The African Grey parrot, or Jaco, is a highly prized pet bird, and the most popular of all parrots. At 33 centimetres in length, it is a shy bird but one that can easily be tamed if taken at weaning. It also has an extraordinary capacity for imitation, and it reproduces to perfection the human voice, animal calls and other sounds. It is affectionate, not too noisy, but needs attention and company.
Living environment:
In the wild: it lives in wooded savannahs and African forests. It is unfortunately one of the most heavily imported parrots. Birds born in captivity are therefore to be preferred.
In captivity: it adapts fairly easily to the environment it is given. It can even breed in a large cage, but an aviary a few metres long is far more suitable for this kind of bird.
Ambient temperature: the Jaco hates cold, damp weather, so it is essential to provide a shelter in its aviary. Only well-acclimatised birds can do without heating in winter.
Diet:
In the wild: it feeds almost exclusively on oily nuts containing 60% fat (it also sometimes eats snails); however, it covers 30 kilometres a day in flight! This type of diet is not suitable in captivity.
Dry food: a classic parrot seed mix can form the basis of its diet, but it is preferable to give it an “all-in-one” preparation: grey parrots tend to pluck out their feathers, especially if caged, a bad habit sometimes caused by an unbalanced diet combined with too few opportunities to bathe (+ boredom?).
Fresh food: greens, vegetables, fruit, sometimes also mash, vitamins… are needed to balance its diet.
Reproduction:
It is very difficult to sex grey parrots by eye, and it is generally necessary to turn to a veterinarian or a specialist laboratory to form a true pair. Otherwise, breeding poses no great difficulties, especially in birds born in captivity. If they are kept indoors, they can breed at any time of year, but it is preferable to wait for fine weather to present the nest to them. The clutch consists of 3 to 5 eggs, incubated for 30 days by the female.
Care:
If it lives indoors, it must be misted every day. The African Grey is a bird that needs company and attention, otherwise it can end up plucking out its feathers (pica) and mutilating itself.
Common diseases
Like all birds, the African Grey masks illness for a long time: by the time the signs become visible, the situation is often already serious.
A grey that keeps its feathers fluffed up, stays motionless at the bottom of the cage, dozes or refuses to eat should alert you. In the bird, these subtle signs are often already late ones: you must not wait.
The African Grey is very sensitive to boredom and loneliness, which often drive it to pluck out its feathers and bite its skin (feather plucking, self-mutilation). Certain infections also affect the feathers and beak (beak and feather disease, or PBFD) and cause lasting damage to the plumage.
An infection called psittacosis (or chlamydiosis) can leave the bird listless, fluffed up and without appetite; it can also be passed on to humans. A diet that is too poor eventually lacks certain vitamins and minerals; this parrot is particularly sensitive to this. The beak and claws can also grow too long.
The grey lives a very long time: regular veterinary follow-up, even when all is well, helps to detect problems early.
When to see a vet promptly repeatedly fluffed-up feathers, a less lively bird, pulled-out feathers or deteriorating plumage, an overly long beak or claws, abnormal droppings (colour, runny) that persist.
When to see a vet urgently difficulty breathing (open beak, tail bobbing with each breath), a bird hunched at the bottom of the cage that refuses to eat, trembling or loss of balance, marked listlessness with fluffed-up feathers.
Key points in birds, a visible sign is often already a late one: do not wait. Company, a varied diet and regular check-ups prevent many problems. This information does not replace a consultation.