African Grey – An Overview
Although many parrots can talk albeit to various levels, the connoisseurs choice of a talking bird is undoubtedly the African Grey, quite simply the best talker in the parrot family. This incredibly intelligent parrot is more of a companion than a pet, and although they won’t all learn to talk most of them will learn to speak reasonably fluently.
The African Grey Parrot
Whilst they are often excellent communicators, they are not however necessarily the best pet for everyone who wants a talking bird. Greys require a lot of attention, and if they don’t get it these complex creatures can become standoffish and shy. Although they do require to be handled often, they are generally not as affectionate or ‘cuddly’ as some other parrot species. If affection is one of your requirements then perhaps you should be looking elsewhere for your pet.
Another thing to note is that African Greys can cause problems for any family member who suffers form allergies of asthma – these birds have more dander* than most other bird species. Although some people may have no allergic reaction to budgies / parakeets or conures, they may find that they are unable to tolerate an African Grey.
It is very important to ensure that these birds are exposed to different people and situations from an early age, as without this they may become cagebound and timid. Because of their extremely high intelligence (similar to that of a human toddler) they must be provided with ample stimulation at all times. You should be prepared to spend a great deal of time (upwards of an hour a day) playing with this bird. The dangers of a lack of stimulation, in addition to personality problems as mentioned above also extends to ‘plucking’ where they can start pulling out their tail, chest and shoulder feathers.
If you are leaving him alone for any length of time, you must ensure that he has plenty of stimulation available in the form of toys and puzzles which incorporate problem solving, many of which are available from specialist retailers.
Although cage requirements do not differ a great deal from that of other parrots, the African Grey is certainly not an ideal choice as your first pet bird. Any cage should be as roomy as possible, and even if he is likely to be spending more time out of his cage (on a T stand or play gym for example) he will require plenty room to explore and play whilst he is inside it. Be sure that any cage you do opt for has strong bars, that are spaced between 3/4 inch (or 1.9 cm) and an inch (2.5cm) apart.
The cage measurements should be at least two feet (60 cm) deep x three feet (90 cm) wide by four feet (121 cm) tall – vital to allow him enough space to flap his wings, hang upside down and spend time climbing around.
The different types of African Grey available are either the Timneh Grey or the Congo Grey, pictured below:
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- Congo African Grey
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- Timneh African Grey
Although not apparent from the photos, The Timneh is smaller and can be less of a talker than the Congo, whilst not having the striking read plumage in the tail area.usually talks less readily than the Congo. In addition, the Timneh is not as colourful, lacking the bright red tail of the Congo. However, the Timneh is often much cheaper.
If you want a bird that is intelligent enough to actually hold a conversation, but may not be interested in cuddling, then the African grey may just be the choice for you – we would add that, as with any exotic bird, you should do extensive research before purchasing.
*Dander - material shed from the body of various animals, similar to dandruff or pet pollen. It may contain scales of dried skin and hair, or feathers. It is a frequent cause of allergy in humans.
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