Introduction and first African Grey!

[Angelwings]

Hello all,

We have just got our first African Grey (we paid the deposit yesterday) and our baby girl is due to arrive in 4/5 weeks. As you can imagine we're very excited. Even though we're first time owners of an African Grey both myself and my partner have had some experience with parrots in general (for a couple of months I lived with an African Grey and a Macaw whilst living with a family member) and my partner kept a Macaw who unfortunately passed away. After careful consideration and doing our research we've decided to get one, however I do have a few questions (not sure where to post these so I'm sorry if it's in the wrong forum) that hopefully a few of you can answer?

 

1) We're currently looking for vitamins for our girl as it's coming up to winter here in the UK, does anyone know of the best quality vitamins available within the market?

 

2) Another question I have does anyone know of any suitable recorded tapes that we can buy for when we're out of the house that we can play to her so she doesn't get lonely? We're at home a lot but sometimes there's times when we have to be out and don't want her to suffer from loneliness!

 

Thanks in advance! Looking forward to getting to know you all!

[Dave007]

Hello all,

We have just got our first African Grey (we paid the deposit yesterday) and our baby girl is due to arrive in 4/5 weeks. As you can imagine we're very excited. Even though we're first time owners of an African Grey both myself and my partner have had some experience with parrots in general (for a couple of months I lived with an African Grey and a Macaw whilst living with a family member) and my partner kept a Macaw who unfortunately passed away. After careful consideration and doing our research we've decided to get one, however I do have a few questions (not sure where to post these so I'm sorry if it's in the wrong forum) that hopefully a few of you can answer?

 

1) We're currently looking for vitamins for our girl as it's coming up to winter here in the UK, does anyone know of the best quality vitamins available within the market?

 

2) Another question I have does anyone know of any suitable recorded tapes that we can buy for when we're out of the house that we can play to her so she doesn't get lonely? We're at home a lot but sometimes there's times when we have to be out and don't want her to suffer from loneliness!

 

Thanks in advance! Looking forward to getting to know you all!

 

Congratulations on getting your new grey plus it's great that you've had past experience with parrots. Concerning vitamins, there's no store bought vitamins that are for greys and any other medium ti large sized parrots. They all get their vitamins from the food they eat, especially vegetables. Some fruit is good but fruit doesn't give vitamins to a parrot but they're not harmful.

You're very lucky to be getting a young grey. A young grey can be perswaded to eat vegetables very easily. Getting a young grey and starting that type of food will give a grey all the vitamins it'll ever need. Don't expect your grey to like all types of vegetables. Darker green types are very healthy. Carrots are very good. Different types of nuts are very good especially almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts. A decent type of parrot mix should always be available because a parrot eats whenever it wants to. There is no *breakfast, lunch or dinner* so food must always be available. This applies to all parrots.

 

As far as records----records don't work. If you're home quite a bit, your bird will eventually adjust to you and your partner not being there. Having stimulating toys are what's needed. Toys that can be destroyed, banged around. A heavy duty cow bell. We have lists of toys in the toy room that you can check out. Many people make their own.

Well, good luck and enjoy your time here.

[Greytness]

My grey loves stainless steel bells and anything he can hang upside down from. So dangling toys are my boy's favorite toys!

I have 8 other fids, so they keep each other stimulated with general vocalizations. Oh, and of course they have us as well to keep them entertained!

 

As far as foods are concerned, I strongly recommend giving your grey sweet potatoes or yams for their vitamin A content, plus any leafy veggies you can get them to take. My birds will eat their green veggies, but only if I've baked them into birdie bread first. My grey also adores fat juicy pea pods and pomegranate seeds. Slightly cooked carrots and broccoli are also on his 'like' list, but never in their raw state.

 

Can't wait to see pictures of your new baby! Congrats!

[Angelwings]

Thanks for the replies. I'm currently researching a list of suitable foods and have put down some of the foods you've both recommended. At this rate she will be eating better than us lol. Before replying I was just reading a thread about coconut oil for dry skin that they can get and read that it tastes good for Greys, would either of you reccomend coconut oil as a treat for her? We have a tub of extra virgin coconut oil that barely ever gets used.

 

There will be pictures up as soon as we get her.

[Acappella]

At this rate she will be eating better than us lol

 

It's called the grey diet. You'll find that nothing will look as good to your grey as whatever is on your plate, so you end up eating a better diet by default. lol Welcome to the site and to grey ownership!

[Timbersmom]

Timber certainly eats better than any of us! Acappella is exactly right though. If you are eating, your grey expects to eat as well. Preferably while standing on the edge of your plate. They are flock animals after all! I add red palm oil to some of Timber's food for health. I'm not sure about coconut oil, hopefully someone with more knowledge about diet will answer that one.

[Greytness]

I put both coconut and palm oils into my fids' birdie bread

[Angelwings]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I'm looking through this forum and reading everything that I can find to gain information so that we're prepared for when she comes home. The wait is long but it gives us both a chance to learn everything we need to know about.

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

The important thing is to establish a seed diet. We are good with Harrison's. VERY limited seeds. Sophie has eaten dinner with us past 14 years. Has her own plate! Not for everyone. Fresh veggies was thrown at the walls for several months when we first got her. Fruits were hated! We introduced over and over healthy, eventually she would try it. The success to Sophie's diet, was she LOVED grilled. Veggies, fruits, meat. If I grill it... she LOVES and tries it. I am not a great baker, so I am sure birdies bread would work just as well. Nancy

[Charlie Parker]

Hi, How's your baby? I have a 9 month old timneh grey, his name is Charlie parker. I feed my baby a wide variety of pellets and seeds like pumpkin, sunflower and peanuts. He just loves mandarin oranges and the juice that they are in. I also give him mixed veggies that you can get at the store that are frozen, birds eye is the brand, he eats a bit of that everyday. Bee pollen is put on top of his food as well. I don't give him any chips or things that have salt on it. He looks at a chicken bone with fear at the moment but maybe later on he'll try it. I have learned that you just have to let your pal eat and try what he wants to, never force him to do things he doesn't want to do or eat. Oh yeah, we leave music on at our house while we are both gone or a TV show, Charlie likes the back ground noise.