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Caring For an African Grey Parrot African grey parrots, just like toddlers, can get bored quickly and require mental stimulation to prevent behavior problems. If they don't get enough stimulation, they could be destructive or start screaming. Highly intelligent, they are the most accurate mimics of all species of parrots and comprehend human speech. The trade in pet animals and destruction of habitats are the biggest threats to them. Feeding The dietary requirements of African greys are slightly different from the other psittacine species. While they are omnivorous in the wild, they prefer seeds over fruits and vegetables. In captivity, they are more likely to eat fruit and leafy greens than seeds. They are also susceptible to calcium deficiencies and obesity therefore it is crucial for owners to keep an eye on the quality of their diets. Pellets or complete crumbles are recommended to make up 75% of a parrot's daily diet. Ideally, the diet should contain pellets as well as fresh food. A good ratio is 60% pellets, 10 percent seeds and 30% fresh foods. The best choices are spinach, kale silverbeets, pak choi sweetcorn, carrots, broccoli and more. Native plants and spouting grasses like dandelion greens, okra and okra are also beneficial. Avoid cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and cauliflower as they contain high levels of oxalic acid, which may hinder calcium absorption by the body. Nuts are an excellent source of nutrients to the diet, but they should be fed sparingly because of their fat content. They are a source of protein, healthy fats, as well as vitamins and minerals. The rest of your diet should comprise an assortment of fruits and veggies. Avocado is toxic to Psittacines. Other common toxic foods include chocolate, alcohol and coffee and raw potatoes. If a parrot consumes too many fruits, they could develop yeast problems in the gastrointestinal tract. A balanced diet is an excellent way to keep an African grey parrot content and healthy. It is essential to monitor the bird's weight and offer new foods in small amounts. Weighing the bird every day will enable you to swiftly identify any changes and rectify them. It's also a great idea to give the bird fresh water regularly. This will stop dehydration and bacterial infections. Food that is not eaten in the cage or play area may ruin the food and cause health issues for your bird. Training Parrots are highly intelligent and are able to easily learn to speak, though it may take days or even weeks to repeat the words they hear. A parrot that is trained properly can also perform simple tricks and respond to cues. These activities keep the bird's brain stimulated and stop them from getting bored. In the event of boredom, it can lead to undesirable behaviors like feather-picking or destructive chewing. These issues require intervention from a professional. It's crucial to prevent over-bonding as a pet that is too attached to one may become territorial and aggressive toward others. This can be very risky for children, elderly people or people with allergies. To prevent this from happening, all members of the household should spend some time each day playing and interacting with the bird in different ways. This will allow the bird feel more comfortable being loved by all members of family members and reduce the chance that it will develop an overprotective behavior. If a parrot is in a relationship with a single person, it will peck and bite at other family members or guests trying to handle or pet it. To avoid this the entire family should take turns petting the bird before putting it in its cage. If a parrot is displaying aggression, it should be returned to its cage for a period of time and not handled until it calms down. During petting sessions Be aware of areas that are referred to as “blood feathers” or “pinfeathers.” These feathers are a source of blood supply and may bleed when they are brushed against. If a blood or pinfeather feather is found to be exposed, it must be immediately clipped and replaced with a fresh feather. Family members should also be taught how to greet and say goodbye to the bird. The bird should be taught how to identify food items or toys. This will make it easier for the bird to learn to speak and it will also enable it to communicate with family members without needing to be physically present. Health While the African grey is one of the most intelligent parrots in the world, it can become bored and use destructive behaviors if not given enough toys or other methods to exercise its mind. It also needs a great amount of mental stimulation in order to prevent self-mutilation feather-picking and loud screams. Parrots are expensive pets to have. The initial costs are expensive, and they require constant new toys that are quickly destroyed. They are also prone to infections and are costly to treat. These birds are extremely social and require a lot of interaction with humans, including hours spent playing games, solving puzzles and learning lessons. To stay strong and healthy, they need to exercise for hours a day and escaping their cage. The cage should be big enough for them to move around freely and spread their wings. It must be clean, safe and made of non-toxic materials. It should have a variety of perches, with different heights and textures so that the birds can move between them. They also require a roost, usually an elevated wooden post or an elevated concrete perch in the corner of the cage. The parrots should always have clean water and this should be changed daily. They should be offered an assortment of dark leafy greens, vegetables and fruits, with treats limited to not more than 10% of their diet. They should be served various nuts and seeds as well. High-quality formulated pellets or crumble should comprise around 75% of the food. Most disease problems in parrots are the result of a long-term diet imbalances. Minor irregularities will show up as slow growth and development, poor quality plumage or breeding performance while more marked changes can manifest as specific diseases. Many of these issues can be prevented by regular checks by an avian vet and appropriate diet management. Care Like any other bird, African greys require lots of attention and mental stimulation in order to be happy. If a parrot is bored it will be depressed and exhibit negative behaviors such as aggression, self-mutilation, or feather picking. It is essential to conduct regular veterinary exams, fecal screening and vaccinations carried out to ensure your pet stays healthy. African greys are monogamous. They form a dedicated pair bond that incubate eggs for 21 to 30 days, and caring for the young until they reach 10 weeks old. They are able to fly and are among the most intelligent birds. They live long and often outlive their human owners, which makes them popular pets around the world. They are extremely adaptable and will adjust well to many different environments, but they prefer a natural environment with lots of trees and perches to explore. They can also use their feet – two facing back and two facing forward on each foot – to help to balance and perch, just as humans do with their hands. Their short beaks feature an upper mandible with a curvature that is a perfect fit over the lower one to assist in breaking open seeds and nuts and their strong grip could tear through bark and wood. In the wild, African greys will eat fruits, nuts seeds, dark leafy greens as part of their balanced diet. Seeds should not comprise more than 5% of the diet and should be supplemented with high-quality crumbles or pellets to avoid excessive pickiness. Also, they should be offered an assortment of fresh vegetables, fruits and cooked lentils and beans. made a post should always be accessible, and cages should be cleaned every day. If the diet is not complete, supplements such as vitamin D or calcium may be required. The World Parrot Trust works tirelessly to protect Grey & Timneh parrots and their habitats, but their populations are in decline due to illegal trade and captive breeding. Fortunately, they are protected by the Endangered Species Act in the United States as well as the Wild Bird Conservation Act. They also enjoy the highest protection under CITES. Learn more about these fascinating birds in our parrot Encyclopedia!