Timneh African Grey

	Timneh African Grey (Everythingus you could ever wantus) The pot luck parrot. This little nine inch bird has everything. Some species talk, some cuddle, some are playful, and some are performers. The Timneh Grey has all of those traits. It might not look "like a parrot" the first time you see one. From a distance it appears to be a dull grey bird. A closer look will reveal pretty white markings on every head feather and a cute little marroon tail. Once you touch a Timneh Grey, you will also find its feathers are among the softest of any bird species.
Personality I find the Timneh to be a very trusting bird. Once they accept you as a safe dependable pet human, you have unconditional love from your feathered friend until you do something to make him doubt you. Timnehs are very intelligent and social birds. Not only will they enjoy interacting with their human flock, they will be extremely sensitive to changes that may shake up their world. A Timneh is not a good choice for someone with an erratic lifestyle. Timnehs expect their pet humans to be there for them, same time same place, every day. They make good family birds because there is usually always someone around, and they seem to find children interesting. Most will chose a favorite human like most parrots, but will still go to others in the family.
Talking & Other Sounds Timneh African Greys, along with their Congo Grey cousins, have the greatest tonal range on all parrot species. Talking is just the tip of the iceberg. No sound is spared. Your doorbell, telephone and microwave oven are all potential mimic targets for the Timneh. Good luck trying to tell the difference. Timnehs like to get it perfect where beeps are concerned. Hope you don't use a can opener to open your dog or cats' food. Your Timneh will have them running to their dishes all day long. I have not heard of a Timneh singing, whistles and beeps seem to be more fun for them. I once had road construction vehicles working near my house. Weeks after they were done, my Timneh breeders were still "backing up" every morning.
Cuddle Factor This tends to vary based on the individual bird. All seem to enjoy some form of petting. Some like a good head scratch while others enjoy a complete body rub. Whatever the degree of petting, all Timnehs greatly enjoy the interaction with their pet humans. This is where their loveable but not demanding personality is such a bonus. A Timneh will take whatever you have to offer whether that means sitting on your shoulder while you work at the computer or cuddling with you on the couch while you watch telelvision. This assumes that you set proper boundaries with your bird when you first bring it home.
Boundaries The intelligence level of an African Grey has been estimated to be that of a five year old child, coupled with the emotional level of a 2 year old. This means your bird will be smart enough to know both what he wants and how to get it, but it not beneath throwing a tantrum to accomplish it. For this reason, it is extremely important to establish boundaries with your new Timneh when you first bring him home. Let him know what times of day he can expect your attention and when he will need to entertain himself. Assuming you have purchased a well socialized bird from a good source, your bird should adapt quickly to the routine you have set up for him. Try not to deviate from the routine for at least the first year. Timnehs go through a lot a short testing phases when they are young and will try to exploit any loophole they can find.
Playing If you have not heard the Timneh growl, you will after you have seen him play with his toys. Timnehs like both toys that they can hold and toys that hang from their cage. Giving a Timneh a new toy is a whole experience onto itself. They will at first appear to study the toy, sometimes for days as if to try and figure out what its mission is by being in the bird's cage. After careful study and calculation comes the initial poke to see it the toy has any intentions of retalitation. Appartently movement of the toy caused by the bird poking it can be viewed as retalitation since this usually starts the all out attack. This is where the growling begins. Timnehs will either poke repeatedly at the toy or hang from it growling angrily at it like they want it out to their sight. It's very entertaining stuff. When you purchase toys for your Timneh, try to find toys with multiple handing parts so the bird can hang from one piece while fighting with the other.
Cage Timnehs usually get to spend a great deal of time out of their cages due to their non-destructive behavior and sweet sociable personalities. Timnehs love to climb and hang from toys, so I would suggest a tall square cage with horizontal bars. I threw in the square parameter because round cages have no corners and most parrots do not feel safe in them.
Clumsy Baby It is worth a quick mention. Timneh babies are typically very clumsy babies. Make sure that their feathers are not trimmed too short or else they could be harmed in the many falls and crashes you will witness in the first few weeks. The feathers should be trimmed in such a way that they cannot gain altitude, but should be able to land gently. If the landing is too hard, they could possible crack their chest bone and sustain a serious injury. A Few Good Birds will be adding pictures and information on wing trimming in the near future.
Summary If you purchase a well socialized baby from a reputable source, you cannot go wrong. Timneh's are wonderful birds.

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