Thinking of Getting a Congo African Grey

[Wolgrub]

African Greys have a reputation for being complex birds, and rightly so. I have known four greys over the last ten years and each one had its own strong personality. Chips, my current grey is by turns loving and affectionate, sullen and stroppy, playful, lively and occasionally quiet and introspective. My previous grey, Squawky (and why not?), was far more outgoing and socialized. The others were also very different in manner and behaviour.

I guess I am saying that it is impossible to make generalizations about grey's personalities. Not only do they differ from bird to bird but they also change quite radically as they mature. A bird that may have been a handful as an adolescent can become well behaved as a mature adult, and vice-versa.

My current flock; Chips and Bubble and Squeak, seem to have arrived at a mutually acceptable modus vivendi. None of them are especially dominant (I like to think that I am at the top of the pecking order!). Bubble and Squeak get on together with only minor bickering. Chips doesn't like Bubble and won't tolerate him coming close whereas he is prepared to accept Squeak to the extent of allowing her to sit next to him on his perch. They don't display any bonding behaviour but they do seem to get along without the obvious need to savage each other.

I realize this is only of limited help but what I would say is that parrots do seem to have their own way of ordering their relationships and I don't think you can predict how they are going to get on.

[Michael]

I understand but this doesn't help when choosing a species of parrot to acquire. Certainly there are individuals but there are general assumptions that can be made that differ one species from another and those are what I am researching.

[Wolgrub]

I went through the same crisis when trying to decide on getting a companion for Chips. The choice was another grey or some other option. Finally I decided on a pair of Senegals on the grounds that if I got another grey and they didn't get on (a high probability) I would then have two moody, antagonistic birds to deal with. Whereas with Bubble and Squeak even if Chips didn't like them at least they would like each other.

As I said before, it has, kind of, half worked with Chips liking one and disliking the other. Perhaps, using this as a model, you should go for a pair of greys so that if Kili doesn't like one of them she might like the other?

[Michael]

I'm not buying the Grey as a companion for Kili. I'm buying a Grey as a companion for me

[Wolgrub]

That's a different matter altogether. All I can say is "Do it!" If it turns out they don't get on, well, that's life.

[Mona]

Hi Michael:

When were you in the Congo?

As you know, I have two greys and three Senegals and although I would not describe the different species as bonded, I would say that they are often "partners in crime"

Phinney was first in my house and when I introduced Babylon, the Senegal was more curious and would follow Phinney around. Baby birds really are very seldom aggressive and usually are more interested and curious and don't purposely pick fights. Of course, you need to be reinforcing "gentle" behavior as much as possible.

Babylon would fly and beak spar with Phinney. I remember one afternoon when Phinney was sitting on a box of kleenex. She was pulling each kleenex out of the box, one at a time. Babylon really wanted to play with that kleenex as well but she was such a small bird, she really couldn't do what Phinney was doing. I remember Babylon flying up and the two birds had a little beak spar. Phinney stood her ground on top of that kleenex box. Babylon flew away, her feathers were ruffled and she said in the angriest little voice, "Phinney! Phinney! Phinney!"

To this day, Babylon is usually the first to scold Phinney in my house.

Any way, in terms of compatability, it became very apparent to me that I could NOT have a bird in my house that was unable to stand up to Babylon. Babylon will fly at other birds. If they stand up to her, she eventually will quit. You just don't want to get a "chase game" started because that will perpetuate and lead to bullying.

Right now, I have a compatible flock because all five understand and respect their differences. They will chase each other on occassion, but it's just a little flight exercise and as long as I keep an eye on them, I can easily diffuse any thing that appears slightly aggressive.

Babylon and Phinney have travelled with me a lot together. We have an interesting partnership. Like I said, both birds are definitely not bonded but they have worked out their space and their differences and there is no stress in their interactions. It helps that they are both flighted.

So, to answer your question, this is something the birds need to work out. What you want is a bird that will hold their ground and you also want two birds that respect each other and their spaces. You also need to be constantly reinforcing "gentle" interactions all of their life and be very careful not to reinforce aggression.....

Not an easy answer, but it's all going to "depend". I know you don't like that answer...but it's the only honest answer.

THANKS!

Mona

[Michael]

What does "keeping an eye on the birds" do? Does this mean you find yourself intervening in and breaking up fights? Wouldn't that be reinforcing to the parrots and encourage them to fight if it gets you to run over?

While it is important that parrots can stand up to the Senegal, it is also important that they know when to give up. If neither parrot is willing to give up and stubbornly fights, there will be blood.

[pchela]

Well, you can't just let them go at it. You have to break up the bird fights or you risk a potential injury or even death. These guys have been known to kill each other.

[Mona]

"Keeping an eye" on the birds means that when they are in the bird room, I occassionally go in and peak and see what they are doing.

If they have fights, they usually just beak spar and fly away from each other. I will often hear birds flying around all over the place and I'll peak in but by the time I look in, they are all settled on different perches or cage tops and giving me "gentle eyes". I suspect by the time I check, they used up their energy. I am also pretty sure that they all read each other pretty well by now and have figured out how to read the other birds and get out of the way if another bird is persistent about getting in "their space".

What I am looking for is: if one bird looks entrenched in a bird cage, and another is heading over to investigate - I remove the first bird from the cage. I don't want one bird trapped someplace they cannot get out of. If one bird is starting to chew the wood or moulding, I put a broom in front of the wood or moulding. A broom is a wonderful aversive because for some reason, all of my birds will avoid a broom. I also check on the birds' demeanor. A bird bent on trouble usually looks like a "bird bent for trouble". A bird bent on trouble will stalk. I usually don't interfere with a stalk but I will hang around and watch to see how things are going. I watch to make sure that the bird "being stalked" gets out of the way. If they break up by flying away, I don't interfere with it.

I am lucky right now and my flock is very compatible so I'm just usually running interference and heading off any thing that could trigger increased aggression before it happens. If the birds are all getting along, then they tend to get along pretty well. You don't want an aggressive flock and apparently, mine is pretty balanced right now.

One thing that does happen frequently, however; is when I open the door and peak in on them....Phinney and Babylon will often fly out so they can be with me rather than with the flock in the bird room. Even though this is "out time" and their bird room is full of bird toys, they still would rather hang with people. Even though Babylon has a "boyfriend", she still prefers not to be separated from me as much as possible.

Does that make sense? If I have all five birds out together, I check on them because you just never know what a parrot is going to do. They are creative.

I'm also checking to make sure somebody hasn't become entrenched in a perceived nesting area and that another bird thinks they need to get into that nesting area as well. This is how Bailey was almost killed. He is a Senegal and he decided to "share" a nesting area with a Molloccan cockatoo. The Molloccan bit Bailey on the beak and did serious damage to his wings. His owner at the time called me and asked me if I could come get Bailey because Senegals and a flock of Molloccans just don't mix. Bailey's nursed back to health now and seems to have my flock figured out......but I still keep an eye on him.

I kind of think that it's good to stick with same continents and watch size compatibability with your flock.

Thanks!