Living with an African grey parrot is almost a full-time endeavor. An African grey is a highly intelligent bird known for its ability to mimic human speech and propensity to get into mischief.
Do you live with an African grey that doesn’t like you? Are you thinking about adding an African grey to your family and want to make sure you get off on the right foot?
Here Are 12 Ideas for How to Get an African Grey to Like You:
On rare occasions, an African grey does not like a particular person. Some birds will bond right away, and others may take a few months. In most instances, you’ll be best friends in no time with patience and effort. You can take some simple steps to help nurture a positive relationship with your African grey.
Be sure to go slow with the first three items on this list for how to get an African grey to like you. If you don’t master the first three and make some progress, you won’t be able to work on any of the other steps, like trick training. Whether your African grey bites you and you need to improve the relationship or have a new grey in the house, these tips will help everyone.
Spend Time With Your African Grey – #1 Idea for How to Get an African Grey to Like You
Spend time with your African grey every day. Spending time can mean singing to your bird, dancing with your bird, or playing with your bird. African greys are social birds, and they love to have company. The more time you spend with your bird, the more likely, they will like you.
If you spend as much time with them as possible, they will begin to see you as an ally instead of an enemy.
More importantly, be patient – It might take some time for your African grey to like you. Don’t expect immediate progress; you will need to go through everything on this list and try each idea.
Talk in a Calm and Loving Voice – #2 Idea for How to Get an African Grey to Like You
Talk to your African grey parrot in a soft, gentle voice; if you are adamant about learning how to get an African grey to like you. Doing this will get your parrot accustomed to hearing your voice. You can even read your favorite book to your parrot.
Reading to your bird will allow them to get comfortable with your voice and presence in a non-threatening manner. Sitting there and talking or reading to your bird, you will see your bird start to enjoy your company.
In the wild African greys hang out with their flock, foraging and talking to each other. Learn more about birds that talk, to familiarize yourself with them
Only Use Seeds and Nuts for a High-Value Reward
Seeds and nuts are a great way to get your bird to like you. They are high in fat and protein, making them very attractive to birds. However, if your bird is scared of you, you should only use seeds and nuts as a high-value reward. Learn what to feed African grey parrots here.
If your bird seems frightened of you, you can try to drop 2-4 seeds into their bowl each time you sit with them. If you follow our two steps above, you can put a few seeds into their bowl each time you sit with your bird and read.
After a few days of this, try to hand your birdseed or nut and see if they will take it from your hand. If they do, that is a good sign that you both are well on getting along.
Training Sessions Can Deepen The Bond With Your African Grey
Training Sessions are a great way to get your African grey to like you. It gives you something to focus on and deepens the bond between you.
Try simple tricks like teaching your bird to touch a stick, step up, come, or wave. If you are unsure how to train your bird, plenty of books and websites can help you.
Parrots are brilliant, and teaching them tricks or beneficial behaviors will help them adjust to life in a house. Allowing them to use their mind to solve puzzles will help them be happy and content.
Approach your bird From the side; not from behind
You want your bird to understand that you are not a predator. In the wild, many predators will approach the African grey from behind.
Predators of the African grey can include hawks, falcons, and even monkeys. You need to earn your birds’ trust. So always approach your bird in a way that they can see and hear you coming.
Take Your African Grey Outdoors on a Leash
Taking your bird outdoors on a leash will strengthen the bond. If you have an African grey, it is vital to introduce your bird to the outdoors gradually and safely.
To start, you will need to get your bird used to wearing a leash, which can be done by first acclimating the bird to a leash indoors. If you start with the clicker training, you can begin to get your bird comfortable with the leash.
My bird will wear a leash but sometimes puts up a fight with me when it’s time to get it on. Once Coco has the leash on, she is happy and ready for an adventure. The clicker, along with high-value rewards, will allow your bird to view the leash positively!
Start walking your bird around your neighborhood while they wear a leash. You will notice that your parrot will begin to see you as a source of comfort when the bird sees something scary in the distance.
Whenever I am outdoors with my bird, she likes to sit on my arm or shoulder; Coco will grip my arm or shoulder tightly. The tight grip shows me that she sees me as a protector and not a predator.
Bring Your Bird on a Car Ride
African grey parrots are intelligent, social creatures that bond closely with their human companions. If you’re African grey’s favorite person, your bird may want to go everywhere with you—including on car rides.
While it’s certainly possible to bring your African grey along for the ride, it’s essential to take precautions to ensure their safety and comfort. First, invest in a good bird travel cage. The travel cage should be large enough for your African grey to move around freely, and it should have plenty of ventilation.
You’ll also want to make 100% certain that you fasten the cage, so it doesn’t shift during the drive. Once you’ve got a suitable travel cage, acclimating your African grey to car rides is gently introducing them to the experience.
My bird loves car rides and had no problem with them from day one, so I did not have to acclimate my bird to the car. However, if your bird tends to be more nervous or skittish, you will need to take extra steps to keep them comfortable and safe.
Start by taking short trips around the block and gradually work up to longer journeys. Give plenty of praise, soft talking, and high-value treats to help your African grey associate car rides with positive experiences.
With a bit of patience and preparation, you can enjoy many happy hours spent together on the open road.
Introduce Your Bird to New People
When introducing your African grey to new people, you must go slowly and be patient. Start by spending some time with your bird one-on-one; this will help to increase their trust in you and let them get used to the unfamiliar environment around them.
I noticed for my bird that the more people I introduced her to, the more my bird looked to me as a familiar source of comfort.
So if you are wondering how to get an African grey to like you, bringing new people into their circle is one way that may help.
Once your African grey seems comfortable and relaxed, you can try extending the interaction to small groups of people. Eventually, your bird will be thoroughly socialized and ready to go on adventures with you!
Depending on your bird’s personality, you may want to consider using a travel cage when taking them out into public spaces; this will help them feel safe and secure as they explore their surroundings.
To get them even more comfortable around new people, try spending some quality time together just hanging out at home or going for a fun walk in your neighborhood.
Regardless of how you choose to bond with your African grey, always remember that building trust takes time and commitment – one day at a time. But trust us, the results are well worth it!
Give Your African Grey a Variety of Foods
Proper nutrition is crucial for any parrot, and African grey parrots are no exception. Providing your bird with a well-balanced diet will allow them to bond with you since you provide the food.
They eat a wide variety of oil palm seeds, nuts, grains, fruits, mud, and vegetables in the wild. If their diet in the wild lacks vitamins and minerals, they may not show any apparent signs of illness. However, hormone and behavior changes can occur due to improper diet.
As a result, it’s essential to provide a variety of foods that will meet all of their nutritional needs. One excellent way to do this is to offer a mix of parrot pellets, fresh fruits, vegetables, brown rice, and cooked beans. Ensure a small amount of mango in their daily diet since parrots eat mango in the wild.
You can also add some whole nuts for them to crack and a tiny (1/2 a tsp) amount of seeds to their food dish. Furthermore, if you’re not sure what to feed your grey, talk to your veterinarian for recommendations.
Encourage Positive Social Interactions Between Your African Grey and Other Family Members by Incorporating the Bird Into Family Events.
As any grey owner knows, these birds are not only intelligent but also profoundly social creatures. They crave interaction and stimulation; they form strong bonds with their caregivers.
Allowing your grey to observe from the safety of their cage safely will help them feel included, and you may even find that they start to mimic the sounds and activities going on around them.
For this reason, it’s important to encourage positive social interactions between your grey and other family members. One unique way to do this is to incorporate the bird into family events.
If you take the time to bond with your grey, you’ll find that they make an excellent and entertaining companion for all occasions. Being in a new environment with you there as the one person they know well will improve your African grey’s affection for you. Furthermore, it will make them more comfortable around other people.
Foraging Toys to Satisfy Their Natural Instincts – Important for Learning How to Get an African Grey to Like You
Provide your African grey parrot with plenty of foraging toys to satisfy their instincts; these birds spend a good portion of their day looking for food in the wild.
You can create foraging toys by placing their favorite treats inside small cardboard boxes; I like to make what I call “foraging boxes.” Your bird will have to work to get the treat out, which is incredibly fun and mentally stimulating.
Another way to provide foraging opportunities is to string some of their favorite foods onto a stainless steel metal rod. They will have to work to get at each piece of food, and it can become a fun game.
YouI has many foraging options for my bird (some I buy and some I make), and I switch them out every week. You can buy some foraging toys from small businesses that handmake most of their bird toys. I like to shop online at small companies like Royal Avian Specialties and Hoot and Holler Bird Toys.
Not only will these foraging ideas help keep them entertained, but they will also give them a sense of accomplishment as they figure out how to get to the food. African greys are brilliant birds, and they love a challenge, so providing foraging opportunities is a critical way to keep their minds active.
Sit With Your Bird Every Day
Whether you are a seasoned bird enthusiast or just starting with your first African grey, spending ample time sitting in the same room as your bird is essential.
You can spend quality time reading, working on the computer, or watching television, as you can easily do these activities while spending time with your feathered friend.
Rather than pushing your bird to step up or come to you, it is essential to let them come to you on their terms and pace. By being patient and respectful of your bird’s needs and boundaries, they will learn to trust and like you more quickly.
By fostering a solid relationship based on mutual respect, you can ensure that you and your African grey enjoy a long and happy life together.
Final Thoughts How to Get an African Grey to Like You
If you want to have a friend for life, take the time to get to know an African grey. Luckily, there are many unique things you can do to make this happen.
These birds are intelligent and social creatures that love spending time with their human companions. With patience and some simple steps, you can form a strong bond with your bird and enjoy each other’s company for years to come.
Be patient and spend time with them every day, talking in a soft voice and using high-value rewards like seeds and nuts to help deepen the bond between you. If you follow these steps, chances are that your bird will begin to enjoy your company in no time.