A $350 reward is being offered for the return of a baby parrot stolen from a Monroeville pet store on Monday. The African gray parrot could die unless she is hand-fed twice a day with a special formula.

Ellie, an African gray parrot about 6 to 8 inches tall, was stolen from Petland Monroeville Monday afternoon. Information sought Anyone with information about the theft or location of the parrot is asked to call the store at 412-380-2522.

It's not just the owners and employees of Petland Monroeville who are trying to get back the baby bird. The parrot, not quite 4 months old, already had caught the eye of a prospective owner who visited her several times a week.

The parrot's name is Ellie.

"Ellie already has a mom," said Jessica Slivko, referring to the prospective owner. "She visits Ellie several times a week and she and Ellie have bonded with each other. That woman is grieving," said Ms. Slivko, who owns and operates the store with her husband.

The woman was waiting for the parrot to be old enough to eat regular parrot food. That will probably take "a couple more months," Ms. Slivko said.

Ellie disappeared from the store Monday afternoon.

The parrots at Petland are in close proximity to customers because "they are very social animals. They love people and enjoy attention," Ms. Slivko said.

The cages are not locked because employees might need to get in quickly if there is a problem. Nevertheless, the cages are closely monitored by employees, which is why employees suspect Ellie may have been snatched by a regular customer.

"There was a lady in here on Monday asking about African grays," Ms. Slivko said. "At the time we didn't think much of it" because African grays are a very popular bird. "We've given a description of the woman to Monroeville police," who are investigating, she said.

Ellie is about 6 to 8 inches tall. Most of her feathers are gray, with red feathers on her tail. She would cost $1,499 to $1,699.

Hand-feeding baby parrots is not something everyone can do. If it is done incorrectly, the formula could be aspirated into the bird's lungs, which could kill her.