Congo African Grey Parrot	Psittacus erithacus erithacus

Our Greys

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"Riker"

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"Riker"

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"Neelix"

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"Riker and Troi"

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"Riker"	"Troi"

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"Troi"

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Our Greys

• Riker was born in January 1998. Neelix was born in December 1997. Kes and Troi were both born on May 23, 1998. They have joined Riker and Neelix. We hope to have babies in two or three years. In the meantime we do enjoy the company of our birds and the African Greys have turned into a wonderful addition to our household.

Talking:

• Neelix was talking before weaning. He could say several words at six months. Riker is starting to speak very quietly at eight months. Both greet us with "Hello" and can say their names. They can also say the names of most of the birds around them and the "step up" command. Riker has now passed Neelix as talker and "barker".
  Greys are always listening and will say things they haven't heard for months. I had a pair of very young imported greys and their first words were "Is anybody dere?" in a full sentence and West African woman's accent! They had me searching for someone outside until I caught them saying it.
  Greys are very social and they enjoy talking with you. The time you spend repeating words for them increases the bond between you and your bird.
  Because no two birds are alike, one cannot predict when the talking will begin, or if ever. There have been greys who never talked. Appreciate them for their personalities and let any talking be an added reward.

Greys as pets:

• We are just talking about domestically bred, hand-fed babies. They are fearless and easy to handle. African Greys are noted for the sociability and will bond with anyone who spends time with them. Many other birds will bond with only one family member and tolerate or even attack the others. Greys will bond with one family member if they interact with the bird more than the others. It is also important to teach your pet the rules of your home. You should consult a good book on raising Greys. They can learn what "NO" means and learn to avoid behaviors that cause this shouted word! :-) Confinement works best for us and is the only "punishment" our greys ever receive.

Diet:

• African Greys are a hardy, healthy species with a life expectancy of comparable to humans. Balanced diet is important, but not hard with modern avian foods available. We feed a seed, dry fruit, pellet mix and fresh fruit and vegetables Calcium supplements in the form of cuttlebones, or Osteoform are helpful. Make sure your grey has lots exercise out of the cage.

Cages and toys:

• Generally speaking, a cage 24 inches deep, 30 inches wide and 30 inches high will comfortably house your Grey. Perches, toys, and bells encourage exercise in the cage. They also help prevent the boredom which can lead to feather plucking. The cages with exercise tops are great. If your grey's cage doesn't have an exercise top then you will need to provide a perch and play area outside the cage. Your grey needs to be allowed out of the cage for frequent supervised play times.
  If you give your Grey plenty of toys to chew. He will be much happier and a lot less likely dine on your furniture. Avoid small toys with little pieces he could swallow.
  All parrots are creatures of habit so they need a consistent schedule. If you suddenly vary the schedule they may scream or start to pluck their feathers. Any sudden or unexpected change can upset them. Greys are wild animals, no matter how tame. Instincts play a large role in their lives and change could mean an ambush.

Description

• Congo African Greys are a stocky 13 inch bird. They weigh around 500 grams. Sexes are similar in appearance. They are predominantly grayish with the plumage on the head and neck edged in white. The tail is a brilliant red.

The blue area shows where the African Greys live --
this is the densest jungle habitat on the African continent and
is located right on or near the earth's equator.

Click to join CongoGreys

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