I've had an African grey for 8 years and until recently it would chatter all day long. Lately it's become completely silent, eats normally and moves around, but doesn't make a sound at all. What could be going on? Should I be worried?
It's not necessarily an emergency, but two weeks of total silence from an African grey who always talked deserves attention. The fact that he's eating and moving normally is a good sign, but such a drastic behavioral change can signal significant stress or a health problem that isn't always obvious at first glance. African greys are incredibly sensitive to changes, and sometimes they respond by going silent: did you move his cage somewhere? Was there a lot of noise in the house? Is there someone new living with you? Even things that seem trivial to us can deeply upset them.
That said, two weeks is still long enough that you shouldn't treat this as just a mood thing. Loss of vocalization can come with respiratory infections, hormonal issues (though those usually have other symptoms), or problems you can't see from the outside. A vet who knows parrots well should examine him, at least to rule out something physical. In the meantime, watch for sneezing, irregular breathing, dull eyes, strange movements, or changes in droppings - those are signs that need urgent attention. If he's eating, drinking, and his general behavior is normal, you can wait a few days while you find a specialized vet, but I wouldn't let much more time pass without getting him checked out.
Take him to an avian veterinarian as soon as possible. Two weeks of total silence in an African grey that was constantly talking isn't normal, and even if he's eating and moving around, he could be hiding something serious like a respiratory infection, damage to his vocal nerves, or even severe stress that's compromising his overall health.
In the meantime, watch carefully for any other changes: strange breathing, clogged nostrils, weird head movements, seeming more sluggish than usual, or changes in his sleep habits. Even moving his cage, a change in routine, loss of a companion, or loud noises can cause stress that shows up exactly like this. But given how long it's been, this isn't the time to wait and hope it passes on its own.
The other thing is that these parrots live a really long time and form strong bonds with their humans, so sudden silence is always a red flag. It might not be serious, but it deserves a professional visit to rule out physical problems before thinking about behavioral factors.
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