Timneh grey parrot, or Psittacus erithacus timneh, is native to Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Uganda, Kenya and Guinea. It lives in the humid forests of West and Central Africa. It measures between 26 and 32.5 cm, almost a third less than the African Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus Erithacus).
Description
It weighs between 300 and 400 g in general. It lives on average 40 years and can exceed 50. Its plumage is dark gray and its tail is red/brown. Its larger mandible is beige and the lower one is anthracite gray or black in color. The eyes of juveniles are dark gray to black in color and with age, they turn pale yellow.
There is no visible sexual dimorphism, so a DNA test must be done to separate a male from a female. The Gray of Timneh, or Psittacus erithacus timneh, dark cousin of the African Grey Parrot. Gregarious, it lives in colonies of nearly 10,000 individuals in the wild,
Breeding
In the non-domestic state, this psittacid nests in the natural cavities of large tree trunks. Older people can reproduce from the age of 3 or 5. In captivity, it can lay more or less all year round, but this occurs most often in winter and the first days of the beautiful seasons.
The female accumulates between 2 and 4 eggs in the nest. Couples often become shyer during this period, needing peace of mind. Some go so far as not to abandon the nest if humans are nearby. A box nest of forty-five X forty-five X 60 cm is needed to put them in ideal laying circumstances.
You can see in the video in the following paragraphs the prelude to mating. Incubation lasts about 28 days, during which the male feeds his wife in the nest. The couple then takes care of the young until they leave the nest at 18 weeks.
Timneh African grey care
His intelligence is remarkable since it is comparable to that of a five-year-old baby, but emotionally, he is akin to a two-year-old baby. His need for social relationships is paramount, so don’t imagine leaving him whole in his cage.
All means are good to solicit him, especially to have him take part in the preparation of dinner, in various games, alone or in your company, and in the household. Anyway, he will take care of making you understand what he prefers.
He is particularly good at speaking, and imitation and can share his first words from the age of six months. This precocity seems related to that its maturity.
His temperament is more serene than that of his African grey cousin, and he has better adaptation skills. He even manages to indulge in his usual games and babbling in the presence of strangers, as their presence rarely disturbs him.
Timneh african grey parrot breeders
SOURCE:BirdTricks
Diet
feeding on shoots, palm nuts, berries, and fresh fruits and vegetables will complement his diet consisting of a mix of African gray shoots, or their extrudates. Oranges and broccoli can be fed from time to time. As his body cannot fill the calcium it needs, it requires a regular supply.
Vitamins are also needed. Its duller plumage and a low percentage of replication probably explain its rarity in breeding and its limited popularity. Low demand explains its price, which is cheaper than that of parrot African grey. It is also less unpredictable.
Cage
Large cage These very intelligent parrots need constant stimulation, either through games, tricks, or “puzzles”. Skills exercises are important for their balance, they like to learn and show what they are capable of, plus it is absolutely not difficult to teach them a trick.
Foraging games are essential to satisfy their curiosity and their need to be constantly busy. Grays are destructive parrots, you must provide them with toys, wood, nuts, fresh branches to help them take care of and trim their beaks, and you will also spare your furniture during outings.
A large cage and several playgrounds are essential for their development, intelligent they tire quickly enough to find something else to do. We must therefore offer them a maximum of very diverse activities
Are grey parrots good pets
He shows himself from time to time exclusive towards a member of the domain. Very loyal and kind, he becomes attached to his man for life. This gourmand has a pronounced taste for sunflower sprouts, too fatty for him. It is, therefore, necessary to reduce the number in its daily portions.
50mins of noise from Smokey the Timneh African Grey Parrot! Squarks, Whistles, Talking, Mimicry
SOURCE:Tropical Discovery Workshops
Preservation
Timneh parrot is listed in Appendix II of CITES. It is rarely found in breeding, the demand is lower than for the grey parrot. Low demand explains its price, which is cheaper than that of Congo African grey.
It is also less unpredictable. timneh parrot Gray is listed in Appendix II of CITES. It is rarely found inbreeding, the demand is lower than for the congo African grey.
