When you have an African Grey parrot gone quiet, you may be wondering what’s going on.
After all, your pet used to be chatty and sociable, but now, you can hardly hear it talk. Now, it is not likely for a parrot to have lost its voice. There could be something going on with your pet, which is why some adjustments may be needed to make sure it is well once more.
Today, we will discuss the possible reasons why your African Grey parrot has gone quiet – everything that impacts this behavior and some things you can do to help your pet out.
Causes Of An African Grey Parrot Gone Quiet
When your African Grey parrot has gone quiet, it is possible that your pet is depressed or unwell. It may also be in the process of adjusting to some changes in its environment, or its life.
But when you notice some abnormality to its behavior, such as some strained noises or completely silent, it could be an issue with the throat, syrinx, or even the lungs. For instance, bronchitis can cause a strain to its voice, which can also make it uncomfortable or difficult to vocalize.
Generally, parrots are noisy and chatty birds. But once they stop screaming, singing, chirping, or making any sounds at all, it is obviously amiss. So, you would want to know the real reason why your pet is quiet.
Some parrots have gone quiet because they are unsettled or sad. They may also be sick. An unwillingness to vocalize and make any noise may also be a psychological issue. It may help to interact with your pet more. If it is clearly bored, you may want to provide enrichment and some toys.
In case your pet is sad, you can provide a bigger space to move around, as well as some time out of the cage.
But make sure that your pet feels safe at all times. If you have bigger pets in the house such as a cat or a dog, you need to keep these out of the same room where your parrot is.
Now, some parrots may also be in a period of adjusting in their new environment or home, which explains the silence. Perhaps, you have moved their cage to another place in the home. Although this may seem like such a small change, it can still cause your pet to be quiet and refuse to talk.
When you have just brought your parrot home, your new pet may still be trying to familiarize itself with its new location. So, give it some time to become accustomed to where it is now, which may take some time. However, never force it to talk but simply make it feel comfortable and safe.
Eventually, your pet should start talking, once it has become more “at home” with its new environment.
Another reason for an African Grey gone quiet is fear. They are typically prey creatures, which is why their tendency is to flee or freeze when they are afraid. Since they obviously cannot fly away since they are in a cage, their only way to deal with the fear is by being still and not speaking. So, if a threat is detected by your pet, expect it to be quiet.
Most parrots are uneasy when there is loud music or TV playing, or when it sees a cat coming close to the window, when there is construction noise outside, or when they hear a loud bang.
A reduction in vocalization can also be attributed to some signs of illness in parrots. They are usually good at hiding their illness, which is part of their natural behavior. Unfortunately, it may be too late when you observe these health conditions and may even be a medical emergency.
Typically, parrots are quiet when they are battling an illness or an injury. Instead of using up their energy to talk, they would rather spend it on the healing process. They may even be feeling so weak, which is why they refuse to communicate.
If you think that your pet is quiet because of a disease, observe some other symptoms that may be present such as tail bobbing, abnormality in the feces, nasal discharge, appetite loss, lethargy, and missing feathers.
In case you see any of these symptoms, you should contact your avian vet quickly for the best course of action to take.
But then, there are also cases when depression can cause your parrot to be quiet. This happens with those that are constantly ignored by their pet owners. This is why they may be bored, depressed, or lonely. So, you should make it a point to interact with your pet more often than possible.
They may also be grieving, which explains the silence. Perhaps, a family member diet, and so your pet is going through a period of transition and depression. This is very much true when the bird is deeply attached to the person who passed.
Should you Be Worried?
When your parrot is not making noises or any sound at all, you may want to check for some signs of a health issue. Perhaps, there are some diseases that affect its throat, lungs, or syrinx.
Aspergillus spores impact the respiratory system, which is caused by a fungus that infects the throat, thus restricting its airflow. So, when your pet is exposed to mold, this may occur.
Some blockages in the airway can also cause silence. Perhaps, your pet has inhaled liquid or an object that is preventing it from breathing properly. This can also prevent it from talking as it used to.
Read More: How To Care For A 6 Week Old African Grey
Final Thoughts
There are a number of reasons behind an African Grey parrot gone quiet. We hope that we were able to clear out this issue by providing these common reasons for your reference.
