|
Psittacus erithacus Timneh, Timneh African Grey, is one of three subspecies of
the genus Psittacus, or African Grey Parrot and the Psittacus erithacus princeps
or the Ghana African Grey. The other subspecies is the Psittacus erithacus
erithacus, Congo African Grey.
The Timneh African Grey differs from its brother, the Congo, by size and
coloring. The Timneh is slightly smaller than the Congo growing to an average of
11 to 13 inches long. Their feathers are generally darker grey than the Congo
and have maroon tail feathers.
The Timneh is native to the western Upper Guinea forests and bordering savannas
of West Africa, primarily in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and the westernmost parts of
the Ivory Coast. Due to deforestation of the rainforest and the pet trade, the
status of the Timneh African Grey Parrot has been listed as Near Threatened by
conservationists.
A Timneh in captivity generally lives 40-60 years. Reaching sexual maturity
around age three, they are monogamous and can breed as often as three times a
year depending on the couple. During breeding season they lay 2 to 4 eggs every
two to three days. The young hatch at 28-30 days and are independent at 12 to 14
weeks.
Timnehs have a long history of being kept as pets and companions. It is said
that the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and even King Henry VIII of England had
African Greys as parrots. This long history is likely due to their incredible
intelligence. They are able to mimic a wide variety of sounds and can learn
extensive vocabularies. In addition to the ability to learn to speak words, many
African Greys have been known to understand some words in context.
They are also extremely social birds and develop a strong bond with their owners
and many enjoy a little snuggling and petting by their owners. They do not
normally get along with many other species but are great as pets because they
are not normally very loud. While they do require a significant amount of time
each day interacting with their owner outside of their cage.
Common illnesses and problems include; bacterial infections, viral infections,
and fungal infections, feather plucking, allergies, Papillomas, gout, and
lipomas in older birds. Feather plucking or any behavioral issues are generally
caused by an environmental issue like not getting enough sleep, the proper
nutrients, environmental stress, or a lack of trust of their owner.
Behavior problems are less common in the Timneh African Grey than in the other
African Grey subspecies, making them an excellent pet. Basic care includes, an
organic pellet based diet, fresh fruits, veggies, and water daily, a clean dry
cage environment, time outside the cage every day, toys, weekly showers, and
plenty of restful sleep – approximately 10-12 hours a night.
Bonds of trust can be developed with several people as Timnehs are not
necessarily one person birds. They’ll love and bond with anyone who spends time
with them. Socializing your bird will help to ensure a stress free environment.
Behavior issues can generally be eliminated by providing an ideal environment
and taking the time to establish a strong bond through training and good care.
|
