Congo vs timneh... Any true personality differences?

I'm just asking out of pure curiosity. I've always heard that timnehs are more friendly than congos.

Dinodude said:

I'm just asking out of pure curiosity. I've always heard that timnehs are more friendly than congos.

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Ive wondered similar also. Ive read that Timnehs are apparently alot less prone to plucking compared to the congos, that they arent as 'sensitive' as such.
But my reading may be wrong, hopefully all the grey owners chime in

I have one of each....they are both great birds...my Timneh is an amazing talker; she says full sentences and will pick things up very quickly, but she can be nippy if she's in a mood... I have had her since she was weaned...
My Congo is blind; he is a rescue I have had for a few months...he is starting to talk now and is quite gentle if you approach him properly and don't spook him...
I like both types of grey....they both have their quirks and interesting personalities....not sure if I have a preference now that I have both
I got a Timneh first as I was a little worried about the size of a Congo for my first one, but now I love them both

jax7271 said:

I have one of each....they are both great birds...my Timneh is an amazing talker; she says full sentences and will pick things up very quickly, but she can be nippy if she's in a mood... I have had her since she was weaned...
My Congo is blind; he is a rescue I have had for a few months...he is starting to talk now and is quite gentle if you approach him properly and don't spook him...
I like both types of grey....they both have their quirks and interesting personalities....not sure if I have a preference now that I have both
I got a Timneh first as I was a little worried about the size of a Congo for my first one, but now I love them both

Click to expand...

Just wanted to commend you for taking in a blind parrot. I have so much respect for people who take in disabled birds and give them an improved quality of life.

And you mentioned that you hesitated on getting a CAG initially due to the size. I didn't realize the size difference between them was so significant. Just how much larger is a CAG?

jax7271 said:

I have one of each....they are both great birds...my Timneh is an amazing talker; she says full sentences and will pick things up very quickly, but she can be nippy if she's in a mood... I have had her since she was weaned...
My Congo is blind; he is a rescue I have had for a few months...he is starting to talk now and is quite gentle if you approach him properly and don't spook him...
I like both types of grey....they both have their quirks and interesting personalities....not sure if I have a preference now that I have both
I got a Timneh first as I was a little worried about the size of a Congo for my first one, but now I love them both

Click to expand...

It's great to see someone care for a disabled bird.

I have known a few grays. But nun as mean as Shuggie. Thank god Figgy is not as bad. But don't know as manny TAGs as I do CAGs. So can't say CAGs are nicer. I may of just got a nasty TAG.



CAGs are much bigger then TAGs. Sort of like a big S and a little s. Ss.

Well, both get held on their own terms. AG's are just that way. They take longer to trust, and are easier to spook. And they are not as easy going as, for example, any of my macaws...

My CAG has been raised from an egg with amazons and macaws, and is a lot more docile, and playful that way than most. BUT he still gets held on his own terms... [i.e. he will ONLY step up if you offer him the right hand, not the left. He only gets head scratches when HE is in the mood for them, not when you are in the mood to give it to him.]

He's been taught to pinch instead of bite - BUT - if you persist, the pinching gets harder. And if it is proceeded by a warning "Owww! That hurts!" or "Knock it off!" and you ignore those warnings and persist, the pinches get progressively harder. Ignore that, and he'll draw blood...

He is also the only bird I have that displacement bites. Which means he is the only bird I have that is NOT permitted on shoulders. He is a hand only bird... [And it has to be the RIGHT hand. He REFUSES to step up or perch on the left hand.]

Anansi said:

jax7271 said:

I have one of each....they are both great birds...my Timneh is an amazing talker; she says full sentences and will pick things up very quickly, but she can be nippy if she's in a mood... I have had her since she was weaned...
My Congo is blind; he is a rescue I have had for a few months...he is starting to talk now and is quite gentle if you approach him properly and don't spook him...
I like both types of grey....they both have their quirks and interesting personalities....not sure if I have a preference now that I have both
I got a Timneh first as I was a little worried about the size of a Congo for my first one, but now I love them both

Click to expand...

Just wanted to commend you for taking in a blind parrot. I have so much respect for people who take in disabled birds and give them an improved quality of life.


And you mentioned that you hesitated on getting a CAG initially due to the size. I didn't realize the size difference between them was so significant. Just how much larger is a CAG?

Click to expand...

Thank you for all the wonderful comments regarding my blind CAG boy...he is becoming such an amazing little man... I have had him since May and he now lets me touch most of his body...I have taught him the word TOUCH and he allows gentle touches without getting too upset...he is now trying to talk to me...and he mimics quite a few new household sounds...we are not at step up yet, but I have high hopes
He did not have a lot of love and attention before coming here and I think he is feeling much happier now

Because my Timneh is a female and he is a male, there is quite a bit of difference in their size...however when I first got my Timneh as a 3 month old baby, she was so much bigger and smarter than my Conures and cockatiels, which is what I had experience with at the time...I was a little nervous getting my first Grey...that was 15 years ago and a wealth of experience and knowledge ago...lol
Now ...not so concerned anymore...lol