My first day with a 3 month old African Grey

[Wa87]

Hello everyone,

Despite the fact that I love birds, I didn't want to own a pet bird because of the responsibilities. Furthermore, I can't take care of a bird pet because I live in a very poor country called Afghanistan where we can't find pellets for any kind of birds or a veterinarian. My 6 year old kept asking for an African Grey parrot and I visited the pet shop out of curiosity. I felt really bad for a young one because it was kept in a very small cage (probably 12 x 12 inches) and was ONLY fed sunflower seeds. I knew that sunflower seeds cause these birds liver fat. I didn't purchase it because of the responsibilities and went home. I kept thinking about it and went back the next day. So I purchased it, thinking of giving her a better life. The seller told me that it's a female and it's 3 months old. I can't trust the seller. It looks bigger than 3 months.

Today is her first day in my home and I feel extremely worried for her wellbeing. Please let me know if I'm doing something wrong or suggest me some tips by kindly noting the following points:
1. Cage: I bought two large cages and combined them. Now the total width of the cage is 36 inches and the height is 24 inches. Is this enough for her?
2. Veterinary: I visited the most famous so called veterinarian to check her out, but found out that he was just a salesman claiming to be a veterinarian. He came across as a gym trainer trying to sell steroids. He was trying to sell me 4 different types of vitamins which I declined. Did I make a mistake?
3. Feed: I searched 4 main markets for pellets for birds but could not find any as they only had food for budgies, fish, etc. Then I tried feeding the little bird different types of food such as cooked rice with cooked red beans, corn, watermelon seeds, and apple. She only ate a little bit of apple and ignored everything else. Furthermore, I saw her only once drinking a little water. I gave her mineral water and not tap water. Now I'm planning to give her fresh food twice a day with the following things:
Cooked food: Lentils (chickpeas, or red beans or mung beans) + Grains (Barley or Wheat or Brown rice)
Uncooked food: Vegetables (Spinach, corn, carrots, etc.) + Fruits ( Bananas, watermelon, strawberries, apple etc.)
Treats: Seeds (watermelon seeds, sunflower seeds) Nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachio, peanuts, cashews)
Total feed per day: 100g.
Feed allotment: 30% Lentils, 40% Grains, Fruits 10%, Vegetables 18%, Seeds 1%, Nuts 1%
Is this plan correct?
4. Playtime and behavior: I took her out of her cage and played with her for 30 minutes. Surprisingly, she was not afraid of me and climbed my shoulders and she didn't go back to her cage when I wanted to put her back in. I played with her and petted her a little bit more and then I thought she might want to sleep because she tucked her head in between my elbow and my ribs, and later under my knee. Now I'm worried and I wonder if that is a sign of illness because she preferred a dark area to hide her head?

I will post her picture tomorrow as she's sleeping now. Thank you very much for your advice in advance because it'll help an affectionate, defenseless, innocent, dependant, and speechless bird.

 

[Samthegrey]

African Grey's need a lot of attention.

 

[texsize]

I am assuming you have a Congo African Grey.
If the bird is really 3 months old the eyes will be black not silver or gold.
Also the red tail should look darker, at least some of them should be a more maroon .

good luck with your new baby

 

[Wa87]

Thank you for your replies. Yes, I try to pet him, play with him, and keep him out of the cage for at least 3 hours per day. She sleeps in my lap. I don't know if that's a sign that she's comfortable or she's ill/scared. Also, the eyes are mostly black with a grayish circle that's not easily visible. The red tail looks dark and I'm not sure if it's Congo or a Timneh. I'm mostly worried about her feed. She doesn't seem to eat a lot. Can anyone please tell me that the plan I mentioned above is ok or not? Thank you in advance.

 

[GambotheGreyt]

Thank you for your replies. Yes, I try to pet him, play with him, and keep him out of the cage for at least 3 hours per day. She sleeps in my lap. I don't know if that's a sign that she's comfortable or she's ill/scared. Also, the eyes are mostly black with a grayish circle that's not easily visible. The red tail looks dark and I'm not sure if it's Congo or a Timneh. I'm mostly worried about her feed. She doesn't seem to eat a lot. Can anyone please tell me that the plan I mentioned above is ok or not? Thank you in advance.

View attachment 59078View attachment 59079View attachment 59080View attachment 59081View attachment 59082View attachment 59083View attachment 59084

Hello. This baby is indeed young.. is she banded? Was she handfed? At this age, she likely should still be handfed probably 2-3 meals a day.

Regarding watermelon seeds.. hmm ? Not sure that they will get eaten.

You can try Ubuy for pellet purchases. I believe that they will ship to Afghanistan.

Look at birdy bread ideas in the forum along with diet ideas. It will take time for this baby to adjust, but being young gives you a great opportunity to introduce variety. You can feed almost any food (see forums for what not to feed as well as ideas for what to feed).. but what shape, temperature, etc will vary based on the parrot's preference.

Let me advise you that a hungry parrot will bite, and not gently. They will also make noises indicating that they are hungry.

The cage size is not good for long term.

Do you have lots of toys in the cage? These will need replaced and rotated.

Greys need a lot of exposure to different people, places, and things. But since you just got the bird, be PATIENT.

 

[Wa87]

Hello. This baby is indeed young.. is she banded? Was she handfed? At this age, she likely should still be handfed probably 2-3 meals a day.

Regarding watermelon seeds.. hmm ? Not sure that they will get eaten.

You can try Ubuy for pellet purchases. I believe that they will ship to Afghanistan.

Look at birdy bread ideas in the forum along with diet ideas. It will take time for this baby to adjust, but being young gives you a great opportunity to introduce variety. You can feed almost any food (see forums for what not to feed as well as ideas for what to feed).. but what shape, temperature, etc will vary based on the parrot's preference.

Let me advise you that a hungry parrot will bite, and not gently. They will also make noises indicating that they are hungry.

The cage size is not good for long term.

Do you have lots of toys in the cage? These will need replaced and rotated.

Greys need a lot of exposure to different people, places, and things. But since you just got the bird, be PATIENT.

Dear GambotheGreyT, thank you very much for your response and your advise. I am finally relieved because Nyla (her new name) started eating. In one bowl, I put for her chopped uncooked vegetables like carrots, peas, lettuce, ladyfingers, and bell pepper. In another bowl I put for her cooked rice, red beans, peas, and potato. She ate little bit of vegetables and a considerable amount of cooked food.

Furthermore, she's banded but that band is probably fake or from another bird. The pet shop owners here are extremely careless. I was shocked when I saw a bowl of sunflower seeds placed in front of her and he told me that it's her only feed and he eats nothing else. She was placed in a small cage where she couldn't even spread her wings.

Yes, I abandoned watermelon and sweet melon seeds.

I know that no company can ship to Afghanistan as all the shipping companies do not ship here. Even though Ubuy might keep Afghanistan as a delivery option in their website, it's surely not accurate information.

Yes, I will definitely look at Birdy bread ideas. Thank you for this tip and I was not aware of it.

Yes, I will probably build a bigger cage next year. Currently, I have only two swings in the cage as I didn't want to fill the cage with a lot of toys which might restrict her movement within the cage. I will go to the pet shop for a few more toys. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

Luckily exposure to different people will not be an issue because we are 3 families living in the same house and we'll have a lot of guests visiting. That is the culture in Afghanistan. Also, I'll take her to the park every other day once the weather becomes a bit warm.

Thank you so much for your kindness and your time.

 

[GambotheGreyt]

Dear GambotheGreyT, thank you very much for your response and your advise. I am finally relieved because Nyla (her new name) started eating. In one bowl, I put for her chopped uncooked vegetables like carrots, peas, lettuce, ladyfingers, and bell pepper. In another bowl I put for her cooked rice, red beans, peas, and potato. She ate little bit of vegetables and a considerable amount of cooked food.

Furthermore, she's banded but that band is probably fake or from another bird. The pet shop owners here are extremely careless. I was shocked when I saw a bowl of sunflower seeds placed in front of her and he told me that it's her only feed and he eats nothing else. She was placed in a small cage where she couldn't even spread her wings.

Yes, I abandoned watermelon and sweet melon seeds.

I know that no company can ship to Afghanistan as all the shipping companies do not ship here. Even though Ubuy might keep Afghanistan as a delivery option in their website, it's surely not accurate information.

Yes, I will definitely look at Birdy bread ideas. Thank you for this tip and I was not aware of it.

Yes, I will probably build a bigger cage next year. Currently, I have only two swings in the cage as I didn't want to fill the cage with a lot of toys which might restrict her movement within the cage. I will go to the pet shop for a few more toys. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

Luckily exposure to different people will not be an issue because we are 3 families living in the same house and we'll have a lot of guests visiting. That is the culture in Afghanistan. Also, I'll take her to the park every other day once the weather becomes a bit warm.

Thank you so much for your kindness and your time.

View attachment 59087View attachment 59088

I'm glad to hear that she is eating! This is good news. Seeds (for example sunflower) and nuts (raw/unsalted) are beneficial as well, but only as an addition to the other healthy foods.

Oh please remove one of the swings (these look like budgie toys and not big enough for her) and give her something that she can destroy. Even toilet paper rolls are great. Look at the forum for DIY toys that you can make yourself. Untreated, unpainted wood is great.. they can be colored with appropriate food dyes for color.

Greys are super smart and need A LOT of mental stimulation.

Don't begin yet, she needs to adjust to her new life, but regular showers will be needed for her as well.

Is the band open or closed? Can you send a photo of it?

 

[GambotheGreyt]

Dear GambotheGreyT, thank you very much for your response and your advise. I am finally relieved because Nyla (her new name) started eating. In one bowl, I put for her chopped uncooked vegetables like carrots, peas, lettuce, ladyfingers, and bell pepper. In another bowl I put for her cooked rice, red beans, peas, and potato. She ate little bit of vegetables and a considerable amount of cooked food.

Furthermore, she's banded but that band is probably fake or from another bird. The pet shop owners here are extremely careless. I was shocked when I saw a bowl of sunflower seeds placed in front of her and he told me that it's her only feed and he eats nothing else. She was placed in a small cage where she couldn't even spread her wings.

Yes, I abandoned watermelon and sweet melon seeds.

I know that no company can ship to Afghanistan as all the shipping companies do not ship here. Even though Ubuy might keep Afghanistan as a delivery option in their website, it's surely not accurate information.

Yes, I will definitely look at Birdy bread ideas. Thank you for this tip and I was not aware of it.

Yes, I will probably build a bigger cage next year. Currently, I have only two swings in the cage as I didn't want to fill the cage with a lot of toys which might restrict her movement within the cage. I will go to the pet shop for a few more toys. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

Luckily exposure to different people will not be an issue because we are 3 families living in the same house and we'll have a lot of guests visiting. That is the culture in Afghanistan. Also, I'll take her to the park every other day once the weather becomes a bit warm.

Thank you so much for your kindness and your time.

View attachment 59087View attachment 59088

DHL DOES deliver to Afghanistan, so it is possible for you to get American products. Yes this will be expensive, but it is possible.

 

[GambotheGreyt]

Dear GambotheGreyT, thank you very much for your response and your advise. I am finally relieved because Nyla (her new name) started eating. In one bowl, I put for her chopped uncooked vegetables like carrots, peas, lettuce, ladyfingers, and bell pepper. In another bowl I put for her cooked rice, red beans, peas, and potato. She ate little bit of vegetables and a considerable amount of cooked food.

Furthermore, she's banded but that band is probably fake or from another bird. The pet shop owners here are extremely careless. I was shocked when I saw a bowl of sunflower seeds placed in front of her and he told me that it's her only feed and he eats nothing else. She was placed in a small cage where she couldn't even spread her wings.

Yes, I abandoned watermelon and sweet melon seeds.

I know that no company can ship to Afghanistan as all the shipping companies do not ship here. Even though Ubuy might keep Afghanistan as a delivery option in their website, it's surely not accurate information.

Yes, I will definitely look at Birdy bread ideas. Thank you for this tip and I was not aware of it.

Yes, I will probably build a bigger cage next year. Currently, I have only two swings in the cage as I didn't want to fill the cage with a lot of toys which might restrict her movement within the cage. I will go to the pet shop for a few more toys. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

Luckily exposure to different people will not be an issue because we are 3 families living in the same house and we'll have a lot of guests visiting. That is the culture in Afghanistan. Also, I'll take her to the park every other day once the weather becomes a bit warm.

Thank you so much for your kindness and your time.

View attachment 59087View attachment 59088

Also is there a reason for the heater right next to her cage??

 

[Wa87]

Also is there a reason for the heater right next to her cage??

Dear GambotheGreyT, I sincerely thank you immensely for your concern and your tips.

Yes, I give nuts and seeds as treats in limited quantity.

I have combined both swings to form a single stronger swing as per your suggestion. Also, I got very happy when you told me about DIY toys. Now I know how important toys are for an African Grey. Also, it will be a great activity for my children to create toys with me.

The band is closed and the number 60 is imprinted on it.

Yes you're correct. Only DHL delivers to Afghanistan but they have gone mad. I inquired about a parcel from UAE to Kabul 3 months ago and they quoted me something like 70$ per kg and 200$ minimum charge. That's because UPS and FEDEX have stopped their operations. However, I will find a way to import pellets through my friends from China or UAE but that'll take a month or two.

The reason why I placed the electric heater next to the cage is because it's a bit cold in Kabul nowadays. So I wanted to make sure that the corner of the room is warm for her.

So far she seems fine. She ate twice today. She's active. She played with me, my children and her toys (a ball and a few small dinosaurs). She slept for like 9 hours last night and an hour in the afternoon. Tonight she went to bed early. I placed a cardboard box in her cage, and she went in there and slept inside it. She also does a lot of preening. She's very comfortable with me because she loves relaxing in my lap. I hope she stays this way and grows healthy.

Thank you very much.

 

[GambotheGreyt]

Dear GambotheGreyT, I sincerely thank you immensely for your concern and your tips.

Yes, I give nuts and seeds as treats in limited quantity.

I have combined both swings to form a single stronger swing as per your suggestion. Also, I got very happy when you told me about DIY toys. Now I know how important toys are for an African Grey. Also, it will be a great activity for my children to create toys with me.

The band is closed and the number 60 is imprinted on it.

Yes you're correct. Only DHL delivers to Afghanistan but they have gone mad. I inquired about a parcel from UAE to Kabul 3 months ago and they quoted me something like 70$ per kg and 200$ minimum charge. That's because UPS and FEDEX have stopped their operations. However, I will find a way to import pellets through my friends from China or UAE but that'll take a month or two.

The reason why I placed the electric heater next to the cage is because it's a bit cold in Kabul nowadays. So I wanted to make sure that the corner of the room is warm for her.

So far she seems fine. She ate twice today. She's active. She played with me, my children and her toys (a ball and a few small dinosaurs). She slept for like 9 hours last night and an hour in the afternoon. Tonight she went to bed early. I placed a cardboard box in her cage, and she went in there and slept inside it. She also does a lot of preening. She's very comfortable with me because she loves relaxing in my lap. I hope she stays this way and grows healthy.

Thank you very much.
View attachment 59091

Good morning.

Especially at this age, your baby needs 12-14 hours each night of quiet, dark sleep... use a cover, turn off the television, no loud children, no lights on and off, etc. Even as she matures, she will need about 12 hours of quiet, dark sleep each night. Without this, you will likely have behavioral problems.

If your house is heated to a comfortable temperature for people, your parrot does not need extra heat. It is dangerous to have this heater so close to her cage!

I hope that you will be able to buy her an appropriate sized cage and toys soon! Also the perches in her cage are parakeet (budgie) sized and not good for her feet. The swings are likely to not get used except to chew on. These are parakeet toys. Also why is she next to a mirror. This is not a good idea.

Have you watched any of the Bird Tricks videos about touch training? Right now however you need to give her time to adapt and feel safe. Greys require a lot of PATIENCE!

Again, look at the diet ideas. You are doing alright for now, but variety is important. Do you have a blender or food processor? Look at chop ideas, birdy bread, etc.

Stay in touch on the forums. Keep reading and keep asking questions. Good luck and welcome to the world of parrots! With a grey, you have committed yourself for the next sixty or so years to this birdy... everything you are doing now will affect your and hers quality of life later! 😁

 

[Wa87]

Hello,

Thank you very much for your help. I'm so happy that the activity level of Nyla has significantly improved along with her appetite on the second day. She makes more noises now, plays more, and shows more affection.

Yes, we took extra care of her sleep. She sleeps at around 8 PM and so do we. She has a box that she likes to go and sleep in. She seems to like sleeping on the bottom of the cage.

Yes, you're right about the danger of the heater so close to her cage. However, I did that because it was a rainy day and a bit extra cold for the usual days. We were feeling cold in the room despite the electric heater. Today, I moved her cage away from the heater and I also away from the mirror.

I will have to create a custom cage for her as this is the biggest cage I could find in all the markets. I know that's hard to believe but it's the truth. That's on my mind to give her a bigger cage. I got her a three new perches which were bigger in diameter. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I also threw away the swing and got her a bigger one. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any toys for a big parrot except a ball. I left that hanging from the ceiling of the cage and she likes kicking it with her beak.

Thank you for your tips, I was not aware of touch training. I will look into that and also I will research about diet ideas.

I can't thank you enough for your help. I'll definitely be visiting the forums everyday. Take care.

 

[GambotheGreyt]

Hello,

Thank you very much for your help. I'm so happy that the activity level of Nyla has significantly improved along with her appetite on the second day. She makes more noises now, plays more, and shows more affection.

Yes, we took extra care of her sleep. She sleeps at around 8 PM and so do we. She has a box that she likes to go and sleep in. She seems to like sleeping on the bottom of the cage.

Yes, you're right about the danger of the heater so close to her cage. However, I did that because it was a rainy day and a bit extra cold for the usual days. We were feeling cold in the room despite the electric heater. Today, I moved her cage away from the heater and I also away from the mirror.

I will have to create a custom cage for her as this is the biggest cage I could find in all the markets. I know that's hard to believe but it's the truth. That's on my mind to give her a bigger cage. I got her a three new perches which were bigger in diameter. Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I also threw away the swing and got her a bigger one. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any toys for a big parrot except a ball. I left that hanging from the ceiling of the cage and she likes kicking it with her beak.

Thank you for your tips, I was not aware of touch training. I will look into that and also I will research about diet ideas.

I can't thank you enough for your help. I'll definitely be visiting the forums everyday. Take care.
View attachment 59106

I am so happy that you are trying so much for Nyla!

Is the box that she sleeps in on the bottom of the cage or are you saying that she otherwise sleeps on the bottom of the cage? This is often clue number one that a parrot is sick.

I think that for toys, you will need to make your own and/or find online shopping sites. Ubuy's shipping rates are fair, but definitely not cheap. There are probably other regional options for you. I use Ozon for example and Wildberries is popular. Also people here (I am also in a "stan" country) often order from China. It isn't fast but it is cheap.

Are you using filtered/bottled water for her?

If you send me a private message, I can share some photos and ideas for you.

 

[Wa87]

I am so happy that you are trying so much for Nyla!

Is the box that she sleeps in on the bottom of the cage or are you saying that she otherwise sleeps on the bottom of the cage? This is often clue number one that a parrot is sick.

I think that for toys, you will need to make your own and/or find online shopping sites. Ubuy's shipping rates are fair, but definitely not cheap. There are probably other regional options for you. I use Ozon for example and Wildberries is popular. Also people here (I am also in a "stan" country) often order from China. It isn't fast but it is cheap.

Are you using filtered/bottled water for her?

If you send me a private message, I can share some photos and ideas for you.

Hello again, thank you very much for your responses as they have helped me and Nyla a lot.

I got worried as well that she might be ill because she sleeps at the bottom of the cage. Then I searched other forums and a lot of people said that baby greys do that. Also, last night she slept on her new perch. She's fine I think.

Ubuy doesn't ship to Afghanistan, I tried their website and it just gave me an error. I'll try others as well but I doubt they'll deliver to Afghanistan.

I am using bottled water for her.

Thank you very much.

 

[Wa87]

I am so happy that you are trying so much for Nyla!

Is the box that she sleeps in on the bottom of the cage or are you saying that she otherwise sleeps on the bottom of the cage? This is often clue number one that a parrot is sick.

I think that for toys, you will need to make your own and/or find online shopping sites. Ubuy's shipping rates are fair, but definitely not cheap. There are probably other regional options for you. I use Ozon for example and Wildberries is popular. Also people here (I am also in a "stan" country) often order from China. It isn't fast but it is cheap.

Are you using filtered/bottled water for her?

If you send me a private message, I can share some photos and ideas for you.

Also I tried messaging you by tapping on start a conversation, but it gave me an error stating that I should start a conversation with one of these people and it gave me a list of usernames.

 

[GambotheGreyt]

I just sent you a message

Also I tried messaging you by tapping on start a conversation, but it gave me an error stating that I should start a conversation with one of these people and it gave me a list of usernames.

 

[wrench13]

You need 20 posts in forums before you can send OR receive DMs. Wa87 only has 7.

 

[Wa87]

You need 20 posts in forums before you can send OR receive DMs. Wa87 only has 7.

Oh, thank you for the information.

 

[Conurefamily]

Hello everyone,

Despite the fact that I love birds, I didn't want to own a pet bird because of the responsibilities. Furthermore, I can't take care of a bird pet because I live in a very poor country called Afghanistan where we can't find pellets for any kind of birds or a veterinarian. My 6 year old kept asking for an African Grey parrot and I visited the pet shop out of curiosity. I felt really bad for a young one because it was kept in a very small cage (probably 12 x 12 inches) and was ONLY fed sunflower seeds. I knew that sunflower seeds cause these birds liver fat. I didn't purchase it because of the responsibilities and went home. I kept thinking about it and went back the next day. So I purchased it, thinking of giving her a better life. The seller told me that it's a female and it's 3 months old. I can't trust the seller. It looks bigger than 3 months.

Today is her first day in my home and I feel extremely worried for her wellbeing. Please let me know if I'm doing something wrong or suggest me some tips by kindly noting the following points:
1. Cage: I bought two large cages and combined them. Now the total width of the cage is 36 inches and the height is 24 inches. Is this enough for her?
2. Veterinary: I visited the most famous so called veterinarian to check her out, but found out that he was just a salesman claiming to be a veterinarian. He came across as a gym trainer trying to sell steroids. He was trying to sell me 4 different types of vitamins which I declined. Did I make a mistake?
3. Feed: I searched 4 main markets for pellets for birds but could not find any as they only had food for budgies, fish, etc. Then I tried feeding the little bird different types of food such as cooked rice with cooked red beans, corn, watermelon seeds, and apple. She only ate a little bit of apple and ignored everything else. Furthermore, I saw her only once drinking a little water. I gave her mineral water and not tap water. Now I'm planning to give her fresh food twice a day with the following things:
Cooked food: Lentils (chickpeas, or red beans or mung beans) + Grains (Barley or Wheat or Brown rice)
Uncooked food: Vegetables (Spinach, corn, carrots, etc.) + Fruits ( Bananas, watermelon, strawberries, apple etc.)
Treats: Seeds (watermelon seeds, sunflower seeds) Nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachio, peanuts, cashews)
Total feed per day: 100g.
Feed allotment: 30% Lentils, 40% Grains, Fruits 10%, Vegetables 18%, Seeds 1%, Nuts 1%
Is this plan correct?
4. Playtime and behavior: I took her out of her cage and played with her for 30 minutes. Surprisingly, she was not afraid of me and climbed my shoulders and she didn't go back to her cage when I wanted to put her back in. I played with her and petted her a little bit more and then I thought she might want to sleep because she tucked her head in between my elbow and my ribs, and later under my knee. Now I'm worried and I wonder if that is a sign of illness because she preferred a dark area to hide her head?

I will post her picture tomorrow as she's sleeping now. Thank you very much for your advice in advance because it'll help an affectionate, defenseless, innocent, dependant, and speechless bird.

Looking at the diet I see no protein try an cooked egg ours love steak , the bigger the better as far as cages and time together should be at least two hours. Good Luck👍

 

[Wa87]

Looking at the diet I see no protein try an cooked egg ours love steak , the bigger the better as far as cages and time together should be at least two hours. Good Luck👍

Dear concurefamily,

Thank you for your response. I thought red beans did have protein. However, if boiled eggs are safe, I'll try that. Thank you.