Among parrots, Congo African greys are known for their intelligence and ability to mimic speech. These are traits that attracted Fakarudin Abu Hassan to this breed.
A bird lover from young, his dream finally came true in March when he bought a Congo African grey from a breeder. The bird was only three months old when it was brought home.
The timing was ideal as Fakarudin and his wife are expecting a baby this month, and he hopes for the bird to be his child’s companion someday. Following a DNA test to confirm it was male, he named their new pet Alex.
These days, for Fakarudin, going to and coming home from work is a “noisy affair”.
“When I say goodbye to him before I leave, he makes this particular sound. And when I get home, he repeats it, as though alerting everyone I am home,” the 41-year-old told FMT with a laugh, adding that his feathered friend has also learnt to say “bye”.
The clever bird has further learnt to mimic the sound of his human’s car alarm. Although he typically does this when Fakarudin presses the alarm, there are times he does this on his own!
“He is now trying to mimic chickens, birds, and cats,” Fakarudin added fondly.
Fakarudin shared in August that he was teaching his pet to free fly, which refers to unrestricted outdoor flight for birds who are trained to return to their owners.
“I am conducting the training indoors,” he said. “He knows how to fly back to me when I call him.
“It is satisfying because previously, I only saw other birds free flying. Now, my bird, too, can do that.”
According to Fakarudin, Alex loves affection and attention from his humans. “He knows how to call out to me when he wants me to play with him or stroke his head.”
When it comes to food, the little Congo African grey enjoys sunflower seeds, pellets, corn, and fruits such as apples, guavas, and mangoes. But he prefers to have a variety in his diet, so Fakarudin makes sure he rotates what Alex is fed.
The bird also is also picky when it comes to keeping himself clean. Although he enjoys taking a splash in his water bowl, he dislikes it when his human sprays water at him, which usually happens when his cage is being cleaned!
Looking back over the months since Alex came into his life, Fakarudin reflected on why his pet is special to him. “He is ‘manja’ like a baby, so it is important for me to spend adequate time with him.
“Even when I travel, I bring him along because he is part of the family.”
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TELL US ABOUT YOUR PET: FMT Lifestyle readers are invited to send in pictures (landscape format) and a short video (if any) of their furry, scaly or feathery friends to [email protected]. Don’t forget to include details like your pet’s name, age, breed and a short story about them.