How to feed a baby african grey parrot
African Grey Parrots - Feeding
Our knowledge of bird nutrition is constantly evolving. This is due to both a heightened awareness of the importance of nutrition and the continuous research into the needs of different bird species. As with all other animals, birds need a proper balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water. Different species of birds often have specific nutritional requirements, necessitating different foods being offered. For example, the African grey parrot is more prone to calcium deficiency if fed a predominantly seed-based diet in comparison to other large psittacines.
Should I be concerned about my African grey’s diet?
Commonly, owners assume they are feeding a proper diet to their African grey when, in fact, they are not. Not all pet stores, breeders, or online educational materials will have the most up-to-date guidelines for your African grey parrot’s dietary needs. A qualified avian veterinarian can provide you with the best dietary recommendations for your pet ‘Grey’.
Just like us, birds can survive on poor quality food, but their overall health may be compromised. A bird's health depends a great deal on how well it is fed and what foods it consumes. The goal should be to help our birds thrive and flourish, not just survive. It is important to note that, while it is important to offer your African grey parrot a well-balanced diet, it is even more important that he/she EATS A WELL-BALANCED DIET!
What do African greys eat in the wild?
In the wild, African grey parrots eat a variety of seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, and vegetation. They especially treasure the fruits of the African oil palm, a tree native to their environment.
What should I feed my African grey parrot?
African greys are vulnerable to both calcium and/or vitamin A deficiencies, as well as obesity. Feeding a well-balanced diet and making sure your parrot consumes the proper proportions of foods offered will help prevent the development of these conditions.
"African greys are vulnerable to both calcium and/or vitamin A deficiencies, as well as obesity."
Seeds
Although wild African grey parrots have access to seeds all year round, the types of seeds they feed on change throughout the year as different plants come into season. The commercial seed mixes offered to many captive parrots tend to be high in fat and deficient in many nutrients. If these mixes are fed as the only source of food, African grey parrots could become ill and ultimately die prematurely. To make matters worse, birds will often pick through a large bowl of commercial seed mix and selectively eat one or two "favorite" types of seeds, limiting their nutrient intake even further. They often preferentially choose peanuts and sunflower seeds that are particularly high in fat and deficient in calcium, vitamin A, and other nutrients. Their selective appetite can further predispose them to malnutrition.
Seeds should only be 20-40% of a balanced diet.
In addition, only a couple of ‘tree type nuts’, such as almonds, walnuts, or Brazil nuts, should be offered daily. If you gradually offer fewer seeds while replacing them with more nutritious choices, your bird will start eating other foods.
Pelleted Diets
Commercially available pelleted diets have been developed to meet most of a bird's nutritional needs. Different formulations are available for different life stages and for the management of certain diseases. There are many good brands of pelleted foods in the marketplace. To suit the preferences of different birds, pellets come in different flavors, colors, shapes, and sizes.
Pellets are the ideal food and should represent approximately 75-80% of your bird's diet. The remainder of the diet should be comprised of fresh fruits, vegetables, and a small amount of seed if any.
"Pellets are the ideal food and should represent approximately 75-80% of your bird's diet."
Hand-raised babies should be started directly on a pelleted diet so they become adjusted to a properly formulated diet at an early age.
Transitioning a seed-eating bird to a pelleted diet can take weeks to months to accomplish and can be difficult. Initially, they likely do not identify pellets as food. Never switch a bird’s diet ‘cold-turkey’. Birds should be slowly weaned off seeds over a period of two to six weeks, with the pellets constantly available in the main food bowl. A method to transition is to offer 90% of the current seed with 10% new pellets and, with each day, reduce the seeds and increase the pellets by another 10% each. If your bird is not reliably consuming the pellets nearing the end of this transition, restart the process in about one month with a different pellet.
NEVER withdraw seeds entirely without first being certain your bird is trying the pellets, as well as eating some fruits and vegetables. Monitoring your bird’s weight on a digital scale that measures in gram increments is a way to be sure your bird is maintaining its weight during the transition. Consult your veterinarian if you encounter any problems with this transition or with the health of your bird.
Remember that you train your bird. Do not let your bird train you.
Fruits and Vegetables
Vegetables, legumes, and greens should account for approximately 20-25% of your bird’s daily diet. Pale vegetables with a high water composition, such as iceberg lettuce and celery, offer very little nutritional value. Avocado is reported to be potentially toxic and should never be fed to birds! Orange, red, and yellow vegetables, such as squash, peppers, carrots, and sweet potatoes contain vitamin A, a nutrient essential to a bird’s immune system, kidneys, skin, and feathers, and are ideal choices. Fruits contain a high amount of water and sugars and should be 10% or less of your bird’s daily diet.
Fruits and vegetables must be washed thoroughly to remove chemicals and bacteria before offering them. Cut them into manageable pieces appropriate to the size of the bird. It is not necessary to take the skin off. Offer fruits and vegetables in a separate dish. If your bird appears to develop a particular fancy for one particular food item, reduce its volume or temporarily stop feeding it to promote the consumption of other foods.
Offer a small piece of a variety of food items daily and, even if your bird rejects the item once or twice, do not give up. It may take several exposures to a novel food before your bird accepts it.
Water
Fresh, clean water must be available at all times. Depending on the quality of your tap water, you may consider the use of filtered or bottled water.
What about people food?
As a rule, any wholesome, nutritious food that you and your family eat, your bird can eat in very small quantities. Follow the general guidelines above and use your common sense. Some birds occasionally enjoy a small amount of lean cooked meat, fish, egg, or cheese. As birds are lactose intolerant, they should be offered dairy products only on occasion and in very small amounts. High-fat junk food (e.g., French fries, pizza, fatty meats), excessively salty items (e.g., chips, pretzels), chocolate, caffeinated products, and alcoholic beverages should be avoided. Do not feed foods that are fried, canned, or cooked with butter or oil.
Will my bird’s nutritional needs change throughout its life?
Extremely young birds or birds who are stressed, injured, laying eggs, or raising young may have special nutritional requirements. There are certain pelleted diets available for birds with these types of unique nutritional requirements. Consult your veterinarian regarding these situations.
Does my bird need extra vitamins, minerals, or amino acids?
Generally, a bird consuming 75-80% of its diet in the form of pelleted food does not need supplements. Pellets are meant to be nutritionally complete. Specific vitamins or minerals may be more important at various times during a bird's life (e.g., egg-laying birds may require calcium supplementation). Daily consumption of vegetables will also minimize the need for additional supplementation in the diet.
Birds who are not yet eating pelleted diets may be supplemented until their nutrition can be improved. Powdered supplements are often regarded as more stable.
These supplements should not be offered in water, as many of them can degrade in water or promote bacteria or yeast growth in the water dish or bottle. They may be offered directly onto moist vegetables, however, in order to benefit from these supplements, birds must consume the entire moist food item. Placing these powders on seeds or dried foods is of little value since it will ultimately roll off the dried item or come off the seed.
Supplements should only be offered for specific health conditions or if your bird is on an all-seed diet, as recommended by your veterinarian. They should be eliminated once a bird is transitioned onto a nutritionally complete pellet.
Does my bird need gravel or grit?
African greys parrots do not need gravel or grit. Grit helps birds that consume whole seeds (hull and kernel) grind and digest the seeds in their gizzards (part of the stomach). While birds such as pigeons and doves consume seeds intact, parrots remove the seed hull before ingesting the seed.
Thus, they do not require grit or gravel. In fact, many birds offered grit will over-consume it and develop potentially life-threatening gastrointestinal obstructions. Grit is often found glued on sandpaper perches to help keep nails worn down. Birds may pick grit off these perches, as well, leading to intestinal impactions. For this reason, even sandpaper perches should be avoided.
"African grey parrots do not need gravel or grit."
What pointers should I remember about feeding my African grey?
Always monitor the amount of food eaten every day by each bird.
Offer fresh water every day.
Make pelleted food the basis of the diet (75-80%).
Offer fresh fruits and vegetables every day, limiting their consumption to no more than 20-40% of the diet. Fruits should be no more than 10% of the daily diet.
Never switch a bird’s diet ‘cold-turkey’.
Clean all food and water dishes daily with soap and hot water. Dry them thoroughly before reusing them.
A bird saying no to a food item one day does not mean no forever - KEEP TRYING! Some suggested food items to offer include:
| apricot | bok choy | peas |
| asparagus | cocount | red, green, and hot peppers |
| banana | corn | pineapple |
| cooked beans (various types) | cucumber | plum |
| chickpeas | dandelion leaves | pomegranate |
| peach | dates | potato |
| lentils | endive | pumpkin |
| carrot | fig | rapini |
| carrot tops | grapes | raspberry |
| parsnip | grapefruit | brown rice |
| soy | kale | romaine lettuce |
| beet | kiwi | spinach |
| blueberry | melons | sprouted seeds |
| broccoli | mango | squash |
| Brussels sprouts | nectarines | strawberry |
| cabbage | orange | sweet potato |
| cantaloupe | papaya | tomato |
How Do I Hand-Feed an African Grey?
By Karen Mihayloi Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.
net/Getty Images
African greys are usually attentive parents, but occasionally a clutch is abandoned and hand-feeding becomes necessary. An ill bird can also require hand-feeding. Hand-feeding an African grey parrot isn't difficult, with proper training and a little experience. To be prepared for an emergency when breeding African greys, ask your avian veterinarian or a reputable breeder for hands-on training before the eggs begin hatching.
Properly Prepared Formula Is Essential
Leave the baby in his nest or brooder while you clean and disinfect the preparation area, wash and dry your hands and prepare the formula. Mix warm bottled water with powdered formula, using a commercial baby parrot formula specifically formulated for African greys. Never heat prepared formula in a microwave; hot spots can burn the chick. Follow the manufacturer's directions carefully; dilution rates and feeding schedules vary according to the chick's age. Malnutrition, dehydration or an impacted crop are some of the problems that improperly diluted formula may cause.
Keep the Formula Warm
Use a thermometer to ensure the formula is between 103 and 108 degrees Fahrenheit, leaving it in the food during feeding. To keep the formula at the proper temperature, lower the feeding container into a bowl of very warm water. Stir the formula and check its temperature each time you fill the feeding syringe. Proper food temperature is crucial for healthy weight gain.
Initiate a Feeding Response
Keep your chick warm and away from drafts while feeding him. Gently touch the soft pad at the inner edge of his beak with the filled feeding syringe to initiate a feeding response. When the chick opens his beak, angle the syringe behind his tongue, toward the back or sides of his throat, avoiding the windpipe located in the center of his throat. Slowly depress the syringe while the crop, a pouch on the front of the chick's throat, plumps up. Don't allow the crop to overflow.
Clean the Chick After Feeding
Baby parrots are messy eaters, and must be cleaned immediately after being fed.
Using a cotton swab moistened with warm water, thoroughly clean inside the beak. Any food particles stuck here can turn sour, which may cause a bacterial infection. Carefully clean his face with a soft, moist cloth. Even his nostrils may contain caked formula. Dry him thoroughly, and replace him in his brooder or nest to avoid a chill.
Allow His Crop to Completely Empty
An African grey chick's crop must empty at least once each day. Failure to allow emptying of the crop may result in sour crop and bacterial infections, the two most common problems seen in hand-fed chicks. Let the chick go unfed for seven hours overnight, which allows the crop to empty completely. Other potential problems include malnutrition, pneumonia caused by aspirated formula and health or behavioral problems caused by early weaning.
References
- BirdChannel.com: 14 Parrot Hand-Feeding Tips
- Hilltop Animal Hospital: Hand-Raising and Hand-Feeding Baby Birds
- Arizona Parrots: Dangers of Hand Feeding Baby Birds
Photo Credits
Writer Bio
Karen Mihaylo has been a writer since 2009.
She has been a professional dog groomer since 1982 and is certified in canine massage therapy. Mihaylo holds an associate degree in human services from Delaware Technical and Community College.
Gray parrot
photo can be enlarged
Gray parrot ,
belongs to the genus Psittacus, in which it is the only representative
. He gained his fame thanks to his
exceptional ability to copy various sounds and imitate
the human voice. Natural talent has earned this parrot fame
is the best imitator, making it the most popular pet among
bird lovers in many countries. The length of this parrot is 30-35 cm, the wingspan is
65, the wing length is 22, and the tail is 8 cm. The jaco has a black curved beak,
the iris of the eye of a mature bird is yellow, the legs are lead-gray.
His nostrils, cere, frenulum and rim around his eye are covered with
leather.
The long wings have well-developed flight feathers, the tail
is of medium length, the edge is even. There are two main colors in the gray plumage
- ash-gray feathers with slightly lighter edges
and purple-red tail feathers. The appearance of bird
can be seen on high-quality photos in the text.
Most often gray parrots live in dense mangroves
along the banks of rivers, especially in estuaries. Even at the end of the last century, 90,013 birds met in boundless noisy flocks. More often now
only found in smaller groups than flocks. These birds
keep in communities only outside the breeding season, the breeding pair separates from the group and
chooses a breeding site for itself. Non-nesting individuals gather in flocks
in the evening and settle down for the night on the highest trees.
In the morning, when the plumage dries up, birds flock to the fields to feed
on semi-ripe corn, causing serious damage to agriculture.
They do not bypass their attention and banana plantations.
Flying from tree to tree, they willingly eat fruits, nuts and berries, and
also oil palm seeds. Jaco parrots fly hard, their
flight is similar to the flight of ducks. They climb trees rather clumsily, and on the ground they are completely helpless.
Red-tailed jaco
photo can be enlarged
In nature jaco is noisy birds , they
scream loudly and piercingly, flying from tree to tree. These
feathered
are shy and do not let a person close to them. And it's quite
is fair, since their main enemy is exactly
people. Locals hunt them for meat, and also take
out of nestlings, feed them, tame them and bring them to
port cities for sale. Beautiful tail feathers are also hunted,
which are used not only as an ornament, but also as an important element of a magical ritual
.
The breeding season of these parrots depends on the
area of distribution, but always occurs during the rainy season.
Watching
where this population of birds lives - north or south
of the equator, the nesting time falls on our summer or
respectively winter months. They build nests on mangrove
trees, preferring hard-to-reach, flooded places at the mouths of
rivers. Producers use depressions from fallen branches or hollows,
which they expand with their strong beak. The clutch usually contains 3 - 4 eggs, rarely
up to 5.
These parrots are very popular
as pets,
are kept in captivity for their ability to imitate
human speech and other sounds. This leads to massive illegal capture of
Jaco parrots in the wild and export to other countries in huge quantities
. This causes irreparable harm to the
population and makes it difficult for them to reproduce in nature. The gray
African parrot is listed on the CITES list, which bans the trade of
wild-caught birds.
Gray parrot
photo can be enlarged.
On average, a bird can remember more than 100 turns of
speech. Extensive research conducted with a gray parrot named Alex
by Dr. Irene Pepperberg has shown that these birds can
associate human language words with the objects they designate, and are also able to perceive the concept of shape, color,
serial number, and even the concept of zero. Many of these animals start
to learn to speak by two or three years, brown-tailed grays begin to learn
a little earlier than their red-tailed counterparts.
Wild birds
also
very often make different sounds - whistle, squawk,
squeal, snap their beak loudly, etc. At home, these sounds
may seem annoying to many, but this is part of their nature and
who wants to have one The pet will have to come to terms with it. Also often
such pets tend to repeat the sounds made by consumer electronics:
telephone, intercom or alarm clock. In addition, they copy the sounds of
wild birds living on the street.
There are mainly two subspecies of the gray parrot - (Psittacus
erithacus erithacus) - red-tailed jaco and (Psittacus erithacus
timmeh) - brown-tailed jaco.
Red-tailed gray parrot, nominal subspecies Psittacus
erithacus erithacus. Its habitat is located north of the equator
and extends from the west of Togo to western Kenya, and in the south -
from Northern Angola and the southern regions of the Congo to the northwestern part of
Tanzania. The total length of this bird is 34-36 cm, wing length
23-24 cm, tail length 8-9 cm, weight 380-420 g. the shell is light gray, dark in young birds
. The plumage is ash grey, but the feathers on the chest, head and neck of
have a lighter or darker edge, which creates the characteristic ripples of
. The back of the back, tail and front coverts are red.
Flight feathers of the first order are almost black, wing coverts are dark gray.
Grey, dark nails. In young birds, the back and wing coverts
are brownish-gray, tail and undertail with gray spots.
The dark
iris gradually becomes gray, brightens, later, in the fourth year of life, it acquires a whitish-yellow hue. The value of
individuals may vary depending on the geographic location
of the habitat
of the populations. In some specimens, the plumage color may acquire
is a silver hue, which is also related to regional
features.
Distribution area of brown-tailed
Jaco parrots - southern Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, western
regions of Ivory Coast. Their habitats gravitate towards the coast; brown-tailed jacos are rare in the depths of the mainland.
Total length of this bird 31-34 cm, wing length 20-21 cm, tail length
8 cm, weight about 330-350 g.0013 yellow-grey. The plumage is dark grey, chest and belly
are light grey. Tail feathers maroon, iris
light yellow.
Keeping jaco parrots
Brown-tailed jaco
photo can be enlarged
Then only
noble and rich people could afford the pleasure of possessing
a beautiful talking bird.
One of the most famous owners of
such a bird was King Henry VIII. Who knows, perhaps it was the
parrot that was the best adviser to the king, because these birds can
reproduce literally everything that was said in their presence.
Despite their natural ability to win over even the most
noble persons, these parrots themselves do not require royal care and
are quite unpretentious in keeping. They don't have food
exotic preferences - the diet includes a variety of fruits,
vegetables, nuts, berries, herbs. And the fact that they do not like drafts and
tobacco smoke, so who loves them? The only thing that, perhaps,
gray parrots are really demanding is attention. This
is an amazingly social bird. For full-fledged happiness, they need at least a few hours of close communication with a person
whom they trust every day. By the way, to gain trust and
pet affection, need a lot of patience and time. But when you
become a real friend for your parrot, you will never regret your choice
.
The adaptation of a gray parrot to new
conditions and new people can be very extended in time. Its
duration depends on many factors: the age of the bird,
different individual characteristics, as well as the time and effort
spent by the owner to make it as easy and smooth
as possible.0013 is a difficult period for your pet. At first, after buying
animals, you need to leave him alone,
, to give him the opportunity to get used to the new environment. It is better not to let the parrot and other pets out of the cage
and control the contacts of the parrot and other
pets. Young specimens get used to a person quickly enough
. Jaco tends to choose for himself a leader in the community,
bird or human. The speed of its taming directly depends on the time and attention paid by the owner to
.
An unusual mutation of the gray parrot
photo can be enlarged
The gray parrot is not a decorative pet.
This bird is not suitable for
permanent keeping in cage . She is in dire need of communication and,
being outside the cage, should not be left to herself. Jaco -
champions in the ability to reproduce human speech. This
pleasant moment can be brought closer if you spend some time learning
conversation. Classes should not be too long, it is better to have several
lessons a day for several minutes than one long one. Words must
be pronounced clearly and separately, it is also necessary to use an associative method of teaching
speech, use words and expressions
only in those moments when this or that phrase is appropriate.
If the
owner already has talking birds, then the Gray is able to
learn human speech from them. At the same time such a speaker
parrot itself
can be a good teacher for a newly acquired pet, even
of a different species. It is very important to teach the bird not only to communicate with
people, but also to be able to entertain itself on its own, so that,
temporarily being alone, it does not get bored.
To do this,
needs to provide her with toys , which need to be changed from time to time
. With insufficient employment, both communication with the
owner and toys, your pet may experience serious
psychological problems that can provoke
feather plucking.
Gray parrots also need at least ten hours of darkness and
silence. All such parrots tend to get used to their place, and
react painfully to its change; moreover, even minor changes in the familiar environment
also unnerve them.
You can not put the cage in a draft, next to heating appliances,
at the door, near the TV. The cage should be well lit , but bright
direct light and open space are a source of discomfort
, so you should not put your home on the windowsill, and
is better at the opposite or side wall. One of the sides of cage
must necessarily face the wall in order to create a calm zone
.
A parrot has no place in the bedroom or kitchen for hygienic reasons
. And one more important condition - the height of the cage should be
positioned so that your communication with the bird takes place at level
eye.
Gray Jaco
photo can be enlarged
The cage must be large enough so that the
parrot, sitting on a perch, can spread its wings and wave them
freely without hitting anything. As for the shape, it does not matter more,
although, rectangular in
is still more convenient in many respects. The material for the frame is
stainless steel rods with a diameter of 3-4 mm, the distance between them is
to prevent the bird from sticking its head in. Keep in mind that the parrot will bend, break, crush, scrape and unscrew everything that
somehow lends itself to, so the cage must be absolutely invulnerable. Lock
it should be very secure, best of all with a key, since the Jaco parrot
shows remarkable abilities in terms of opening the most ingenious locks.
The door must be of such dimensions that through
it is possible to freely carry a pet sitting on the arm, while
the safest for the bird will be the door that swings down. In the
cage, you must install at least two perches, at different heights
, just do not put one under the other, otherwise the bottom one will
be polluted. They should be made of different thicknesses, then
jumping from one to another, the bird gets additional
opportunities to strengthen muscles. The perch should be comfortably
clasped around with bird paws, in order to clarify the diameter, it should be
conical, 3.5 cm from one end, and 2 9 from the other0013 cm - the animal itself will choose the thickness it needs. The perch should not
be made of metal, as its regular use causes severe
paw disease.
Jaco parrot in its natural environment
photo can be enlarged
The main signs of a healthy bird , intact paws,
normal bowel movements, calm breathing.
Signs of a sick pet - frizziness, decreased reaction to others, dirty, stuck together
feathers on the stomach and near the cloaca, dull, dull eyes, nostrils
stuck together, shallow breathing through the open beak, sternum bones
protrude, the stomach is sunken, the beak is peeling, liquid greenish stools on paws
. A Jaco parrot constantly has a small amount of dandruff and
fluff - this is normal. During molting, the number of both is
increases. Insufficiently humid indoor air can also
lead to an increase in dandruff.
The most important element of
care for your pet is bathing. These birds love water .
Regular bathing, ideally daily, maintains the optimal
structure of the feather, skin, horns of paws and beak,
cleans them from dirt and dust. Pets can be sprayed with a
spray bottle, put water trays in a cage for them, and finally
bathe them under a warm shower with a gentle jet.
It is important to remember that
the bird must be accustomed to these procedures gradually and very carefully,
so as not to scare. If you have contact with your pet and
he allows you to take him in your arms or at least on a stick, you can
take him to the bath and thoroughly, until completely wet, wash him
under a gentle stream of warm shower. If he still doesn't trust you
completely, take him directly to the bath in the cage and wash him in the shower,
and at the same time wash the cage.
Drying
plumage is accompanied by increased heat transfer and therefore the bird
must dry in a warm place, with a temperature not lower than 20 degrees
Celsius. One of the most difficult tasks when keeping birds in
cages is to create an optimal light regime. In the summer, providing
with sunlight is not a problem, of course, do not forget to shade the cages from direct sunlight in order to avoid solar
or heat stroke.
In winter, the deficiency of ultraviolet radiation can be replenished
exposure to fluorescent lamps such as Sun-Glo and Life-Glo, the use of
which provides excellent results.
Reproduction of gray parrots
Married pair of gray parrots
photo can be enlarged be at the age of three. The ideal
option when creating a couple is to reproduce an environment like
natural, when birds have the opportunity to choose a partner
on their own from several neighbors in an aviary or room. For
this, the animals must first be marked so that they can be distinguished
. As marks, multi-colored detachable rings
on the legs, small marks made with paint on the body of birds, etc. are used.
Watching the behavior of birds, you will soon notice that some
individuals prefer certain birds. This is manifested in
mutual cleaning of the feather, joint selection of a place on the perch for rest
and roosting, etc.
Eventually, the bird begins to feed partner
from beak to beak with a burp, which is a sign of the formation of a pair,
which can already be separated.
But you should make sure that these are
specimens of different sexes. The fact is that homosexual relationships arise in groups and
there is a risk of trying to achieve reproduction from a same-sex couple. Having determined the sex of
birds, if they have not made the choice of partner
on their own, do not rush and immediately bring them together in one
aviary. The best way to introduce the animals closer is to put two
cages side by side and let the birds get used to each other.
Having noticed the relative position, the cages can be placed closely and
observe the behavior of the pets. Sorting feathers on each other's head even through the bars of cages, attempts to feed a partner from the beak into the
beak is a sure sign of pair formation.
Spawners breed at a certain time
, called the mating season.
For the Jaco parrot, this period is
lasts from October to May, but some pairs can nest
at other times, more often in June. A potential pair is placed in
large cages or aviaries where they are expected to nest.
The majority of captive breeding of Gray Grays occurred in
relatively small enclosures. One of the first cases occurred in a
metal enclosure measuring 180x80x120 cm.
Gray chick
photo can be enlarged
There is no unanimous opinion about the direct nesting of Gray Gray
. Various options for nesting boxes are offered: from
the smallest, 30x30x30 cm, to 40x40x80 cm. In
, some manuals suggest making boxes from 50 to 190
cm high, with an internal perimeter of 25x25 or 30x30 cm. Here, probably
individual preferences of each couple may also appear,
which may have to offer 2-3 options to choose from.
Birds willingly populate nest boxes cut from solid tree trunks
.
The sizes are varied: hollows with an internal diameter of 25 to
70 cm and a height of 30 to 140 cm. Jaco parrots feel more
comfortable if the entrance is not too free and they have the opportunity to cover it with their
body, protecting the nest from predators. Typically
the size of the notch fluctuates from 10 to 15 cm. In any case, the manufacturers of
will adjust the size by nibbling the notch to the desired size, in their opinion,
.
Birds always work on the inner walls of the nest and,
, to prevent their complete destruction, the walls can be fixed
with iron staples at the level of the beak of a sitting bird. The entire
metal structure cannot be used to protect the internal walls of
. Producers often abandon such nests due to the impossibility
chew on the walls. Apparently, the imitation of natural activities to improve the inner walls of the hollow was built into them from the very beginning.
On the
back wall, in relation to the notch, it is necessary to make a tightly closing and locking door
, which will be needed to
control the condition of the clutch and chicks.
The box is hung as high as possible
outside the cage or enclosure or inside, but in the darkest place
and, of course, so as to have access to the door for control
sockets. At the bottom of the box you need to put a few handfuls of sawdust and
small chips that serve as bedding. It’s good to add some rotten stumps there. It should be kept in mind,
that the
aviary or cage should be located in the quietest and most peaceful place, and birds should be protected from sudden noisy visits,
sharp and unexpected sounds, any action that could disturb
the peace of nesting parrots. Many cases have been described of
spawners abandoning clutches and chicks as a result of such shocks.
Greyhounds clutch from 3 to 5, usually 3-4 eggs, which
are laid at intervals of 2-3 days. The incubation period
lasts 28–30 days, but may be shorter or longer
depending on the incubation density and ambient temperature.
Only the female incubates, the male guards the nest and feeds her.
Incubation usually starts with the second and even the third egg. Female
incubates very closely and leaves the nest for only a few minutes. Since
the appearance of chicks, and they appear with an interval of 2-3 days, and therefore
cubs in the brood are different in size, you need to carefully monitor the
feeding of birds. Food richer in proteins than usual is given
2-3 times a day, it should be as diverse as possible and its amount should increase
as the young grow. Normally,
chicks do not receive any food during the first
hours of life. Then the female feeds them for the first time with goiter milk -
a whitish liquid formed in the female's goiter, in which the source of
proteins are the separating cells of the epithelial lining of the walls
of the goiter. Hatched chicks are flesh-colored.
A pair of Gray Grays in an aviary
photo can be enlarged
The way the female feeds them
during the first 7–8 days of life is very interesting.
Newborns have large,
heavy heads, which they are not able to raise up to receive food from the mother's
beak. Therefore, the female with her hooked mandible
captures the chick, turns it over on its back, and in this position
pours the first drops of food down his throat. Initially, the female feeds the chicks
alone, and only by the end of the first week does the male join her,
, who previously fed only the female. By the 10-18th day, the eyes of the offspring
open. The female spends about four more weeks in the nest, warming and feeding the chicks, and only then begins to fly out for food. Since then, both parents have been feeding. The first
stumps of future feathers appear in young animals by the fourth week of
life. The female spends the night in the nest, warming the chicks for about 8 weeks.
For the first time look at the world, looking out of the nest, cubs decide to
10-11 weeks of life, and then start to leave the nest.
The eyes of
are black at this time, and the mandible is not longer than the mandible. At
the slightest alarm and at night the chicks hide in the house. This is the time of
the first self-feeding, but the chicks are not yet able to
gnaw hard seeds, and they are given only soft food.
Feeders are placed flush with the perches for convenience.
Healthy, well-fed chicks appear round, with
tight, shiny skin. If the cub is thin, with wrinkles on the skin,
immediate intervention is required either in the form of feeding
the chick, or in its removal from the nest and further artificial feeding
. It should be borne in mind that in large broods,
Gray parrots sometimes feed two or three chicks that appeared first. They
become dominant and get most of the food offered.
Afterbirths or frail, inactive chicks are left unattended, and
they usually die.
It is quite possible to feed them artificially and keep them
alive.
Hatched chicks are placed in a container where a constant temperature is maintained
at 36.5 °C. The
incubator with automatic temperature control is very good for this purpose. A
bowl of water is placed in it to maintain high humidity. Don't forget to hold the incubator
until the chicks are placed there, a few days at
working condition. Under these conditions, on a cloth bedding, chicks
can stay for 7–8 days from the moment they are born. After a couple of hours,
cubs will dry up and start to worry, squeak.
At this time,
chicks should be fed for the first time. A few
drops of boiled warm water are poured into them with the addition of a small amount of
physiological solution of Ringeralactate (Hartman's solution). This
is conveniently done with a teaspoon with the sides bent inward
edges. In the future, it is convenient to feed the chicks in this way.
A few drops of this liquid on the tip of a spoon are brought to the beak of
and carefully poured.
In no case should you pour in
by force, the chick may choke. It is necessary to persistently strive
for the cub to swallow this water. This procedure should be repeated 2-3
times every 2 hours, it provides healthy digestion for young animals.
A small amount of liquid fruit puree is then added to it.
Any puree intended for baby food will do -
banana, apple, etc., most importantly, it should be without the addition of
sugar. Here in the future, you can add other types of baby food
in the form of vegetable puree with the addition of chicken meat.
Partial albino, white tail feathers. When feeding
, you need to make sure that the food does not cool down. A single dose is a pinch on the
tip of a knife. These supplements will form the bacterial flora in the body
chick. Normally, this flora is formed when the female feeds on food burps. A week later, the chicks are transferred to a closed brooder,
, where the temperature is somewhat lower, and then it is lowered to room temperature for
several days.
The already adapted chicks
are then transferred to boxes lined with shavings. With age, the needs of
young animals for food grow, respectively, and portions increase. Food
should be thicker, but just enough to make it comfortable to spoon feed.
With age, the intervals between feedings also become longer. If the first
6–7 days old, the chicks are fed every 2 hours, then the intervals
are increased to 3–4 hours, and at two weeks of age,
can be fed every 6 hours. At the age of 4-6 weeks, the chicks are fed twice a day.
Once they start taking solid food on their own, they can
be fed once a day.
Before each feeding,
make sure that the chick's stomach is empty - this will allow you to be sure
that his digestion is normal. Remaining food in the crop
means that the chick has slow digestion and that
needs to be taken care of. This may be due to the dehydration of the
chick, which in this condition appears thin and its skin
takes on a dark red hue instead of the normal pink.
In
, during several feedings, Ringeralactate solution is added to the food,
as in the first days of feeding. But it can also be a sign of a
bacterial or fungal disease that will require
treatment. Might have to do a litter analysis for
detection of infection. These troubles are treated accordingly with
antibiotic (doxycycline) or nystatin. Growing chicks
intended for the role of pets, they are selected from their parents
at the age of 1–1.5 months and fed by hand. Cubs, constantly
in contact with the person feeding them, will soon become absolutely
tame. In this case, contacts with a large number of people will
have a beneficial effect on the behavior of the chicks. Unfortunately, this
method often leads to the fact that a reared gray parrot will experience
difficulties in pairing and reproduction.
somewhat smooths out this undesirable moment by raising several chicks together.
Jaco - African gray parrot.
Photo, video Despite the fact that the African gray parrot is not as brightly colored as its South American relatives - the Amazonian parrots, it is considered one of the most beloved domestic birds. A gray parrot, or jaco, is a rather large and noisy bird that easily learns to speak and readily communicates with its owners. Usually people keep a pair of Jaco parrots at home. Video and photo
detachment - Papuga -shaped
Family - Parrot
genus/View - PSITACUS ERICUCUSUS. African gray parrot or Zhako
Main data:
DimensionsLength: 33-40 cm.
wingspan: to 65 cm.
BREEDING
Puberty: from 2-4 years old.
Nesting period: depends on range.
Number of eggs: 2.
Incubation: 30-32 days.
Feeding chicks: up to 80 days.
LIFESTYLE
Habits: Grays (see the photo of the parrot) keep in pairs.
Food: grains, nuts, fruits, flowers and leaves.
Lifespan: in captivity 50-80 years.
RELATED SPECIES
Jaco belongs to the group of parakeets. In total, this group includes 66 species.
Despite the fact that the gray parrot is not as brightly colored as its South American relatives - the Amazon parrots, it is considered one of the most beloved pet birds. A gray parrot, or jaco, is a rather large and noisy bird, the size of a jackdaw. Usually people keep a couple of parrots.
WHAT YOU FEED
Gray parrots eat fruits, grains, nuts and berries. These birds mainly give preference to those fruits that are colored red. Gray parrots in a special way check whether the food is edible. First of all, they feel it with their tongue, and then remove the inedible parts from it.
Due to the special structure of the beak, the Gray Jaco Parrot easily peels nuts and grains from the shell. Birds spend the night in the trees where they nest, and at sunrise they again go in search of food. Only in the evening African gray parrots return to "their" trees.
LIFESTYLE
Gray parrots are quite friendly and noisy birds. At night, they sleep in trees, and early in the morning they go to feed. In the wild, Jacos are kept both in large flocks and in pairs. These birds create permanent pairs. The male guards the nest and feeds the female, who incubates the eggs. After 30-32 days, chicks hatch from the eggs. Over the next three months, the parents feed the chicks together. In addition, the duties of the male include vigilant protection of the cubs. Young birds become winged no earlier than at the age of 80 days. Birds become sexually mature at the age of 2-4 years.
Grey's strong legs are excellent for climbing trees where they spend a lot of time.
When climbing, parrots use their beak as a third leg. Jaco's natural enemies are birds of prey. Thanks to the natural speed and dexterity of the parrot, it is often possible to avoid danger.
The coloration of these birds is very interesting. If you do not take into account the tail, the gray bird is a gray bird, as its name suggests - a gray parrot. However, his tail is bright red. In size, the parrot's tail is half as long as its body. The beak is black. The bare patches of skin on the head are white. The largest and darkest gray parrots live on the islands of Principe, and smaller ones in Zaire and the Congo.
BREEDING
Sedentary gray parrots nest in hollow trees. These birds choose the tallest trees for their nest. A few days after mating, the female lays 2 white eggs. Only the female incubates them. The male regularly brings her food.
JACO AND HUMAN
Gray parrot is one of the most beloved domestic birds.
He has the greatest ability among all parrots that learn the sounds of human speech. Jaco can learn about a hundred words and expressions and use them appropriately. "Speak" is taught to young parrots.
The name of the parrot - "zhako" - comes from the cries of these parrots in nature. The gray parrot has been known to people since the 16th century, so for a long time its life in captivity was better described than in the wild.
GENERAL. DESCRIPTION
Jaco is the record holder among parrots for the ability to copy voices. Can memorize hundreds of words and dozens of phrases. It tolerates adversity well.
Now there are more than 300 species of parrots. One of their typical representatives in Africa is a gray parrot, or jaco. It rests on the trees at night, and in the morning it flies out to look for food and flies, as a rule, far away. The length of the bird is 40 cm. It lives in tropical forests. Feeds on fruits and seeds. The nest is in an old hollow.
It lays 2 pigeon-like eggs here. Very talkative, teaching him to talk is not at all difficult.
INTERESTING FACTS, INFO...
- Gray parrots very accurately reproduce the sounds of human speech. Jaco's voice is easy to confuse not only with the voice of a person in general, but also with the voice of a particular person, for example, the owner. There are cases when these parrots correctly answered questions, carried out orders, that is, the birds were capable of situational and associative conversation.
- Jaco parrots, like people, can be "left-handed" and "right-handed".
- A case is known when a gray parrot tried to imitate the movements of its owner's hand with its foot.
- A. Bram spoke of a Jaco polyglot who could speak Dutch, German and French.
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF JACO
Beak: rather narrow, slightly compressed on the sides. The upper part of the beak is movably connected to the skull.
The edges of the upper part of the beak are pointed. Jaco, like other parrots, uses its beak as a "third leg" during climbing.
Legs: adapted for perching on tree branches and for grasping and holding food. In addition, with their help, the parrot brings food to its beak. Two of the toes are pointing forward and the other two are pointing back, making it easier to grasp branches.
Clutch: the female lays 2 round white eggs.
WHERE the Jaco lives
The Jaco lives in the tropical forests of Central Africa from Guinea to Angola and Lake Nyasa.
PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION
Gray parrot populations are disappearing due to habitat destruction and capture of young birds, which are then exported to other countries. The situation is complicated by the fact that there is no ban on the trade of these birds.
Parrot Gregory burns - 2011 (2).
