African Grey Parrot Breeding

Before breeding African Grey parrots, you must consider there are two types of of sub species, these consist of: -

• Timneh (Psittacus erithacus timneh), are usually smaller in size and darker in color

• Congo (Psittacus erithacus erithacus), are larger than the Timneh species and grow up to 30 centimeters long, they are paler in color and and the most popular sub species out of the two.

The Conga grey is believed to be the most intelligent out of the two species, however there is no proof the back this up.  The Timneh's which are from South Africa, are more difficult to bread, and are not as popular as the Congo, so bear this is mind before deciding breed African Grey Parrots. Before purchasing a parrot for breeding purposes,  they should be checked by a vet or DNA tested, also information such as sexual maturity and if the breed is capable of reproducing is also revealed. Usually male parrots have bigger beaks than females, however it is better to use other, more accurate methods to determine the birds sex, rather than making an educated guess.

Getting African Greys to mate can be difficult, the best method is to put two of them of the opposite sex into a cage, eventually they will grow to know each other, and become companions.  Another useful tip is to purchase a nest box, first think about how african greys breed in their natural environment, they usually select a small dense location within a tree, therefore open and light conditions are not great when trying to breed your parrots. Purchase a nest box around 24 inches high and wide, shapes such as an L shape usually work well.  Add a hole, not too big to the top of the nest, also inserting some wood chipping's within the box ensures the parrots and eggs are safe and secure.

The eggs hatch within 1 month, and there are usually between two to five eggs, also you must be careful when removing baby greys, the mother can become aggressive and injure your hand, they be cautious, and never use gloves as they are not sensitive enough to handle a baby grey parrot.