first time african grey owner advice

[stevenjames82]

im going to be getting an african greay about jamuary time just lookin for advice and best routines for the parrot. my daily/week routine is as follows work monday to fri 7am till 13pm off sat sunday ive read that routine is very important and sleep for the parrot is important so was going to think that covered up/lights off about ten pm this is when inusually leave the front room but then not sure if it would be best uncoverig the parrot at 715 when my partner leaves for work or leaving covered up till 1330 pm when we are back home going to be gettin an open top cage so parrot can spend most time ontop or out of cage also honna get a free standing perch so parrots not just confiemd to cage and top of cage so its got freedom also is it ok to let it spend time on a perch with me in the bedroom sorry for all the questions just want to get things right for an amazing intelligent bird any help advice or tips on anything would be very appreciated

regards steve

 

[LeaKP]

You will develop a routine with your grey. Yes, sleep is important, some birds like cover, others don't. Our bird gets super sleepy even with people in the sitting room by 8:30 pm so we cover him and he then chatters for a few minutes and goes to sleep. We are up early but don't uncover him until we hear him moving around. That's our routine.

We keep ours out for many hours a day even with work since we rise very early. He must nap some during the day! He also likes music while we are away, we've come back to the front door to hear him chattering along with the music.

Enjoy!

 

[stevenjames82]

thank you for the reply any other advice you could give is very appreciated are they a good bird for a first time parrot owner and thenone thing playing on my mind is the plucking feathers and getting ill ??

 

[EAI]

I think that your work schedule is great for a Grey if you plan on having him or her out the entire time after your work. I uncover my bird's cages before going to school (so 7 am) so they can get some sunlight and I don't have AC so it would get very warm underneath the blankets.

If you're planning on having him (sorry, I'll refer to your future bird as a he for easiness) out while your'e gone, he should be in a bird-safe designated bird room. You would need to be aware of dangerous items like outlets and paints because when left alone, you can bet they'll tear up something sooner or later (even with a bunch of toys).

Again, you'd have to keep an eye out on him so he doesn't destroy all your'e belongings or gets to something he's not supposed to. Spending time with you is more of a requirement to keep them tame and reduce the chance of becoming isolated and aggressive towards you. It also helps with their mental stimulation.

Greys would be one of the more advance species to take care of because of how intelligent they are. They can sense tiny changes in their environment that can stress them out. It's not impossible to have a Grey as a first bird, but it does take a lot of commitment. Are you planning on bringing home a Congo or Timneh?

The feather plucking shouldn't be an issue as long as he has a large, roomy cage filled with a variety of toys - shredding, wood, acrylic, puzzles - and perches of all shapes and sizes except for sand and cement. A good diet containing fresh foods and pellets will help maintain their amazing plumage and reduce the chance of other illnesses and plucking. Since they are powdered birds, they should get frequent baths to tame down the dust and reduce irritation. Mental stimulation like tricks and being taught how to speak (but not all Greys talk) will go a long way too, this keeps them busy and alert. If you suspect he's plucking, observe his environment and diet and increase his toys-for reassurance, keep a certified AVIAN vet on hold to discuss if it could be medical or not. If you do suspect it's a medical thing, a vet check up should be issued.

 

[stevenjames82]

i sometimes finish work at 11am but most 13pm so as soon as i get home the grey will be out im going to get a cage what opens at the top with a perch so the bird can sit on there and come an ho as pleased and also going to get a free standing perch/play gym aswell so its got the option and i will be training it aswell to keep it occupied what are the best food and veg to give and also been told to get a calcium sipplemement to put on the food

 

[Anansi]

Hello, and welcome to the Forum!

I'm glad to see you're doing your research ahead of time so that you are prepared for your new parrot when he comes home. You've already received some excellent advice, but I'll toss my two cents in there anyhow.

You had asked if you should uncover the cage at 7:15 when your partner leaves for work or if you should leave it covered until when you get home in the afternoon. I believe you should definitely uncover it at 7:15. Doing otherwise would amount to sensory deprivation and stress your bird out. (Unless you were planning to completely shift his sleep cycle so that his "morning" would be when you got home and you were spending time with him until around 1:00 AM. And even then, I'm not sure how well that might work with a parrot.)

As long as you provide him with a large enough cage and plenty of toys and foraging activities to occupy his mind, he'll be fine while you're gone. Just make sure to give him lots of interaction once you get home.

As for the calcium supplement, if he's already getting pellets and a well-balanced variety of fruits and vegetables, it probably wouldn't be necessary. Broccoli, for instance, has calcium.

You also asked about the best foods to feed your future parrot. Here is a list of what I feed my birds: Carrots, pumpkin, (both are rich in beta carotene) asparagus, bell peppers (red, yellow, orange and green), jalapeno peppers, Jamaican peppers, chili peppers, squash (butternut, green and yellow), blueberries, pomegranates, snap peas, cactus pears, starfruit, bananas, grapes, kale, turnips, radishes, brown rice, quinoa, cucumbers, endive, dandelion, chopped celery, red swiss chard, granny smith apples, papaya, African horned melon, corn, hominy, chocho beans and garbanzo beans, as well as Volkman's Fancy Soak and Simmer for the majority of their legumes and grains.

Twice a month, I'll give some hard-boiled egg complete with the crushed shell for calcium. Slightly more frequently during a molt.