African Grey Parrots
as pets
The history of African Grey parrots kept as pets dates back over 4,000 years. Some Egyptian hieroglyphics clearly depict pet parrots. The ancient Greeks also valued parrots as pets, and this custom was later adopted by the Wealthy Roman families often kept parrots in ornate cages, and parrots were prized for their ability to talk. King Henry VIII of England also had an African Grey parrot. The Portuguese sailors kept them as companions on their long sea voyages.
Today, many African Grey parrots are hand reared by breeders for the pet trade and they make wonderful and very affectionate companion parrots; however, because they can be unpredictable at times, they may not be compatible with small children. African Grey parrots are very strong and they can bite with their powerful beaks. If you are a stranger to the parrot you should make slow movements so the parrot knows what you're doing. Their nails are naturally sharp and can scratch, although they don't use them aggressively. Pet owners often liken the experience of keeping an African Grey to raising a young child, both due to the birds' intelligence and the substantial time commitment which they require. While captive-bred birds usually assimilate into their new households with relative ease, wild-caught African Grey parrots require considerably more time to adapt to living with humans, and have a tendency to growl and panic when they are approached. Unlike more common pets, African Grey Parrots have not been greatly "modified" by selective breeding, and are genetically identical to their relatives in the wild.
African Grey parrots, like most pet parrots, are very high-maintenance pets, as they require a great deal of personal attention. While numbers vary with each source, most agree that three hours out of cage daily and 45 minutes of physical interaction is the minimum attention required for good mental health. African Greys – particularly Congo African Greys – are known to be shy around strangers, and tend to bond solely with their main caretaker if they do not interact with different people regularly. While inter-species friendships with other parrots are uncommon with African Greys, they require socialization with other parrots of any species.
African Greys require plenty of stimulating toys to keep them from becoming bored while confined to their cage. These toys should be rotated and switched out regularly so as to maintain the bird's interest. For an African Grey spending most of its day in the cage, 36"W x 24"D is a good cage size. The height of a cage is typically not important, except in the case of play top cages that are taller than the owner, in which case the bird can become territorial. An African Grey who spends most of its time on a play stand and uses the cage solely for sleeping only needs a cage large enough so that the bird's wingspan doesn't touch the cage's sides and its head and tail do not touch the cage's top and bottom, respectively. The bar-spacing should from be ¾ inch to 1 inch. A companion African Grey should be kept in a bird-safe environment and placed in a busy part of the home, such as the living room, where the bird can occupy him- or herself in watching the household activities.
African Greys have special dietary requirements and should be fed plenty of calcium- and Vitamin A-rich foods, such as almonds, small amounts of cheese, or leafy greens like mustard greens, broccoli, etc. It is usual to give African grey parrots carefully calculated quantities of calcium and vitamin supplements. An excess of these added vitamins and minerals in an African Grey’s diet can lead to health problems. In order to prevent free flight, which could lead to loss or possible injury, only a few feathers need to be clipped from the wings of an African Grey, since they are heavy birds. Clipping too many feathers can severely impair flight and may lead to injuries as they may have a tendency to crash to the ground. If very young birds are wing clipped they may never gain full coordination and agility in flight. Finally, feather clipping should never be attempted by those inexperienced at it, as serious injury could result. African Grey parrots' life spans are up to about 50 years (or more) in captivity.
