming a worthwhile bond with an African grey parrot is rewarding on account of they make affectionate companions. Nonetheless, it’s a must to make investments time to comprehend the parrot’s perception.
Spend as loads time collectively together with your pet African grey as attainable, as it would strengthen the parrot-owner bond. Parrots are social and emotionally superior animals that crave one-on-one time.
Take the time to teach the parrot, generally play video video games, and prepare them new strategies and vocabulary. The additional time you dedicate to an African grey’s care, the stronger the bond will grow to be.
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