When does an African Grey reach puberty

Hi Phoebe,

I have an African Grey male called Nico, now 1 year and 9 months old. We have him since he was 13 weeks old - he was hand-reared from about 8 weeks on. What I’d like to ask is: when does an African Grey reach puberty and how long does this last for approximately?

Lately I notice a change in his behavior which seems to be related to sexual behavior:

1) A particular ‘calling’ sound to me;
2) Displaying the first signs of wanting to give up food;
3) Persistently pushing boundaries;
4) Trying to get my attention by showing off e.g. hanging upside down with wings slightly spread;
5) Occasionally more testy, e.g. trying to bite
 
All these behaviors I ignore by walking away or occasionally distracting his attention to something else. He has had previous periods in which he mainly pushed the boundaries for a while, which we also saw as part of his natural development, of growing up. This time his behavior clearly has a more sexual tinge and I’m aware that parrots can display sexual behavior before they have started puberty.

However, is it possible that at 1 year and 9 months old Nico could be starting puberty?

With many thanks,
Miriam

Hi Miriam, Thanks for writing World Parrot Trust and explaining the situation with Nico, your 21 month old African Grey parrot.

All the behaviors you describe are within the bounds of normalcy for parrots young and old. Making some noise? Yep. Trying to get your attention? For sure. Pushing boundaries? If you mean by that exploring what works and what doesn't, yes, he'll do that.

Parrots who push their boundaries too vehemently might be too confined. Better for us if we safely and reasonably push back the boundaries we’ve set for our birds as we train them every step of the way. We allocate space, time and resources to be sure our captive parrots don't need to ache, beg for or bite to get what they need and want.

If, for example, he wants your undivided attention and gets it when he’s “trying to bite,” then he’ll try to bite more.

Miriam, my advice on puberty is this: don’t let thoughts on “puberty” pigeon hole your Grey. We don’t want to waste valuable fleeting time with our parrots when so many bright activities and interactions are before us.

He’s ready to be taught solutions to any problems, and because the solutions exist, let’s get going.

Training by the Book

In Good Bird! author and trainer Barbara Heidenreich reminds us that positive reinforcement works, which is excellent news. So, pick a treat that Nico likes and use it (ultra-small bits of it) for positive reinforcement. If he becomes disinterested in one treat, have substitutes available, including verbal praise, a whistle, tickle or whatever Nico likes. It can not be said enough that the treat has to be something that Nico likes, he has to be ready to receive it. At almost two, he might change his mind tomorrow and like something else, so be prepared!

Hopefully, you’ll start to get a long list of things that Nico likes to do, eat or get. Sensitivity and reason will guide you. Also, let the booklet Good Bird! guide you. A copy is coming to you via WPT from me. You can read it through in one evening and start Nico’s training off on the firmest footing. Then, if ever you feel “stuck” again, you’ll have it for reference. It’s invaluable, just like Nico.

Miriam, because you wrote to World Parrot Trust, I know your goal is to avoid doing anything to make Nico event the slightest bit uneasy. Nothing that harms the relationship, and everything that is good for relationship—that is the goal. The result is a relationship between you and Nico that is built upon mutual trust.

The best way for humans to build trust with parrots is for us to get to know them physically. That’s why being able to read parrots’ body language is important. It’s both art and science as I’m sure you and Nico have already discovered. But there's more—the ways parrots use feathers to express their state of being are myriad and deserve more commentary than this space allows, so please refer to the booklet once it arrives, OK?

One behavior, the rouse, is “when a bird puffs all of it’s feathers out and then shakes all of its feathers.” (p.15) is one of my favorites to reinforce. We call this “fluff and puff” and it gets a lot of praise in my flock. It seems calming and cleansing, like a tension relief behavior.

Emotional Intelligence: parrots' point of view

Miriam, another way we get to know our parrots is emotionally, so be sure your interactions with Nico center around a compassionate emotional intelligence that guides you as you constantly upgrade the environments in which Nico's behaviors occur. Positive relationships center around environments that encourage him to be physically active and engaged. Reward him when he makes pleasant noises and be sure those sounds come from a toned, fit and healthy body. Always be on the look-out to ensure that he’s staying happily receptive to the rewards offered. If he changes his mind, be nimble.

Throughout training, Nico’s point of view might be very different from human perceptions, so extra sensitivity is needed as together, you mold a relationship between companionable species. It’s a gentle, pliable community we build, not a clamshell of demands that we clap tightly onto each other’s beings.

Praise can be a enthusiastic "Good Bird!!" or a smiling nod -- as long as it's what Nico wants, he'll try to get more of it.

Check the Environment

Environmental enrichment is always our first, foremost and often ultimate tool in behavior modification.

Be sure you have a current up-to-date list of what Nico likes to do, eat, where he likes to go, at what times and how often. Spend some time just watching him to see new behaviors and note with interest those that increase companionship, exercise and other healthy habits.

It’s good to get a lock on objectivity. Let’s make sure our parrots live in places where they get to be parrots first, companions second. Look at the objects Nico enjoys and where he likes to hang out. An environment replete with what parrots like is the best environment for parrots. That's where we see good behavior.

The more environmentally suited your habitat is to supply him with what he needs as a parrot and companion, the more interesting your shared relationship. You challenge yourself in a friendly way to find more and more things and places he likes. The resultant diversity of parrot-appropriate experiences you and he experience together are what challenges him.

When you take a close and compassionate look at Nico’s environment, you might notice things he no longer enjoys as much as he did say, 4 months ago. If there’s an enrichment he particularly likes (and you can tell because it's nearly destroyed), try enriching it further, moving it to a cool new place, or adding another one somewhere else. Try to look at his environments—cage, play gyms, baskets, and so forth—from his point of view. He might enjoy a new basket or shower perch, or maybe he’ll play more with some of his existing toys of they are spruced up and re-situated.

Environments designed from a parrot’s point of view are set up according to parrot priorities. There’s plenty of space, light, friends and privacy. Stuff to do and a place to get away from it all are available to all.

Timing is important, too

Training sessions stop and start when everyone is ready to learn. Participation can change moment by moment, so if the session feels strained or like it's taking too long, wrap it up. Parrots like to make the choice to stop any session, too. I always think the best training sessions end when the parrots decide to destroy an ear of corn, search for a bit of walnut, or see what's going on outside.

Rather than setting up a situation (due to timing, usually) where Nico’s hanging upside down with his wings slightly spread causes you a problem, try making the time/space/priority to allow that behavior. It's a great important exercise for your healthy young bird -- see if flapping his wings is reinforcing and encourage him to do so for a good long while and well before sleep time.

If you want him to stop regurgitating, reinforce a behavior that's incompatible with regurgitating, like flapping. Especially hanging upside down when flapping—that’s really incompatible with regurgitation -- but it's a very cool way for an active parrot to work out. That's why hanging upside down and flapping is high on our list of Good Stuff to Do.

Wild Guys

Along those lines, I heartily recommend the WPT DVD “Where the Wild Greys Are”, a copy of which is also being sent to you with my compliments. I love watching the wild greys and suspect you will, too. A word of caution—pre-screen it out of earshot by Nico as you will want to turn the volume down in certain parts before he hears it!

The reasons to watch wild greys center around your pre-teen grey who would, I image, be one of the saucy, acrobatic and nimble greys we see in this highly interactive wild flock. Here we see and hear a part of the inimitable culture of greys: landing in and taking off from tree-tops, making racket and singing like angels, mingling, foraging and checking out elephants. This DVD really expanded my sensibilities about the sacrifices captive greys make in order to be our companions. It helps us re-valuate the substitutes we provide to captive parrots.

Rewards that stay rewarding

All in all, Miriam, I know you and Nico will do great together as long as you're both ready and willing to keep learning. You first! Please read Barbara' book and keep it handy, watch the DVD for inspiration, get ready to keep making changes, be watchful and sensitive and keep Nico's priorities at the top of your schedule. Your rewards can be life-long companionship with an amazing creature.

Best regards,
Phoebe Greene Linden
Santa Barbara Bird Farm
Santa Barbara CA