Dear Ajay 

 Thank you for the pictures they are very nice. 

 I do not know if you have just set up the bird cage and do not have all the toys in your cage that you have yet, but the few that you have are no where near what you need to keep your bird happy and comfortable and avoid starting to pluck. Greys are prone to this and need to be catered to more. 

 The toys in your bird’s cage are the leaves on your bird’s tree. They serve more than to just play with. The top third part of your cage’s inner walls, front and back should be lined with things, toys, paper strips, corn husks, interactive toys, wood toys, fabric toys, plastic toys, and shreddable toys. 

 15-20 toys of varying sizes and materials is not unusual. 

 A bird in a cage as empty as yours now can feel “exposed”. Yes, they cannot get out of it but they do not know if anything can get in their cage. 

 Putting more items in the cage creates a “canopy” of security for the bird. They then have places they can hide behind and thus block their view from the outside world and make themselves feel safer.

Some short bolt-on perches are a good idea midway in the cage. 

A grooming perch would be good lower by the food dishes or in the front of the cage, lower.

I see you have a grooming perch up high and it should be lowered and replaced with a wood or rope perch before your bird starts to get sore feet from sleeping on the rough perch. 

These are some recommendations. 

Find Booda Perches Here

Hello Catherine, 

I have quite a few toys, shred boxes and “intelligence” type toys (e.g. box of drawers, wheel w/ small openings) along with rope perches. I plan on inserting additional items as per your suggestions below. 

I mounted the cage last weekend and didn’t want to congest the cage too much. She is loose most of the day and switches off between outside and inside. I will send you a different picture after I review it and add additional items based on your suggestion. 

 Catherine, question, I’ve been thinking of adding a small pot with soil and seedlings at the bottom of a cage corner. I’m not certain if there is any specific soil. However, it would give the cage some “live” greens available to the African Grey. 

Do you recommend it? Do you know anyone else that has done such a thing? I tried looking online and am waiting for the vet to call me back with suggestions. I wanted to ask you as you may know. I have seedlings that I will give to her for about an hour tomorrow morning. However, I can also plant some in a pot and let them grow at the bottom of her cage. Thoughts?  

Ajay S. 

NO potted plants in the cage. You can use the packages of “cat grass” available in pet shops (usually wheat) or if you can find a bird version (rare) that you can grow and put in your birds cage that would be fine. 

Commercial dirt or even any from the ground can contain toxins, fertilizers, and other things that could be harmful to your bird. ONLY use the pet-approved plant packets they sell for pets. They carefully control the growing medium.

 I would not recommend it at all as your bird will likely destroy it the same day as it is installed anyway and make a huge mess. 

Your bird will be happy with some fresh romaine lettuce to munch on, Either clipped to the bars or woven between a couple, or even in a dish. 

Sprouts are okay, ones you make yourself are the best and priced much better. Over the years there have been too many instances of contamination for commercially grown sprouts and the public trust in them has diminished so there are fewer on the market to select from.

Catherine