Celebrate Timneh African Grey Parrots with Quimby

Do you keep your Timneh Grey's cage near a window so he or she can enjoy the benefits of sunshine and fresh air? Having a view of the outdoors is fun for our birds, but when the weather gets cooler you might need to make some adjustments.

I have a summer spot and a winter spot for Quimby's cage. In the summer he stays in front of a large, east facing picture window. Plenty of morning sunshine, a great view of the backyard and not too hot throughout the day.

In the winter, I move Quimby away from the drafty picture window into the living room. He is still in front of an east-facing window, but we put sealed plastic over the window to keep it draft-free. I use the crystal clear kind so he can still sunbathe on nice days and see all the action in the backyard.

All the expert literature and avian veterinarian recommendations I've seen agree that Timneh Greys and other birds can adapt to temperature changes, as long as they are gradual. It is drafts that cause problems such as respiratory infections.

Turning down your heat at night should be fine for your Timneh, but watch out for window drafts, blowing air from heat vents and exposure to drafts from doors. If you aren't sure about a suitable cool weather location, pick one you are certain about, even if it is away from a window.

Keeping your Timneh entertained is a must if he or she is to stay happy and healthy. Timnehs get bored easily and have a talent for destroying not only toys but whatever is in their reach. That means "new" things to play with constantly have to be introduced to your bird's environment. The irony is, having all that "new stuff" around can actually be stressful on some Greys.

Not all Timnehs are enthused about having brightly colored, bizarre shaped items placed in or on their "home." Quimby has made quite a game out of rejecting every new toy or cage accessory with extreme violence, displeasure and disgust. Growling, biting, trembling, attacking the invading object, etc. are his way of "thanking" me for the $30.00 or so I just blew on a toy he would rather never have seen.

I know Quimby well enough to recognize genuine fear from exaggerated acts of protest, and I do respect his wishes regarding his living space. I might "know better" (ie, that the new toy really will be the best thing since peanuts in a day or two), but he is the boss when it comes to his home. We've come up with one solution that he prefers to a "straightforward" introduction of new toys.

I wrap hanging toys, treat sticks or new perchesthem loosely in gift-wrap and let Quimby do the discovering himself. He recognizes the gift-wrap (we've been doing this for years) and enjoys shredding his way to the "surprise" inside. For some reason, discovering new objects on his own makes them much more acceptable.

One BIG word of caution: If you know you have a female Timneh, or aren't sure - never encourage nesting behavior by introducing a large quantity of paper into your bird's living space! A lot of factors can contribute to nesting behavior, but introducing nesting material is certainly a biggie. An egg-bound Timneh is NO fun!

As always, be safe and have fun with your bird, and always be patient, considerate and conservative when introducing new items to your Timneh!