Things You'll Need
- Large cage
- Food dish
- Water dish
- Perches
- Toys
- Pelleted parrot food
- Fresh fruit
- Fresh vegetables
- Seed mix
- Jungle gym
Instructions
Habitat Setup
Purchase a cage no smaller than 3 feet deep, 2 feet across and 4 feet tall -- the minimum size necessary to accommodate an adult African Grey. The cage bars should have 1-inch spacing, arranged horizontally so that the parrot can climb the cage walls.
Hang at least one food dish and one water dish in your parrot's habitat. Multiple bowls are ideal, especially for parrots who tend to spill their dishes.
Place four to six perches inside your African Grey's cage, including natural branches and driftwood. Provide a variety of shapes, colors, sizes and textures.
Arrange a combination of toys, mirrors, rattles and strings throughout the cage. Individual African Greys vary in their toy preferences, but most enjoy toys with mirrors, bright colors, sharp contrast or bells. Rearrange these toys frequently to keep your bird interested.
Arrange newspaper or another cage liner on the bottom of the parrot's cage, or below the cage on the ground. Change the liner regularly as your pet soils it.
Feeding
Feed your African Grey a high-quality pellet food on a daily basis. Exact amounts will depend on the brand and its nutritional concentration. Fortified pellets should form the staple of your parrot's daily diet.
Offer your parrot dark, high-calcium green vegetables on a daily basis. Kale, broccoli and spinach can help to keep your parrot's diet varied while providing essential nutrients for bone health. Do not limit your parrot's intake of these healthy foods.
Feed sweet fruits and vegetables to your parrot a few times per week. Your African Grey will enjoy sliced chunks of squash, bell pepper, carrot, tomato, melon, apple, strawberry and banana. Understand that these contain large amounts of sugar and are inappropriate for daily feeding.
Offer 5 tbsp. of quality seed mix to your parrot no more than once or twice per week. Although they are nutritionally balanced, seed mixes are rich in fat and can contribute to obesity and cardiovascular disease in parrots.
Wash your parrot's dishes daily in warm, soapy water. Unwashed dishes can harbor harmful bacteria and mold.
General Care
Provide your parrot a large jungle gym, either indoors or outdoors. He should have a spacious, interesting area to play in when he is outside of his cage.
Directly interact with your parrot for at least 1 hour per day. African Greys are extremely intelligent, social animals who require ongoing human interaction.
Keep at least one other large bird in your home. Parrots become depressed, anxious and aggressive when kept alone in captivity. Your African Grey should have at least one companion. Macaws, Eclectus Parrots, conures, cockatiels, and other African Greys are all suitable companions.
Take your African Grey to the veterinarian at least twice per year. The vet will evaluate your parrot for any possible health problems. Upon request, the vet can also clip your bird's wings to prevent it from flying.
Clean your home regularly with nontoxic cleaning products. Mold, dust and ammonia can be harmful to your pet's health, so it is essential to clean your parrot's home regularly. Strong vapors found in paints, furniture polish, cleaning products and air fresheners can harm a parrot's sensitive respiratory tract, so use only products recommended for homes with pets.