are african grey parrots hard to raise?

Answer 1

They are very intelligent animals, considered by some to be the most intelligent animal there is.
They do need a lot of your time and I don't mean just being in the same house with them. They need to be trained to interact with you in the way you want her to. Parrots are not born with any skills at all. They must learn absolutely everything from their parents. That is why larger parrots spend a year or more with their parents even after they are fully grown: what to eat, how to find a hole in a tree to roost in, when the best food is in season.
When you get a parrot, you are their flock. You have to teach them "living room survival" skills:
how to step up, how to play with toys tokeep them stimulated and busy.
I don't recommend that anyone get an African Grey unless you have at least 2 hours a day of individed attention to give them.
This does not include the time you will be spending chopping vegetables, cooking for them, cleaning their cages, washing out their bowls, giving them showers or vacuuming...lots and lots of vacuuming!
Some links that you might look at:

http://www.itsagreysworld.com/articles/about.htm

http://parrotsonline.homestead.com/ArticlesGrey.html

http://www.birdsnways.com/

http://www.naturalencounters.com/

http://www.africangreys.com/index.html

http://www.companionparrot.com/

It is a MASSIVE commitment and you are going to have to learn how to take care of her or him the right way. This take time, a lot of time.
You are also going to have to think down the line about who will be taking care of your bird after you pass on. If you get a healthy weaned baby from a good breeder and good parents (1000 to 2000 dollars), feed her healthy food, (about 600 dollars a year including vitamin supplements, pellets etc....) take her for Vet check-ups, (about 300 bucks a year...) , she is going to live 50 or 60 years. Even if you are 20 years old now, this is a lifetime commitment where you will have her well into your retirement.
I have 2 greys. One is 16 and an adoption, and the other is 4, who I got as a baby.
I have a trust fund and a person much younger than me who will be taking the responsibility of my birds after I pass on. It's set up in the will, and the money is set aside for their care. The reason I got the 16 year old was because she belonged to a woman who died and her adult children didn't want her. How sad.
If you make the leap, consider adopting a bird:

http://www.phoenixlanding.org/


As far as their diet is concerned it is no different than other parrots, with the exception that they have higher calcium requirements.
Other dietary needs:
Please lean heavily on fresh or frozen vegetables (heavy on the dark orange and dark green), rice, pasta, beans, yams or sweet potatoes, nuts, and occasionally you can give them scrambled eggs, yogurt, a piece of chicken, and cheese as a treat.
Fruit is good a few times a week. Easy on the grapes..apple is good, as well as cranberry...
think about purchasing some flax seed oil from a health food store and a few drops on his veggies helps a lot.
An additional calcium supplement and a vitamin supplement is extrmemly helpful: "Pro-Vita" or "Blair's Super Preen" nutritional supplement sprinkled onto their veggies will really make a difference.
The number one reason for companion parrot fatalitites is malnutrition.
The bigger variety you offer to your birds, that is, the wider array of veggies they get, the more healthy they will be. I puchase frozen mixed veggie bags (no sauce) and mix them all together so that when my Greys are fed, they are offered about 20 different veggies. I blend in the healthy seed, cooked rice, add a bean glop mix from boiled beans, put in some nuts, and it's "Tails Up"! I don't hear a thing for a half an hour...they're too busy eating.
There are hundreds of recipes on the web you can find that will assist you in keeping your guy in great shape, but you really have to know what to feed to keep them in good condition. Keep reading and and researching.

It may be more than you wanted to know, but it will get you thinking about this, and there may be other people who will read this who are considering this very same decision. They are wonderful birds and so much fun, but it is truely like having a child in the house that never grows up.

Answer 2

It doesn't matter what the type of parrot it is. And personally, I don't think being a baby vs. adult has a ton to do with price. I've never seen a parrot go for much less than maybe 10% due to being an adult. Unless the bird was halfway through it's life or something. If it was going for much less, I'd put up a red flag and really really investigate or move on and find another - there's plenty of options out there. ESPECIALLY with a gray. They can live freaking forever. Meaning 60+ years! Mine will more than likely outlive me! They're a real commitment - they act like a kid for their entire lives (for the most part) Even a 10 year old african gray could go for the same price as a baby. RETAILER: Sheet can the retailer . PLEASE - unless it's a bird only store and they are very close with breeders. You have just the same ability to purchase from a breeder as the pet store does. (usually). No matter where you are in the States, you should be able to find a baby african gray from a breeder for around $750 - $800. VET CHECKUP: When you purchase the bird, get an agreement from the breeder that says that you have 48 hours or whatnot to get a vet checkup from date of purchase to ensure that the bird is free from any given or apparent problems and that you can have full refund. Some breeders will even pay for the vet checkup. BABY vs. ADULT: VOCAB: Most birds learn most of their vocabulary between being a baby and 2 years of age. 5 years.. they've USUALLY learned most everything. Some birds however just keep learning and learning, but this is a small amount. If you see an adult in the pet store, it's very likely either it's been there forever - not good., or it's been with another home already - also not good. It takes days to weeks to months for a bird to get adjusted to their new environment and for their personalities to come out. - including any problematic issues such as biting, feather plucking due to stress., shreading (your fingers), saying naughty words, etc. PERSONALITY: Birds will take on the personalities and learn things from their owner. If you have a baby bird from the baby stage, it also bonds with you more quickly. If you've never had a bird before, I'd get a baby. Be careful with the gray though.. please do LOADS of research. They can be one of the most emotionally complex of birds. They are also one of the smartest.. an interesting combination. But they are really really neat birds. Spend equal amounts of time with him every day - and exercise his mind like crazy. And talk talk talk talk talk lots! with intonations in your voice to keep him listenin. DON'T teach him to whistle.. they pick up things like that and then sometimes dont want to or never talk. Noises are cool., but whistling for some reason almost ruins them or something it seems. not always, but many of times. Write if you have any questions or want to share stories - would love to hear from ya :) Yes, they're lots of work.. but what isn't? They're HELLA lot less work than a puppy or a child. And CPS won't be after you if you lock them in a cage for an hour. ;) And what's better than 30-60 years of a relationship vs. starting a new one over every 7-10 years. Birds rock!

Answer 3

African Greys are known for their skill at mimicking and even understanding human language, though there is no guarantee they will speak (see http://www.itsagreysworld.com/articles/talking.htm for details on this). They are highly intelligent, and thus need a stimulating environment and a lot of attention, but this should be rewarding for you as well as your Grey. They tend to bond to one person, and thus may not be so outgoing with strangers. They have been known to be temperamental, but are usually playful and outgoing in their home environment. By the way, this will be a lifetime investment as the African Grey typically lives between 50 and 70 years. See the links below for further.

Answer 4

African Greys are the smartest bird out there. The smarter the animal/person the more attention they need. People don't do well in prison in solitary confinement either. If it will be home alone all day most days then you are not qualified to own an African Grey. Get a parakeet instead.

Answer 5

no more difficult than any other parrot. they have such amazing abilities with speech and memory. if i had the opportunity to get a grey i would in a heart beat.

heres a little story for you
my dad worked for life insurance company and went to a clients home for the first time. the front door was open and the tv was on when he knocked. he thought he heard someone say come in so he knocked again. then he definitely heard someone say come in. he opens the door, walks in and to his horror finds an african grey saying come in. he sounded just like a man. he quickly turns around and walks out as a woman pulls into the driveway. he quickly tries to explain but before he could she knew exactly what had happened. the damn parrot invited people into the home all the time.

Answer 6

African Gray's are not all that hard to raise as long as you have the time to spend with it. They need a lot of attention. African Gray's can also get quite big so they have a big appetite. African Gray's are also very smart they have a vocab. up to 2000 words so and they learn very quite so you also have to be careful what you say around them. They will imitate ANYTHING. They are also pretty expensive they can get up to over 1000$ so if you want to get one you have to be prepared to pay the price of EVERYTHING. Cages are also expensive, here the lowest price for one is 70$
Anyways if you need to know anything else just e-mail me at [e-mail]

Answer 7

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Get a cockatiel, I have both and my tiel is on my lap. Birds cost a fortune to keep, my grey was 1000... my cage was 600.00, then the stuff to fill it and new toys every month, the cage is not for you to lock up bird, They sit on top of it or throw food from it, and its for you to spend lots of money. I have to do as much for my birds that I did for my kid. Look up info on web, birds live 60 years and if your not willing to devote the time and money then its cruel to get one.

Answer 8

I have two birds they require allot of up keep and entertainment. You may want to get a ceramic bird. In the words of Elvis( Don't be cruel to a heart that's true!)

Answer 9

Check out the following link...

Answer 10

No, just lots of attention and entertainment/toys, good diet, like any other animal really.