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Some Myth-conceptions about African Greys
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As with any other topic, generalizations about African grey parrots are a necessary evil, which can serve some good purposes. However, generalizations should always be taken with a grain of salt, then applied with a dose of common sense, flavoured with acceptance and tolerance. There are many generalizations about greys which, in many cases, prove to be reasonably accurate. On the other hand, they will not always apply to every grey, or even the same grey in differing circumstances. Here are a few of the common myth-conceptions about African grey parrots. Recognize that while many may apply to a majority of birds, there are circumstances where they will not. |
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MYTH #1. Greys are the best talkers of all parrots. While greys have demonstrated they have the greatest capacity for learning human speech, there are many individual examples that contradict this. Our older CAG, Nikki, does not speak any human words at all. We have very little information about his early years, since we got Nikki when he was 10. Whatever happened, he never really developed the capacity for human speech. Like all greys, however, he communicates very well in other ways. For more about parrots and talking, see To Talk or Not to Talk. MYTH #2. Greys, especially Congos, are not very cuddly. Somewhere greys developed the reputation as not being very cuddly. I'm not sure how this developed; I suspect it may originate from the once-common practice of capturing wild greys to sell as pets. If you'd been taken by force from your jungle home, how cuddly would YOU feel toward humans? |
Not all greys become good talkers, although they rarely fail to communicate. John Geary Photo, © 1994 |
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Nikki, our older grey, can be very cuddly with Ann, if he's in the right mood. He is not that way with anyone else, though, as he is not very trusting, probably as the result of his early life with humans. On the other hand, Coco, our younger grey, is a little cuddle-bunny. He will snuggle up with both Ann and myself, and loves scratches from either of us. He just soaks it up! Like all greys, though - and all animals or even people, for that matter! - he has to be in the mood. If you try to snuggle him when he's in the frame of mind for a game of "chew-and-destroy" you still might get bitten. You need to learn your bird's body language before assuming he wants scratches or cuddles just because it's convenient for you. MYTH #3. Greys do not like to take showers. I actually read this in a 2004 issue of an international magazine about parrots. The writer of a feature article about greys stated they "do not" like to be showered or misted. That's a good example of a generalization being applied uniformly and in a somewhat misleading manner. I mist both our greys, and they absolutely love it! I did have to work at getting Nikki to enjoy it, mainly because at one time, squirting him with a hard stream of water from a mister had been used as a form of punishment. I simply sing and make a game of it and they both really get into it. They never want me to stop! Nikki is even comfortable enough now that once it starts, he crawls into the water dish on his perch and starts thoroughly soaking himself in a bath! I know other grey keepers who also mist their birds with little or no difficulty. MYTH #4. Greys are very shy and introverted. As a general rule, greys do tend to be a little more cautious than say, Amazons or macaws. This may stem from the fact they spend more time foraging on the ground in Africa than do those South American species. That being said, greys can be very outgoing, depending on their individual personalities, their experiences while being hand-raised and weaned, and their upbringing - all factors that affect the amount of confidence they develop. Our younger grey, Coco, has always been very active, outgoing and adventurous. I like to tell people, "He's a grey with an Amazon's attitude!" He plays aggressively and is always interested in visitors to our home. Nikki is a little quieter, but since Coco joined our flock, he has gradually become more of a risk-taker. Coco's confidence may be a side-effect of our decision to allow him to fledge fully and learn to fly from a young age. We've also always encouraged him to explore, and he's always felt safe, secure and loved in our home. While not all greys will be as brave as ours, one always has to allow for different personalities in each bird, within a given species. Given the right circumstances, you might be surprised at how brave your grey may be. BOTTOM LINE: While some generalizations have to be followed for the health, safety and happiness of our birds, do not fall into the trap of over-generalization - you may be in for a big surprise, one day! Each bird is an individual with uniquely individual personality traits and tolerance levels. Be sure to treat your bird with an open mind and a loving heart, and with unconditional acceptance, no matter what those personality traits may be. - John Geary |
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