African Grey Parrot

• ExerciseModerate

  Daily out-of-cage time and foraging toys keep them busy.

• GroomingRegular feather care

  Regular bathing or misting plus nail and beak checks.

• Living spaceStandard cage

  A proper cage and daily out-of-cage time fit fine in an apartment.

• Owner experienceSome experience helps

  A little know-how makes life smoother.

• Commitment40–60 years

  Plan for a long, loving relationship.

Health to watch: Feather plucking · Respiratory issues · Kidney disease

The African grey is widely regarded as the most intelligent parrot, with the cognitive and emotional depth of a young child and an uncanny gift for meaningful speech — and that brilliance is exactly what makes it demanding. A grey needs constant mental work: foraging puzzles, training, changing toys and genuine engagement, or it becomes bored, stressed and prone to the feather-plucking the breed is famous for. It bonds for life, and with a 40–60 year lifespan it may well outlive its owner, so plan for its future. Diet is critical and breed-specific. Greys are prone to low blood calcium (hypocalcaemia), which can cause seizures, so they need a calcium-rich, vitamin-A-rich diet of pellets and vegetables — never all-seed — plus access to natural light or safe UV to make vitamin D. Greys are also dusty birds with sensitive lungs, so clean air is essential: non-stick fumes, aerosols and smoke are lethal, and dust means good ventilation helps both bird and keeper. Watch for feather plucking, respiratory and fungal disease (aspergillosis), and calcium-related weakness. Give a grey stimulation, a proper diet and lifelong commitment, and you gain one of the most remarkable companions in the animal world.

• How much activity does a African Grey Parrot need?

  Moderate. Daily out-of-cage time and foraging toys keep them busy.

• How much feather care does a African Grey Parrot need?

  Regular feather care. Regular bathing or misting plus nail and beak checks.

• What cage does a African Grey Parrot need?

  Standard cage. A proper cage and daily out-of-cage time fit fine in an apartment.

• Is a African Grey Parrot a good fit for first-time owners?

  Some experience helps. A little know-how makes life smoother.

• How long do African Grey Parrot live?

  40–60 years. Plan for a long, loving relationship.

• What health issues affect the African Grey Parrot?

  Keep an eye out for Feather plucking, Respiratory issues, Kidney disease. These are worth raising with your vet, along with any screening they recommend.

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