Last Updated on: 26th September 2023, 04:56 am
Mental stimulation is a critical component of African grey care. They’re widely considered the most intelligent parrot species and must be entertained to stave off boredom.
African greys can develop an extensive vocabulary, so try playing games that involve identifying objects or singing together. They also like to play hide and seek and locate hidden treats.
A parrot can be taught to fetch and retrieve a small ball or dunk and toss a basketball using a small hoop. Chasing games are also fun, as long as the bird doesn’t grow too excitable.
Playing together at least twice daily will keep an African grey parrot happy and contented. Parrots forge deep emotional bonds, and these games will soon become the highlight of their day.
Do African Grey Parrots Like to Play?
If you’re wondering, “What do African grey parrots like to do for fun?” the answer is almost everything. A parrot needs near-constant stimulation and entertainment lest it grows frustrated and withdrawn.
Toys are fine when you’re unavailable. However, by the time you get around to seeing it, an African grey’s body language will let you know that these sources of amusement have been exhausted.
A pet parrot will be keen to enjoy some interactive time with its favorite human (you).
What Do African Grey Parrots Like to Play With?
Anything can be considered a parrot toy under the right circumstances.
African greys love to chew, shred, and interact with static objects. They also enjoy exploring and investigating new territory, which is impossible in a caged environment.
African grey parrots are natural imitators, which means they’re fascinated by most things humans interact with. An African grey will follow suit if you play with a toy.
How To Play with An African Grey Parrot
While toys will go some way to keeping an African grey happy, it’ll soon grow bored with just its own company. Here are some games you can play with a parrot to keep it happy:
Questions and Answers
African grey parrots often develop the most extensive vocabulary of all birds, learning up to 1,000 English words. According to the Journal of Comparative Psychology, parrots can also learn to identify objects.
You can play with an African grey by teaching it different shapes, colors, and other identifiable features and quizzing them. Hold up a red building block and ask the parrot what color it is.
Over time, you can teach the parrot more advanced responses to verbal cues. For example, try singing the first line of a song and encouraging the parrot to learn the next line.
Peek-a-Boo and Hide and Seek
Once you’ve bonded with an African grey, it’ll actively want to spend time with you. Turn this into a game by playing hide and seek, encouraging it to find you during out-of-cage exercise.
Start small by playing peek-a-boo. Stand before the cage and place something over your face, like a cushion. Use a saying like “peek-a-boo” or “Where did I go?” before revealing yourself.
After a short time, you can evolve into an active game of hide and seek outside the cage. Stand behind a curtain, hide behind furniture, or cover yourself with a blanket, and issue the trigger saying. The parrot will soon attempt to track you down.
The goal is to hide well enough that the parrot enjoys looking for you but not so convincingly that the bird grows distressed because it thinks you’ve abandoned it.
Fetch
Screw up a piece of paper, or roll a very light ball toward the parrot.
At first, the parrot may wonder what you’re doing. Then, it’ll get the hang of the game and return the ball to you. You may be surprised at how good a parrot’s aim can be when tossing a ball with its beak.
Once a parrot has mastered the fundamentals of the game, you can start tossing the ball further around the room. Use a command word like “fetch it!” and the parrot will comply.
Chasing Games
Parrots enjoy games that involve being chased. Keep the chases short by placing a parrot on the bed and using your fingers to approach. Pet the parrot when you catch it.
Parrots love this game, especially as it has a reward. You can also step back and encourage the parrot to come to you. Avoid overstimulating the bird to the point of excitement where it pecks or nips you.
The easiest way to achieve this is by using fun words in a light and playful tone while you approach.
Chase games should only be played in short, controlled bursts. A parrot will likely play along and force you to work to catch it, but don’t play for so long that the parrot grows exhausted.
Dance Competition
Many parrots love to dance, so why not treat this as a game?
Parrots learn how to dance by imitating humans, so try making different motions to styles of music. Change the track, and the parrot will switch its dance moves.
A parrot’s anatomy differs from a human’s, so only teach dance moves a parrot can imitate. Also, choose music that’s different enough for the parrot to understand.
Try bobbing your head back and forward to classic rock, flapping your arms to an upbeat pop song, and lifting and dropping your legs to a rap. A parrot will vary its dancing like an avian game of Simon Says.
Basketball
Believe it or not, parrots are frequently skilled basketball players. An African grey will love this game.
Pick up a miniature basketball hoop and ball designed for a desktop and show the parrot how to drop the ball through the hoop.
Add a command phrase, like “slam dunk” or “two points,” and encourage the parrot to imitate your actions. Before you know it, it’ll show skills worthy of the NBA.
If you’re ambitious, teach a parrot to toss the ball at the hoop from a distance. This will be tough, but it’ll give the parrot a sense of achievement when it makes a shot, especially if you celebrate its success.
Eventually, this can become a fun game with the parrot – you can take turns shooting at the basket and keep score. Don’t be embarrassed if the parrot wins, as parrots are often natural ballers.
Find the Treat
Take 3 shells or paper cups and hide a treat, like a small piece of fruit, under 1 of them.
Let the parrot see which vessel hides the treat, then shuffle them around. A parrot will watch you do this and peck the cup or shell that guards its reward.
As per Scientific Reports, parrots have a short-term memory of 15 seconds, so they should recall where to find the treat. If all else fails, a parrot will track down the correct cup using its sense of smell.
How Often Should You Play with An African Grey Parrot?
Play sessions needn’t be long, so 2-3 x 20 minutes will suffice.
The best times to play with a parrot are before leaving the bird alone and after you return from an absence. A play session before work will satisfy a parrot, so it copes better without company.
Consider a playtime session about 1-2 hours before the parrot sleeps.
Entertaining an African grey parrot with fun, interactive games is fundamental to a happy and healthy life. Contented pet parrots are far less likely to develop behavioral problems and stereotypies.
