| AFRICAN CONGO GRAYS COMING SOON! |
The intelligence of an African grey can male a demanding pet, however you must absolutely be
prepared to spend lot of time with an African grey, providing social contact as well as mental
stimulation. Greys need a lot of attention and patience, along with a good deal of guidance to
acceptable behavior.
African greys tend to be quite cautious with new situations and new people, although devoted
to their owners. They have a reputation as one-person birds, but that is largely because often
only one person in a household spends enough time with a grey to really form a close bond. Make
an effort to socialize a grey with lots of people, although you will have to give your parrot the
chance to become comfortable with any new person.
A grey will happily interact with more than one person as long as the effort is made by each
person to spend enough time to earn the trust and companionship of the bird.
Greys, like other parrots will bite, especially if they feel threatened in any way. However, the
trust of an African grey must be earned through patience and respect. They are also perceptive
to the moods of the people around them, so they should be approached with a calm and relaxed
demeanor, or the bird may become agitated or excited. Also, a bored or stressed parrot is more
likely to exhibit behavioral problems including biting, so making sure the emotional, mental, and
physical needs of the bird are being met, which will certainly help avoid those problems.
Parrots, including greys, will sometimes resort to feather picking for a variety of physical and
physiological reasons if their emotional needs are not being met or if they are stressed. It should
be noted that any bird that is plucking its feathers, should undergo a thorough check up with an
avian veterinarian to rule out a physical cause first.
Colors: The African Grey, true to it's name, sports mostly grey feathers, some with a beautiful
thin white edging. Congo African Greys boast shiny black beaks and bright red tail feathers,
while the Tinmeh Greys have bone colored mandibles and tailfeathers of deep maroon. The ones
I own are known as "Red Factor"
Feeding: As with most exotic bird species, a meal consisting of fresh vegetables and tropical
fruits, supplemented with a quality pelleted diet such as Roudybush is best for the African Grey.
Many Greys also enjoy a variety of treats and snacks such a seeds, nuts, eggs, and small bits of
cheese. Variety is the key here. Stay away from breads as they contain yeast.
Pelletted diets should form the foundation of the diet, but should be supplemented with a
variety of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as grains and proteins. A small amount of seed mix
can be fed as well, keeping in mind that seeds have some nutritional value and place in the diet
but are largely fattening and poorly balanced and should never be the main part of the diet.
Some African greys are prone to calcium deficiency, so calcium levels should be monitored yearly.
Calcium supplements should not be used except under the advice of a veterinarian, but it is
beneficial to feed a variety of calcium rich foods such as leafy green vegetables such as kale,
mustard greens, Swiss chard, spinach etc.
Fresh clean water should be available at all times. Food and water dishes should be washed daily.
Exercise: Adequate amounts of exercise are imperative to the good health of a captive
African Grey. Pet Greys should be allowed to spend a minimum of one to two hours out of their
cages daily, and should be provided with plenty of bird safe chew toys to facilitate exercising
their powerful mandibles.
African Greys as Pets: African Grey parrots have been kept as pets for many thousands of
years. Their fascinating ability to reason and talent for clearly mimicking human speech has
helped catapult them to stardom both in the field of research and in the pet trade.
Captive African Greys typically pick up on words and sounds very quickly, with owners reporting
birds that mimic the sounds of telephones, microwaves, and even other pets like dogs and cats.
African Greys have a reputation for repeating what they hear, so many Grey owners are careful
what they say around their pets!
While the African Grey is perhaps one of the most intelligent parrot species, their high IQ's mean
that they require more time from their owners other than some of the smaller birds. They thrive
when they are put on meticulous schedules. Properly cared for Greys often bond strongly to
their owners, and become affectionate and captivating pets.
Are you ready to get one now after educating yourself some more? If so, please e-mail me and I
will put you on my waiting list. Please To get on the wait lsit.
prepared to spend lot of time with an African grey, providing social contact as well as mental
stimulation. Greys need a lot of attention and patience, along with a good deal of guidance to
acceptable behavior.
African greys tend to be quite cautious with new situations and new people, although devoted
to their owners. They have a reputation as one-person birds, but that is largely because often
only one person in a household spends enough time with a grey to really form a close bond. Make
an effort to socialize a grey with lots of people, although you will have to give your parrot the
chance to become comfortable with any new person.
A grey will happily interact with more than one person as long as the effort is made by each
person to spend enough time to earn the trust and companionship of the bird.
Greys, like other parrots will bite, especially if they feel threatened in any way. However, the
trust of an African grey must be earned through patience and respect. They are also perceptive
to the moods of the people around them, so they should be approached with a calm and relaxed
demeanor, or the bird may become agitated or excited. Also, a bored or stressed parrot is more
likely to exhibit behavioral problems including biting, so making sure the emotional, mental, and
physical needs of the bird are being met, which will certainly help avoid those problems.
Parrots, including greys, will sometimes resort to feather picking for a variety of physical and
physiological reasons if their emotional needs are not being met or if they are stressed. It should
be noted that any bird that is plucking its feathers, should undergo a thorough check up with an
avian veterinarian to rule out a physical cause first.
Colors: The African Grey, true to it's name, sports mostly grey feathers, some with a beautiful
thin white edging. Congo African Greys boast shiny black beaks and bright red tail feathers,
while the Tinmeh Greys have bone colored mandibles and tailfeathers of deep maroon. The ones
I own are known as "Red Factor"
Feeding: As with most exotic bird species, a meal consisting of fresh vegetables and tropical
fruits, supplemented with a quality pelleted diet such as Roudybush is best for the African Grey.
Many Greys also enjoy a variety of treats and snacks such a seeds, nuts, eggs, and small bits of
cheese. Variety is the key here. Stay away from breads as they contain yeast.
Pelletted diets should form the foundation of the diet, but should be supplemented with a
variety of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as grains and proteins. A small amount of seed mix
can be fed as well, keeping in mind that seeds have some nutritional value and place in the diet
but are largely fattening and poorly balanced and should never be the main part of the diet.
Some African greys are prone to calcium deficiency, so calcium levels should be monitored yearly.
Calcium supplements should not be used except under the advice of a veterinarian, but it is
beneficial to feed a variety of calcium rich foods such as leafy green vegetables such as kale,
mustard greens, Swiss chard, spinach etc.
Fresh clean water should be available at all times. Food and water dishes should be washed daily.
Exercise: Adequate amounts of exercise are imperative to the good health of a captive
African Grey. Pet Greys should be allowed to spend a minimum of one to two hours out of their
cages daily, and should be provided with plenty of bird safe chew toys to facilitate exercising
their powerful mandibles.
African Greys as Pets: African Grey parrots have been kept as pets for many thousands of
years. Their fascinating ability to reason and talent for clearly mimicking human speech has
helped catapult them to stardom both in the field of research and in the pet trade.
Captive African Greys typically pick up on words and sounds very quickly, with owners reporting
birds that mimic the sounds of telephones, microwaves, and even other pets like dogs and cats.
African Greys have a reputation for repeating what they hear, so many Grey owners are careful
what they say around their pets!
While the African Grey is perhaps one of the most intelligent parrot species, their high IQ's mean
that they require more time from their owners other than some of the smaller birds. They thrive
when they are put on meticulous schedules. Properly cared for Greys often bond strongly to
their owners, and become affectionate and captivating pets.
Are you ready to get one now after educating yourself some more? If so, please e-mail me and I
will put you on my waiting list. Please To get on the wait lsit.
Common Names: African Grey Parrot, Congo African Grey,
Timneh African Grey, CAG, TAG
Origin: Africa
Size: Approximately 12 to 13 inches from beak to tail. The African Grey is considered a large bird
and must be provided adequate living space. Purchase the biggest cage you can afford, and
one that is at least 36" x 36" at minimum.
Average Lifespan: African Greys, when properly cared for, typically live to be around age 50.
There are, however, individuals that live long past this time.
Temperament: African Greys are extremely intelligent birds, and a fact which becomes evident
upon observing their behavior. Many grow to be extremely sweet and affectionate toward
their owners, and the species is known for being rather sociable. A bored or neglected
African Grey, however, is often not a very happy bird, and will not hesitate to air grievances
when given the opportunity.
Timneh African Grey, CAG, TAG
Origin: Africa
Size: Approximately 12 to 13 inches from beak to tail. The African Grey is considered a large bird
and must be provided adequate living space. Purchase the biggest cage you can afford, and
one that is at least 36" x 36" at minimum.
Average Lifespan: African Greys, when properly cared for, typically live to be around age 50.
There are, however, individuals that live long past this time.
Temperament: African Greys are extremely intelligent birds, and a fact which becomes evident
upon observing their behavior. Many grow to be extremely sweet and affectionate toward
their owners, and the species is known for being rather sociable. A bored or neglected
African Grey, however, is often not a very happy bird, and will not hesitate to air grievances
when given the opportunity.
