Raising a parrot comes with a lot of responsibility, especially if it’s your first time adopting a parrot, causing many people who first dive into the world of parrots to wonder what the best parrot is for a beginner.
Considering it’s extremely beneficial to have a parrot in any capacity, it’s even more of a rewarding experience when you find the right parrot for you.
With this in mind, are African Greys good for beginners?
To answer this question…no, African Greys generally aren’t recommended for beginners since they can be very demanding parrots. However, if you can manage to read up on African Greys, be patient, and do everything you can to ensure the African Grey is fine, you can most certainly adopt an African Grey as your first parrot. Just remember to be diligent in the process.
Considering African Greys are some of the most unique and compelling parrots in the entire world, it’s extremely worthwhile to learn more about the beautiful species.
Whether you want a parrot that can communicate extraordinarily well or just a parrot that’s filled with personality, this is largely why people are so heavily interested in African Greys.
Nevertheless, if you’re interested in adopting an African Grey for your first parrot, we’re going to discuss a wide range of information for you to take a deep dive in.
We’re going to highlight what the best age is to buy an African Grey, how much time it takes to get used to an African Grey as a beginner, if African Greys are good pets, how you can get an African Grey to like you as a beginner, and much more.
Let’s take a look!
What is the best age to buy an African Grey for a beginner?
Generally speaking, when people become interested in adopting an African Grey, they tend to seek out what age is most ideal to adopt them at.
Although African Greys don’t fully mature until they’re 4 to 6 years old, most experts recommend adopting an African Grey when they’re 2 to 6 months old.
Yes, this age will mean you’ll have a number of years to raise an African Grey before they’re fully grown up, but there’s a reason why.
If you can get a young African Grey while they’re still eating baby formula, feeding them at a young age will help develop a stronger bond between the two of you.
However, keep in mind, a younger parrot is undoubtedly more of a challenge to raise than a fully grown parrot.
Although it’ll be easier for the parrot to grow accustomed to you, there’s more of a responsibility attached to raising a younger parrot than one that’s fully grown.
Thus, you need to weigh out the pros and cons attached to the matter.
How much time does it take to get used to an African Grey as a beginner?
How long it takes an African Grey to get used to you varies depending on the parrot themselves.
For example, you might be around an African Grey a significantly long time before they develop a bond with you, whereas another African Grey might become used to you right away.
Still, there are some tips available that you can utilize to help get your parrot to like you much quicker.
For starters, make sure you play with your parrot frequently.
African Greys require at least three hours of time outside of their cage, so definitely spend a good portion of that time playing with them.
Lastly, try to do what you can to give them treats while showing affection.
As your parrot begins to get a sense that you’re there to raise them properly, they’ll surely get a lot of love out of the matter.
A few treats and some quality time together will help speed the entire process along until you realize they’re your best friend.
Are African Greys good pets?
For a broader question related to African Greys, some of you might be wondering if African Greys are good pets.
For the most part, African Greys are some of the most sought-after pets in the entire world, primarily due to their high level of intelligence and communication abilities.
However, does this make an African Grey a good pet?
As long as you raise an African Grey okay and take your time doing so, you will most certainly find the African Grey to be a magnificent pet.
Just remember to do some research into the matter and take your time while doing so.
How do I get an African Grey to like me as a beginner?
As touched upon earlier, if this is your first time adopting an African Grey, there are a few rules attached to ensuring the African Grey ends up liking you.
First, make sure you spend more than enough time with them every day as a way to show them that everything is copacetic.
Lastly, give them treats and show them affection when they want it.
How do African Greys show affection to beginners?
African Greys tend to show affection by displaying a level of excitement when they’re near someone they care a lot about.
If you walk into a room and your African Grey is there with a full level of happiness on their face, that’s a good sign they’re showing affection.
They also show affection by tilting their head and coming up to a person’s side.
How do African Greys show anger to beginners?
Similar to cats and dogs, African Greys typically show anger by growling and fluffing up their feathers when they’re near someone.
If you see your African Grey doing this, make sure they’re okay, but usually, all it means is they want some time alone.
Definitely do what you can to give them some quality alone time.
What does it mean if an African Grey puffs up near a beginner?
Although it’s prevalent for African Greys to puff while they’re angry, they might do it near their new owner if they’re not used to the person yet.
Give it some time, and you should be able to see your parrot back to normal before you know it.
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