FAQs
DO ALL CONGO AFRICAN GREY BIRDS TALK?
While the Congo is known for his intelligence and uncanny ability to mimic words and sounds, not all will practice this skill to the same degree. It is possible that your companion Congo will not mimic words. Still, I advise that you watch what you say around your Congo. I believe that it is the exception to the rule. Often times a Congo will not begin to repeat words till he is over a year old, although most of our Exquisite Extotics Aviary Congo babies have begun to mimic words and whistles during or soon after weaning. Most birds will pick up whistles and other sounds more easily than words. Many birds are shy about "speaking" around strangers." In my experience both male and female of the species are known to have the ability to mimic human language equally well.
DO YOU DO DNA SEXING OF THE BIRDS? WHICH SEX WILL MAKE A BETTER PET?
We do DNA sexing on all of the birds we raise. I believe it is important to know the sex of your bird because the more you know about your bird, the better you will understand him/her.
There are many steriotypical differences that are perpetuated between male and female birds, but in my experience these ARE NOT factual.
Steriotypes that my experience proves untrue include :
Male birds will bond better to female humans and visa vera.
Males are better talkers.
Females are more cuddly.
One or the other sex will turn aggressive at maturity.
It is my experience that both male and female can make equally wonderful pets. The best predictor of pet potential in a companion Congo will be how the bird has been raised, socialized, trained and handled from it's first experiences with humans. This is why it is so important to consider choosing a bird from a conscientious and informed breeder who has developed an excellent and proven hand raising program. A bird that has been well patterned to live as a companion will make a great companion whether male or female!
ARE YOUR BIRDS EXAMINED BY A VETERINARIAN? DO YOU OFFER A HEALTH GUARANTEE?
All our birds are examined by an avian veterinarian prior to being placed in their new homes. Your new bird will arrive with a health exam certificate and a written guarantee of excellent health. We strongly advise all our adoptive families to have their new birds examined by an avian vet within 72 hours of purchase and on a yearly basis.
DO YOUR BIRDS RECEIVE VACCINATIONS?
We are a "closed" aviary. We do not routinely vaccinate our chicks. Whether or not to vaccinate your bird is a personal decision between you and your veterinarian. We believe that vaccination is always a good idea.
It is advisable for you to discuss vaccination of your bird with your avian veterinarian as soon as possi ble prior to bringing your chick home. If you choose to have your bird vaccinated, you will want to have it done at least 2 weeks before the date you plan to bring your chick home in order to give the immunity time to develop. If you prefer to have vaccinations done prior to delivery of your bird, we will make arrange for our vet to administer the vaccination. We will only charge you for the actual cost of the medication for this service. Please let us know as early as possible and we will schedule vaccination of your bird with our avian vet at the health exam prior to delivery.
HOW WILL YOU PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL GUIDANCE TO ASSIST US IN DEVELOPING A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR BIRD?
We are available for consultation by phone or email to answer questions and offer resources during all phases of your journey in becoming the owner of a Congo African Grey Parrot!
The first step you will take toword becoming the owner of a Congo African Grey includes researching the species and becoming familiar with what it takes to be the owner of a parrot. We offer comprehensive resources for the gathering of information including our recommended reading list and Internet resources. We are always happy to offer our expertise in answering any questions and clarifying any information that you have assimilated during the research phase.
When you have made the decision to bring a Congo into your life, you must then decide where you will purchase your bird. We can offer advice on what qualities and characteristics to look for in a potential companion parrot and what qualifications and questions to ask of the breeder.
If you choose to purchase an Exquisite Exotics Aviary Congo, you will receive our comprehensive packet of information, articles and resource lists upon receipt of your deposit. This packet includes valuable information on specific preparations you should make prior to the homecoming of your bird. The interesting and informative articles will help you orchestrate a smooth transition for your bird as he goes from our home to yours. You will find information on feeding, maintaining the health of your bird and developing and maintaining a nurturing relationship. We also include bird supply catalogs and Internet resources for purchasing cages and supplies as well as a list of avian veterinarians in your area.
When you visit your bird or arrive to pick him up you will receive "hands on" lessons in handling your bird. We will demonstrate effective nurturing handling techniques and teach you to identify the meaning of your parrot's body language and vocalizations.
A unique service that we offer is our Exqusite Exotics Aviary message board and Chat Room. This is a place where you can network with Congo owners, share knowledge, ask questions and tell all those cute stories about your bird.
We are proud of the exquisite birds that we sell and the customer service that we provide to their new owners. It is our mission to provide educational guidance to assist you in developing a loving lifelong relationship with your companion parrot during all phases of the relationship for as long as you may need us as a resource. We encourage all our clients to contact us immediatley with any questions or concerns, big or small!
HOW DO I BECOME THE OWNER OF AN EXQUISITE EXOTICS AVIARY CONGO AFRICAN GREY PARROT?
Check our website and contact us for availability. We keep a "waiting list" of folks interested in becoming the owner of one of our Congo chicks. We will notify those on the list when chicks have hatched. The best way to guarantee that an weaned Exquisite Exotics Congo chick will be available for you is to place a deposit on a chick during the hand raising/weaning stage. We take nonrefundable deposits of $125.00 on our chicks. We will begin to accept deposits as soon as the chicks have hatched and have been examined for excellent health. A benefit of placing an early deposit on one of our chicks is that we can customize the socialization process of your bird to fit your situation. For example we would make arrangements to introduce your young chick to a specific type of household pet that you already own in an effort to make his transition to your home easier.
WHEN WILL I BE ABLE TO TAKE DELIVERY OF MY BIRD?
All of the Congo chicks raised at Exquisite Exotics Aviary are abundantly weaned. This method is proven to produce a bird with the best pet potential. Each bird will wean at their own individual rate.
We will give you a written estimate as to when your bird will be weaned and ready to transition to your home. This date is written into our sales contract. Our birds are usually eating sufficient quantities of food on their own and maintaining a steady weight at around 16 weeks old. Most of our birds will transtion from our home to the home of our client at between 16 and 18 weeks.
In the meantime, we offer you digital photos of your birds via email. You can observe the growth and development of your bird via photos and through our weekly growth calendar updates on the website. We always encourage and welcome our clients to visit us to meet and handle their bird prior to delivery of the bird.
Please feel free to email with questions or for more information! mailto:ExquisiteExotics@AOL.com
