Greys who don't talk?

[JillyBeanz]

I know these exist - but it seems that all of you with greys of a certain age can speak. I read with enjoyment and watch videos of all of these greys chatting away etc, and EVERYONE'S seems to be able to talk.

 

Harvey shows minimal signs of wanting to talk - sounds like he may be saying "hello" under his breath sometimes, but prefers to whistle and call etc. I know he's only 11 months old - and there's plenty of time, but I was just wondering if anyone does have a grey who doesn't talk?

[Joolesgreyuk]

Perhaps Harvey DOES talk Jill, it isn't that clear to begin with - it's more the "tune" with which they copy you until the words become more obvious. Or it could just be that Harvey chatters to himself when you are out of the room. Either way I'm confident it will come so long as you keep talking to him and resist the temptation to copy his whistles.

[pearllyn]

Hi Jill,

I think Alfie may be the same in some ways. Although she does talk, she prefers to whistle and mimic sounds she hears - phones and beeps etc. We try to keep whistling to a minimum in our house, but David is a chronic whistler and it drives me nuts, cos I think as long as Alf is being encouraged to whistle, she'll do that rather than talk!!

Julie's right, if you just keep talking at him and resist whistling, Harvey'll be talking in no time!

x

[ramsabi]

While I don't "know" any other Greys, I have read that not all of them are talkers.

 

Rishi does not talk much. He can say his name, my name and my wife's name and the names of our cockatiels.

 

We have made a decision not to try to "train" him. We are happy with whatever he picks up on his own and even if he does not talk at all we belong to him completely !!!

[danmcq]

Oh Jill, I know how you are thinking. I thought the same when Dayo had yet to utter his first word at that age.

 

Dayo's first word was "Hello" a little after turning a year old. So hang in there. :-)

 

I know this threads topic is asking if anyone has a Grey that doesn't talk. So I will not go any further into how to increase the odds and build vocabulary.

 

I can tell you, there are hundreds of thousands of Greys that don't talk human. But, they all live in Africa.

 

One thing to think about; To our Greys or any critter for that matter. When we speak, they hear a noise. If that noise is linked to something constantly. They will pick up that noise.

 

If you think about it. Speech is simply noise. Whistling is speaking naturally to them. Just as crying and screaming is to a human child.

 

Speech does not come naturally even to humans. Thus feral children grunt and mimic dogs or animals that they grew up with. Our little human babies need to hear the same noise linked to an action or item over and over to realize mimicking that noise is how to communicate they want that item or action.

 

Greys are the same way.:-)

 

Ok, I lied, I did go into increasing the odds a litle. <br><br>Post edited by: danmcq, at: 2009/11/15 14:05

[JillyBeanz]

Ha Ha! I wouldn't mind if Harvey wasn't a "talker" - I had 17 years with a rescue cockatiel that I couldn't even touch - he was that vicious - but I still loved him and looked after him.

 

I'd seen those African Greys in Africa - but just thought that they spoke some sort of African dialect - since I can't understand it

 

I would obviously prefer him to talk - but I'm not sure he'll get a word in edgewise around me anyway (just before anybody else says it!!) :laugh:

[Luvparrots]

Patience Jill, just be patient. They talk soon enough once they get started.

[judygram]

It seems to me that Jen, aka Lyric has a grey that does not talk and possibly a few others but have patience Jill, Josey was one year old before she started talking, besides you will love him all the same if he doesn't talk, right.:whistle: :cheer:

[jessdecutie18]

I'm in the same boat Jill... yet Yoshi is 7 months old. She seems super happy and friendly, yet rarely tries any talking and is often actually totally silent...

 

My husband and I are described as 'silent people', we aren't loud and we don't have a crazy household, but we have really gotten better at talking about things as we do them for Yoshi. She seems to understand 'lets go downstairs' as dinnertime and playstand time as Mike and I watch TV... etc etc.

 

I realize Yoshi is young yet, but I can't help but be eager for her to talk, lol. Hopefully someday!

[kittykittykitty]

No, I don't know a non-speaking Grey, even the ones at the bird farm. Sammy was a talker as is Precious but it may take some time.

[PekingeseMama]

I didn't know if my Dodo would ever talk, either...especially after the hubby and kids chose to name him DODO, for goodness sakes! Of all names....but sure enough, when he turned 11 months old, he started saying full phrases all at once! I was so thrilled, and surprised....I thought he'd take a lot longer to learn to put words together than that. Now, he can say several phrases and he's only 16 months old. He never even seemed like he was trying to talk before his first words came out, didn't even seem like he was caring to at all. So don't give up on your baby yet, he just may surprise you yet! He still has plenty of time to learn!

[JillyBeanz]

judygram wrote:

besides you will love him all the same if he doesn't talk, right.

 

Of couse Judy! I've loved him all these months I've had him and he can't talk - what's another 50 years!!! :laugh:

 

I think Harvey probably will talk - I was just wondering if there were any confirmed "non-talkers" that are written about, or whether they were just a myth.

[ecodweeb]

Phoenix is 17.

 

In 5 years I've heard:

 

Hey Buddy! (most common)

Come Here(second most common)

I love you (ONCE)

It'll be OK Right? (twice)

[Talon]

Jill, I think it is still early. After all, some are late bloomers! Give it time, keep talking to him, and I bet you'll be surprised when one day, his first words will be an entire sentence. I started Talon out with peek a boo! That seemed to excite her, the sound and the inflection in my voice. :side:

[GorgASS]

willis just started saying hello a few days ago! he's 10 months old. for a long time (2 months or so) i could tell he was trying to say hello, but it took him forever to actually say it. and now that he has i hear hello about 1000 times an hour lol. and i think he's trying to say something else...he's making noise that sound like they should be words.

 

i hope your little guy starts talking soon!