Welcome to the TC Parrots encyclopedia page! We have included some very useful information below on our most popular birds. Contact us with any questions.
African Grey
Description:
12 to 15 Inches long, with predominantly grey plumage that varies from a very light to a very dark grey with blue or reddish "factor" depending nowadays, in captive breed individuals mostly due to parentage. They do have darker wings, and a pale grey chest , which makes for a very delicate contrast with their red or maroon tail feathers. The head and neck feathers have paler margins, giving that part of the body a lacy aspect. The area around the eyes is in a light grey to almost white coloring, making the eyes seem more deep. In an almost monochromatic bird (except , perhaps for the tail) you are able to observe mother nature's beauty and smarts all in one.
Subspecies:
Listed below are two recognized subspecies.
- Congo African Grey parrot, Psittacus erithacus erithacus: these are larger birds (about 12 inches/30cm long) with light grey feathers, cherry red tails, and black beaks.
- Timneh African Grey parrot, Psittacus erithacus timneh: these are smaller in size, have a darker charcoal gray coloring, a darker maroon tail, and a light, horn-colored upper mandible.
Some avian enthusiasts incorrectly recognize a third subspecies, Ghana African Grey (Psittacus erithacus princeps). This bird is described as similar to the Congo African greys, but darker and slightly smaller; however, scientifically, this subspecies has not been found to be recognizable. Among breeders, there is said to be a fourth subspecies, the Cameroon African Grey, most often referred to as the big silvers.
African greys are extremely inquisitive creatures, smart, witty, funny. If they get bored they become destructive (self destructive plucking their feather or aggressive)
How do you keep them entertained?
Place their food bowl inside a cardboard box!, hang a couple of apple pieces from a string inside the cage, place a bowl with sand inside the cage and a treat at the bottom (you can do this outside , if you are married preserves your marriage longer) give them plenty non treated wood to chew on . Create hanging food items (broccoli, corn, papaya, mango, etc) and place it in the cage , give them newspapers to play with they will shred it to pieces. They love to be a part of your family's daily routines, so allow them to share with you.
Behavior problems usually stem from something missing in the bird's environment. Boredom, lack of trust, lack of interaction with other birds or people can lead to problems like biting, feather plucking, and screaming. Try to develop a bond of trust and spend time with your bird to help avoid these problems.
An African grey Parrot that is well cared for, has a proper nutrition and is properly housed will seldom become ill. Like most birds classified as parrots, some visible signs of illness to be aware of are ruffled plumage, listlessness, drooping wings, sagging body, extreme mood changes, having no appetite, bulges in feathering, partially closed or watery eyes, swelling of the eyelids, rasping, difficulty breathing, excessive saliva, dirty vent, and any change in the feces not apparently diet related.
Some of the more common illnesses are psittacosis (chlamydiosis or parrot fever); bacterial, viral, or fungal infections; feather picking (results of boredom, poor diet, sexual frustration, lack of bathing); allergies; chewing flight and tail feathers by juveniles, beak malformations in chicks; Papillomas; kidney disease (gout); toxicity, heavy metal poisoning; Immediately provide a warm, draft free, secure environment kept at about 86°F (30°C) for any bird that shows any of these symptoms. Place food and water close to the perch where it is easily accessible. An ailing parrot should be taken to a avian veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible.
A healthy parrot will most likely live up to 80 years !!!!
Certainly the most sought after is their ability to talk. These parrots have been known not only for their talking ability but for the fact that they do not mimic but rather speak. there have been some of them which have been trained to recognize colors, object sizes, etc. their vocabulary can be measured in the hundreds if properly trained.( some scientists say they could speak a couple of thousand words)
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Conures
Scientific Name: Pyrrhura molinae
Conures are very active, graceful, and beautiful! Wonderful companions, they are so affectionate and comical! witty, extroverted versions of larger parrots. They truly believe they are large macaws!!!!
Conures come in many sizes and colors. They are small to medium size parrots. In nature the conures live in flocks or family groups and are very friendly and peaceful. Because of their social disposition, many can become finger tamed in just a few weeks! These birds are also very hardy and will breed fairly easily in captivity. they can be noisy, but mostly all conures are enjoyed as pets not only for their beauty and disposition, but because they are highly intelligent and so are quick to learn tricks and to talk.
The conures parrot natural habitats range from Mexico and Central America to the Caribbean Islands and South America. But they are found mostly in Central and South America
Conures love to take a daily bath !!! not only does this help to keep their plumage pristine, but is also allows the dust from their feathers and old feathers to give way to new and healthy ones. You can provide his very own bathtub (a little dish filled with lukewarm water will do) or you can spray or mist your bird. Some people shares their shower time with their conures friends.
The wings should be kept trim if you want to discourage flight and to prevent the loss of your pet through an open window or door. Nails can be trimmed at your local pet store or avian vet. Don't try to cut the nails by yourself, you could cause bleeding on the nails and it will be traumatic for you and the bird . However both the nails and the beak should be trimmed if they get overgrown.
Conures should be fed a very balanced diet. An seed only diet is not appropriate for your bird (would you feed a child ice cream only ?) they should be fed pellets (80%) fruits and vegetables(15%) and some other stuff (like cooked chicken or cooked eggs for protein) some cooked rice here and there without sauces , and lots of love to share A cuttlebone, or gravel and oyster shell in a separate dish can be provided. Vitamins are not necessary with a full diet and remember that adding stuff to the drinking water or the food degrades the food or water faster allowing more bacteria to grow in so you would need to change it more frequently. Do not feed avocado as it is toxic to birds! as well as berries Fresh water should be provided daily.
A good sized cage for a conure must be large enough that the tail does not touch the bottom, and the bird has enough room for unrestricted movements. those which have a playground on top provide the added benefit of having both the cage and the playground on one space and this is important when space is somehow limited
The basic cage care includes daily cleaning of the water and food dishes and removal of the newspaper to catch the "processed food". Weekly you should wash all the perches and dirty toys. Bedding such as corn cobs or pine shavings are not recommended unless there is no other choice they promote fungi and bacteria growth
What to do if a problem arises:
When conures are kept under good conditions and fed a balanced diet, they are remarkably resistant to disease. but as all living beings they could become sick. All birds are very good at hiding illnesses so you should be observant of basic signs that let you know your baby is not doing so good fluffed plumage on a constant basis , resting often with their head tucked under their wing or rump, resting on both feet when they are adults, not eating, discharge from the nostrils or mouth, cloudy eyes, loose watery droppings, weight loss (chest bone starts sticking out), large water intake, labored breathing, opening and closing it's mouth, if they spend the whole day sitting on the bottom of the cage, stops talking. or any other abnormality should be taken into account (maybe suddenly very aggressive ) An ailing parrot should be taken to a avian veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment and should not be delayed.
Boredom, lack of interaction, changes in their environment (a house or furniture change) a new pet can lead to problems like biting, feather plucking, and screaming. Try to develop a bond of trust and spend time with your bird to help avoid these problems.
Conures mutations have been obtained by mixing individuals with the same characteristics until a more distinct trait is obtained. These are not hybrids, they can reproduce and they carry the genetic information to pass this new developed trait onto future generations.
The Pineapples which results from breeding a cinnamon Green-Cheeked with a Yellow-Sided Green Cheek. a Yellow-Sided which is the result of line-breeding to intensify the red coloration. All of the colors show up in different birds as happens with mostly every race, when mixed produces individuals with strong genes which they carry onto the next generation and recessive genes which will show up a couple of generations after (in the conures this is know as split a recessive gene which does not show in that individual but it is carried by him or her and will most likely pass to the next generation)
Some samples of these gorgeous parrots are below:
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Conure Mutations
Coming Soon!
Senegal
Coming Soon!
Caique
Coming Soon!
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