African Parrot

The Grey African parrot is viewed by many as the ideal choice for parrot lovers.  Not only are these birds extremely eye-catching, they require much less maintenance than other breeds.  Native to central Africa, they can develop a remarkable speaking ability.  Their advanced cognitive skills allow them a high vocabulary reserve enabling them to conduct a variety of dialogues with their masters.

Another attractive attribute of the African parrot is its size.  As far as parrots go, they are considered to be right in the middle.  Growing to the length of 10 to 14 inches, African grey talking parrot are neither too big, which may cause for some awkward handling, nor are they so small that their beauty is difficult to appreciate.  There are two main types of the African grey talking parrot.  There is the Congo African Grey, and the Timneh.  The two varieties differ mainly in the shade of their feathers.  The Congo African Greys tend to be light grey in color, with a ruby red tail, while the Timnehs are a dark grey, almost charcoal, with a reddish brown tail.  As is common in nature, the females tend to be smaller than their mail counterparts.  Apart from the difference in their sizes, both genders look very similar.  The females however, have a slimmer neck and a smaller head.

If you are considering rearing one or more of these beautiful birds, you need to ask yourself if your current lifestyle is equipped for the task.  Raising a African grey talking parrot may very well prove to be a lifetime commitment, since they can live as long as 60 years.  The more intelligent a creature, the more attention it will require.  Think about fish for example.  They are not very intelligent; therefore require very little care.  The fish doesn’t care if you spend time with it; all it needs is basic maintenance.  Now imagine a dog.  How much more is essential for the pup’s well being?  The more intelligent the brain, the more stimulation is required to keep it in optimum health.  Much like a small child who may resume to boredom if left alone, the parrot needs your love and attention as often as possible.  Interaction is crucial for these birds, so creating an appropriate environment is of the essence.

Just like an under stimulated child may resort to destructive behavior, a neglected parrot may turn to things like picking its own feathers, as well as other negative behaviors.  These parrots thrive in an orderly environment.  Developing a set schedule of activities will keep the birds in a better mood, as well as in top mental and physical health.  It has been shown that even a minor tweak in their environment may cause the parrots to turn on each other or even on themselves.  As any pet owner knows, it takes time and patients to bring up your pet right.  African Greys do make wonderful pets, but it does take some effort on the part of the owner.  A parrot that has not learned obedience will surely give you a run for your money.  It may not know how to interact with people, which will cause it to peck.  Also, they may be very destructive to their surroundings.  Because they are quick learners, African parrots can both be taught and untaught good and bad behaviors respectively.

African parrot are social creatures, making them very desirable as pets.  In nature, they prefer to live in flocks.  When domesticated, these birds will substitute the human owner(s) for their feathery friends.  They enjoy being petted and like their heads rubbed.  Since the African parrot will “adopt” their owner as one of their own, they will not hesitate to express their natural habits of affection, such as regurgitation.  Although the birds may attempt to “kiss” you on the mouth, try to steer clear for their sake.  The human mouth houses many microbes which can be harmful.  The birds’ need for company can not be overemphasized.  If feeling lonesome, the parrots will exhibit undesirable behaviors such as biting, feather plucking, or making lots of unpleasant noise.  Because of these tendencies, this species of parrot is not recommended for families with small children.  These birds also use their beaks like another limb in accustoming themselves with the environment.

I you are ready for some adventure check places that have African parrots for sale and enjoy your new friend.
The Grey African parrot makes for a unique and wonderful pet.  It s definitely in a class all its own, and is surely to provide a lucky owner with a fulfilling and un comparable experience.