Greys and Conures Have Different Needs
By Sam Vaughn, DVM, Dip., ABVP—Avian Practice
I have a small aviary in my garage in Orlando, Florida, where I have two pairs of producing sun conures and two pairs of nonproducing Congo African grey parrots. I have had both grey pairs set up for more than a year and have no production of fertile eggs. I have had some infertile eggs from one pair. The male of this pair was a hand-fed domestic baby, and a breeder has told me that the bird obviously does not know what to do in the sexual activity realm. The male is very friendly to humans and whistles and squats down when people enter the aviary. I have taken a second male from the same breeder, which is an import so we are assuming that he is much more aware of what to do and when to do it. The original male of the pair is in the same aviary in sight and sound of the original hen and the new male.
The other pair of greys is in the same aviary right next to the first pair and is in plain sight and sound in front of two pairs of producing sun conures. I have no dividers between the birds, and they are on a 12-hour daylight and 12-hour dark cycle. The diet consists of fresh fruits and vegetables daily, and two commercial pellets mixed half and half. Surely the diet cannot be a problem since the sun conures are producing.
Can you give me any suggestions that may help these African greys start producing babies? I am way too far in the hole financially on this pair but am the type of person that would keep them forever anyway; it would just be nicer if they could pay their way.
Thank you for a detailed and informative history. Collecting a history is probably the most important aspect of “flock diagnosis.” Dr. Brian Speer will be speaking at the Mardi Gras Avicultural conference in New Orleans on problems such as these, and I highly suggest you attend. This conference is useful to the beginner or the most advanced people in aviculture. You can contact Dr. Greg Rich at DrMardiGra@aol.com for more information on the conference, which is February 7, 1999.
Excellent history taking is impossible without on-site visits. If you have an avian veterinarian in your area who provides this service or if you want to hire one to fly in from wherever then that is the best way to get the most answers. It just might also be the most expensive. We will proceed with the answers now but realize that without seeing your situation, many stones can be left unturned.
First I agree that the diet is adequate for reproduction to occur in your conures. That does not necessarily mean that it is appropriate for African greys. However, chances are that it is plenty for your greys. I still marvel at the birds that have produced on higher protein breeder rations rather than maintenance rations, and I highly suggest Harrison Bird Diets High Potency Formula for your breeding Congos. Even if you just try the new diet for six months and do not get results at least you will know you tried.
I would really limit the fruits and vegetables since some birds will eat these preferentially over the pellets. This can be a problem because fruits and vegetables are very low in protein and most are very low in calcium. These two nutrients are critical to egg and sperm production. Just as important are the micronutrients and vitamins that are provided in a pelleted ration. Fruits and vegetables also provide excellent opportunities for bacterial and fungal growth if left in the aviary. Be sure to remove these after three hours if you are going to feed them at all.
Now, about those conures in the same room as the Congos. There are aviculturists who strictly prohibit the housing of South American species with African or Australian species. Some just prevent the housing together of Old World versus New World parrots. I do not think there is any hard-and-fast rule that all should follow. I do think you could make some changes that will be beneficial to your situation. Get the conures away from the greys. Breeders such as Jean Pattison have taught me that the African species are very secretive about breeding. I was even told about a pair of Senegals that would only breed in the darkest corner of the basement where it was quiet and shadowy! Go with whatever works within reason that does not jeopardize the health of the birds.
Light stimulation is very important for breeding birds. I would increase the light on the Congos for two hours a day until you reach 16 hours. Hold them at 16 hours for 90 days and then abruptly drop to 14 hours. Hold at 14 hours for another 30 days. What am I doing? I base these suggestions on some very surprising stuff that I learned while studying for Avian Board Certification Exams several years ago. I had known for years that increasing day length was a strong stimulus for gonadogenesis. That is the longer the day, the more testicular and ovarian activity you can expect. Poultry egg producers have used this one for years to put eggs on your grocery shelves. What I did not know was that decreasing day length was just as stimulatory to gonadogenesis as was increasing day length. Surprising, isn’t it? Just might explain those pairs that produce when they aren’t supposed to, huh? You know the cockatoo pair that lays in the dead of winter when everyone else is quiescent. I tell you the truth—you just cannot get all these birds to read the same books. You have to do what works for your aviary and your specific pairs.
Okay, I have to come clean, I visited your aviary yesterday in Orlando and we had a wonderful time connecting. The truth is I was there and would have never gotten this perfect a history by talking to you on the phone or the web or the exam room. Videoconferencing might be a different story; I need to investigate that one! The screen enclosed pool area is where I would house the African greys. I would never suggest this had I not seen the area. It appears that the screen is sufficient to prevent opossums from getting near your birds. They carry the disease sarcocystis that can also be tracked to your birds from the opossum’s feces by the cockroach and other paratenic hosts. The other concern is the possibility of chlorine fumes from the pool or spa; however, with all the ventilation and the length of the pool facing north and south the prevailing breezes should take care of this for you. The heavy-duty wire you have should also prevent the raccoons from entering; they like to chew bird’s legs off!
One other thing I noticed was that I dislike the conure cages being on top of each other. This is for disease prevention. If the top pair start shedding a viral or bacterial disease the pair on the bottom are just too easily infected. One of the worst Pacheco’s virus outbreaks I have ever seen was in an aviary with pairs stacked on top of each other.
So the synopsis of the visiting an old friend and client in Orlando who really did not want this much information is:
1) Put the conures in cages side by side, not on top of each other.
2) Put the greys on HBD High Potency for 6 months as a trial.
3) Put the greys outside. Nothing I have ever seen stimulates birds to breed like being outside, this also takes care of the light thing as spring approaches. Day length just started getting longer with the winter solstice.
4) Take a long nap in the hot tub and call me in 90 days.
If you have a question for Dr. Vaughn, send him an e-mail care of BIRD BREEDER at birdbreeder@learn-about-birds.com. We regret that columnists are not able to respond to letters individually.
Sam Vaughn, DVM, Dip., ABVP-Avian Practice is an avian specialist based in Louisville, Kentucky. Certified in Avian Practice by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, Dr. Vaughn owns Avian Medical Services Inc. (an avicultural service and consultation practice) and is a partner in Veterinary Associates Stonefield, a full-service avian/exotic and small animal practice. Dr. Vaughn holds degrees in biology, chemistry and a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Auburn University. Feel free to visit his web site at http://www.vetcity.com. Telephone consultations by appointment are available by calling (502) 245-7863.
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