African gray infomation?

Question

Hi

i am thinking about getting a african gray but there are some things i am unsure about

1. what is best to have the flight feathers clipped or unclipped if clipped when

2. is it true that boys are best cause they are more chatty

3.when is the best time to start training

4. what cage is best solid top or open top

5. finally how stands do i need round the house

Answer 1

1. All my birds aren't clipped since they seem to enjoy flying from one stand to another.  When you first bring your baby home though it might eb godo to have the wings clipped at first so when he spooks he can't get to far or fly into anything.

2.  Both genders of the african grey speak well.

3.  Start training as soon as you get tehm settled.  Basically talk softly and don't handle themt oo much the first few days.  Be sure to let them out and explore on their won terms and just soak it in.  Once they seem settled begin with "Step up" and take it from there.

4.  Solid tops work best, keeping them at your level helps them be more manageable.  In the wild, the birds who are higher aren't more dominant instead they are just higher up and feel safer.  If they are at your level though, especially with larger parrots, it is easier to get them off and what not.  Just cause it's easier for you to get them.  

5.  I have a table top one for my lovebird, and conure.  I use these to ahfe the birds come with me no matterwhich room I go in.  Gizmo (my conure has) one on her cage and Joey has a few perches on the outside of his cage with toys and what not as a makeshift playstand while we get one.  You probably want atleast one table top and one or two playstands to have in different rooms.  Rooms like the Living room and DIning room are good places. Ones on wheels are good cause you move them if you need too. Basically ahve a tabletop, at least one larger stand.  The more teh merrier as long as the room isn't over crowded.

Answer 2

Hi,

Good choice in getting an african grey they are the best parrot for the amateur.

It is probably best to have the wings clipped but only for the first few weeks that you own it, just so that it will stay with you, you only need one wing clipped so that it has some mobility but not much. But if the bird you are getting has been hand raised then its not really needed as they are so tame anyway.

As for the myth that boys are more chatty then i'm not sure never heard that personally but, i do often tell people that any male bird is better as females tend to be more aggressive especially when they're broody, so in this case males are better.

The best time to start training is a day or two after you get the bird, and make sure you do the bulk of your planned training whilst the bird is young as normally after 2 or 3 years old then their ability to learn slows and it takes maybe months for them to learn something new, where as when they're babies it may only be two or three days.

A solid top is ok and i would recommend this type of cage if you want the bird to sit with you as the bird has nothing to play with etc whilst out so will fly to you for entertainment. But an open top cage is ok for the bird to have fun whilst out of the cage. I have an open top cage for my african grey but he won't use it he will just fly away either to me or the curtain poles, so i don't use it personally.

As for stands i guess you mean play stands, then i don't recommend them most birds won't use them, as they feel safer sitting on top of their cage. As for putting them around the house, well you should really limit the birds movement to one room, as by moving it around the house you are increasing the risk of the bird escaping, and i guess you won't want that.

Hope that helps and good luck with your bird.

Answer 3

1. Clipping a bird should be carefully considered. Clip only if the bird safty is at risk. It will effect the bird health to clip.

2. The s*x thing is untrue. There is no s*x bonding or difference in talking. Get a young bird and you will have hours of enjoyment.

3. As soon as you get him. try looking up "Good Bird Inc."

4. Get the bigest cage you can afford. This guy will spend a lot of his time in the cage, so give him as much room as you can. One with a play top would be great, but go for size.

5. He will want to be with you and on you. One or two should be fine.

Answer 4

1)I would never clip a birds wings unless it was a danger to itself or other birds. A birds instinct is to fly if it is in danger and with clipped wings it cannot do this and can feel insecure which can lead to depression.

2) Male birds tend to bond with women and female birds bond with men. (male birds can suffer from displaced aggression when sexually mature and can attack those closest to it)

3) Start training a bird as soon as you get it. Make sure the bird knows what it can an cannot do.

4) I would say a solid top as when you open them up, this can often place the bird higher than the people in the house making the bird think it is higher in the flock and subsequently it thinks it is boss.

5) it is up to you. It depends on how happy you are for your bird to sit on furniture etc. This is a good thing for interaction with your bird but it must have boundaries for the above reasons.

Finally, enjoy your bird if you get one. They are very intelligent and never underestimate him. They are sneaky little buggers but great fun.

Answer 5

First, yes, keep his wings clipped at all times.  Birds that have free flight in the house can get serious injuries from flying into things and even die from broken necks.

Girls talk just as much as boys do.  This only applies to birds like budgies and cockatiels. It is not true that females like males and vice versa.  This is a fairy tale.

The best time to start training is as soon as you get your bird.  Just be sure to let it chill out for about a week when you first get it.  It will be stressed out from being in a strange enviroment and new people.  Don't try to handle it much during this time.  Just talk to it softly.  

Solid top is best for this reason.  When you are training, and really all the time, your bird should never be allowed to be above your eye level.  Being higher than that puts the bird in the dominant position and this is not good because he will try to rule you, instead of the other way around.  

If you are going to get a stand, which is not really necessary, you only need one.  Putting a bird on a stand is ok for 30 or so, but they get very bored.  It is best to just let them play on their cage, on the outside of it, when you are home.  Be sure to have plenty of toys, especially ones like puzzle toys, swings and ladders.  Greys are extremely intelligent and get bored with the same old toys all the time.  Put half of his toys in the cage and hold back the rest.  In a few weeks, take the toys out of his cage and replace them with the ones you kept back.  Move them around in his cage every few days.  His cage should be large.   2ft x 3 ft is a good size.  It does not have to be real tall.  Keep the perches at a level where they will not put the bird higher than your eye level.  Make one of the perches a concrete perch so he can groom his beak and nails on it.  The other perches should be wooden and the rope kind so each perch will work different mucsles in his feet. Make sure you put him on a good pelleted diet.  Not the fruit pellets because he may pick out his favorite and waste the rest.  Just good plain pellets.  Give him fruits and veggies as treats and once in awhile some nuts.  He can eat table food as long as it does not have added salt and is not too sugary.  They also eat meat.  Please read my profile