Teaching our parrot to talk

[luvgrey]

Our African Grey is 16 months old now and not even attempting to talk. We purchased him when he was just weined. He can mimick the microwave, oven timer, coffee pot, doggie toys, etc. and makes many, many sounds and whistles. We started with the word "hello" and repeat it frequently all day. We say other words to him, but he doesn't seem to be at all interested in talking. Is there a method to teach talking? I know that some parrots talk sooner than others; is there a way we do not know about? He should know the words "stop that" very well also, as he is quite the biter.

[Luvparrots]

A grey is going to talk when it wants to talk. My daughter has been trying to get my grey to say "Hello gorgeous" and she won't even attempt it. Neither will my Amazon. But you can say a word one time and if your grey likes the sound, it is a hit and you will hear that word whether you want to or not!!! Have you tried other words like, "want a nut" and then give your grey a nut. Ana Grey says these words all the time as she loves pecan nuts. Be patient some parrots take longer to talk then others. And some don't talk at all.

[Dave007]

There's many greys that don't talk. Many people aren't told about that. Sadly, that's the reason some people buy greys. Many people here have greys that don't talk in the human tongue but they do talk to people in their own language. It takes time but eventually a person starts to understand what the bird is communicating in it's own language.

Just keep on practicing. Don't just use one word. They're more comfortable hearing 2 or 3 or 4 words at a time. Do things when you're talking to your bird.---Are you going out? say *see ya later*. Coming home? say * how ya doing* . Eventually, your bird will beat you to the punch. If your bird doesn't react in the human sound, he'll definitely react in his own tongue and sure enough, you'll hear that specific sound over and over when you leave or come back. Giving a treat? say * I want a treat* Eventually all the words used will happen when treat time comes ( if the bird actually talks with human words). If not human, then in parrotese. They'll never say *see ya later* when giving a treat. They'll either repeat the sentence ar make a particular sound that will tell you that he's on the same page as you.

Edited March 2, 2011 by Dave007

[Birdnut]

Not every grey talks, but the vast majority of them do. Sixteen months is way too soon to give up on your grey.

 

Our grey is 12 months and he is just beginning to "practice" talking, but not saying anything very clearly yet.

 

I don't know any special way to teach parrots to talk. All I know is just talk to him and around him. Include him in your conversation, and talk to him about what you're doing. My experience with our other talking parrots is that they will learn to say what they want to. I can repeat something over and over, and they never pick it up. And then I can say something else just a couple of times, and they immediately repeat it. I have noticed that they are particularly prone to pick up phrases associated with some fun interaction with me.

[Butttaxi]

I think patience is a big factor here, during all our reading about grey's and parrots we read that they may not pick up human words until 2 or 3 years . We are pretty impressed and content with any sounds our grey Rorschach makes, in fact our favorite sound he makes is an odd noise that didn't come from a person or electronic device. I believe Rorschach will be 2 in the summer (not sure the exact hatch date) and his vocab has been growing since we got him in last august. I say keep chatting with him and appreciated the sounds he does make and he may start picking up stuff soon enough.

[danmcq]

The others have given good comments that are very true.

 

Dave mentioning Parrotese is very valuable in communicating with your bird. My grey, though a prolific talker, also uses Parrotese for certain things and as Dave said, it is always the same whistle or sound. I come in from the patio, he always greets with that two tone whistle. I leave the room, he always uses and annoying sounding "Dink", he will also use the "Dink" for No at times for some reason I suppose to expose much more displeasure and emphasis than a No.

 

As you probably know, parrots don't just mimic. They have a very high intelligence and will not just say a word for the sake of doing so. They do so because they wish and they get something out of it somehow. For example, one of the first words my grey learned was Apple. Why, because he LOVES them. He has heard the word Broccoli a million times when I offer it, but does he ask for it, NO. It is not his favorite and if he is going to put out the work it takes to make the sounds and calibrating time to say a word, he probably expects to get or communicate whatever it is that is that important. That's why these stupid gimmick Cd's claiming to teach you parrot to talk is nonsense. It's just sounds that have no meaning to the bird.

 

Always describing what you are doing, where you are going, what you are making and what you are offering. Always be consistent and use the same word or phrase. IN turn, he will either let you know the Parrotese for this or start saying what is useful.

 

Just hang in there and you may hear the first word someday. If not, your bird is still highly intelligent and you will still be very blessed to have him in your life.

Edited March 2, 2011 by danmcq

[Dave007]

That's why these stupid gimmick Cd's claiming to teach you parrot to talk is nonsense. It's just sounds that have no meaning to the bird.

 

And they don't work anyway. Those CDs are good if you wanna lull your bird to sleep

[Guest]

By the way, I have read that "percussive" sounding words are easier for birds to mimic (and hence why certain swear words are so easily picked up!) so maybe concentrate on the more percussive sounds like the k sound, the d sound, the t sound, and so on.

 

About a year ago I was at a friend's house and when I arrived, she was in her yard trying to loosen a shrub from the ground for replanting. She could not get the shrub out and I volunteered to give it a go. Her phone rang so she went inside to answer it, and I continued outside. After considerable huffing and puffing, and her watching from the window while chatting on the phone, giggling at me from inside the air-conditioned house (it was over 105 that day!), I finally got the shrub loose.

 

About that time, she hung up the phone and, not realizing I'd gotten the shrub loose, gave a holler, "It's okay, just leave it till my husband gets home!" - I went on and headed into the house. I closed the door, and said to her, triumphantly, "Did it!" All of a sudden, her cockatoo echoed, "Did it!" and then her Amazon said, "Did it!" and then she and I started laughing and all six of her birds started laughing. She and I both kept saying, "Did it!" and her cockatoo to this day says "Did it!" I am convinced that the very percussive phrase was easy and that is why one bird immediately echoed it back and then one of her other birds copied the first bird.

[Ray P]

Just to add to this post my CAG Croky never said her first word until she was a little over 2 years old(25 months) and now you can`t get her to stop so enjoy the quiet times.

WHEN THEY ARE READY THEY ARE READY. She is 10 years old now.

[Birdnut]

About that time, she hung up the phone and, not realizing I'd gotten the shrub loose, gave a holler, "It's okay, just leave it till my husband gets home!" - I went on and headed into the house. I closed the door, and said to her, triumphantly, "Did it!" All of a sudden, her cockatoo echoed, "Did it!" and then her Amazon said, "Did it!" and then she and I started laughing and all six of her birds started laughing. She and I both kept saying, "Did it!" and her cockatoo to this day says "Did it!" I am convinced that the very percussive phrase was easy and that is why one bird immediately echoed it back and then one of her other birds copied the first bird.

 

Good story. I think the key here is that the words were said in an upbeat and excited manner. My birds are much more prone to pick up excited phrases, like "Oh Boy!" and "That's fun!"

[judygram]

I think the key here is that the words were said in an upbeat and excited manner.

 

That is the key for thats the reason so many pick up curse words as they are usually said in an excited manner, the emphasis is on the words so if you want your bird to repeat a certain word or phrase put much emphasis on it and say it excitedly.

[danmcq]

Boy is Judy spot on. A moment on the lips in a rage and forever replacing those doggone words, "Shoot, God Dang It" replaced the similar sounding curse words that spewed from my lips one day. I guess it was really impressive to Dayo.

[ranaz]

Greys like drama, so whenever u voice things with excitement or anger, using loud voice and pitch, they are more prone to be excited...so why dont you give it a try...sound surprised & excited, dont insist on one word, keep using many, talk to him as if he is human, he will get the hang of it...

 

Also I know for sure that greys learn faster form other greys than from humans, so if it is possible let your grey spend sometime with a talking grey, or show him videos of other greys talking, he will figure out...just be patient and love him no matter what

Believe me once he starts talking, you wouldnt know how to shut him up...

[harmar]

Im in same situation as OP. My AG is 22 months old now, and doesn't talk. He immitates pretty much any other sound (whistles, beeping, my laugh, my coughing, cat meowing, tap dripping, etc ), but he won't say anything.

Actually that is a little bit of a lie, ever since he was about 10-12 months old he has been saying the phrase "Hello pretty bird", or "hello" or "pretty bird", but thats the only thing he has been saying for the past 12 months, nothing new.

I don't really mind though, I will admit that my initial peak interest in the AG was there ability to talk, but if he never talks it won't bother me.

[Shoulderin]

My 8 month old loves to whistle but doesn't talk. I like to say "HI BODHI" in a sing song voice whenever I go near her and she started whistling the phrase in exactly the same "tune". I'm noticing that the whistling is getting more like she is trying to form the words....has anyone seen their grey turn whistles into words??

[Luvparrots]

If you associate your words with actions your parrot wants or understands he will pick them up much easier. When I want my grey to go on my arm, I say "step up" . Now when she wants me to come get her she says "step up" and raises a foot. If she does something I don't like I say, "stop that". Now if I do something she does not like, she will tell me, "stop that". Be patient, if a parrot is meant to talk it will, if not, they have some many other wonderful actions they are still a joy to have around and love.

[Ray P]

IMO, If you teach your bird to talk they will mimic, If you talk to your bird they will understand.

[Talon]

Talk constantly to your bird as others have said. They are more apt to pick up words that have a big inflection i them...such as "PEEK A BOO! The more excitement and drama you show, the better! It is still early I guess, although, my grey started talking at 2 1/2 months, she had a few words she would say. BUt I talked to her constantly as though she was my child...

[Steve]

You just have to spend time on daily basis.Talk with your parrot and learn him what do you want to learn him .But your parrot must be from a speaking breed.

[Vamppire]

They are more apt to pick up words that have a big inflection i them...such as "PEEK A BOO! The more excitement and drama you show, the better!

 

Spencer just started talking at 10-11 months and his first words were PEEK A BOO!

[Talon]

I love it!!!

[Lex]

kYA didn`t talk at first wasn`t worried about it to tell the truth. But now she says "what what what" "bye...bye-bye" (when i go to work) "Au revoir" "step" "step-up"

 

a few sounds lol i call the tiger so funny isn`t the growl greys can do when afraid this is the tiger!

 

they will pick up anything they want to use!!

 

[louie]

Sierra refuses to say anything we try to teach her to say. She'll whistle lots of things we teach her, but she will only say things we say in regular communication. She didn't talk until close to two years, except for parrot babble. My husband and I would do this routine:

 

Husband: You're so pretty!

Me: and so smart!

Husband: and so talkative!

together: no, not talkative.

 

We thought she would never talk, so we did that in a sing song voice just to amuse ourselves. One day Sierra said:

 

Sierra: You're so pretty!

 

So I said:and so smart!

 

So my husband and I together said AND SO TALKATIVE! Yes! Talkative!

 

And she picked that line right up and we do the routine all the time. She won't do it unless she initiates it, though. I've never heard her say "smart".

 

Once when we were leaving on a two week long trip I had a heart to heart with Sierra explaining where we were going and that our friend Olivia was going to be staying with her to take care of her. I went into great detail about everything and Sierra listened carefully. I said good bye and started leaving. Sierra started pacing the cage and put together two phrases that I have never put together......She said "time to go bye bye" (which she hears all the time, every morning) followed by "no! no! no!" (which she hears when she's being naughty.) It broke my heart.

 

Also, I have a potty mouth. Sierra has never uttered some of the profanity I use on a regular basis. One day I dropped something and said "sh**" with drama and flair. Sierra chimed right in, but she said "Gosh darn it!". I think she disapproves of my bad language.

 

Anyway, the main point is that Sierra never says things we try to blatantly teach her. She really doesn't talk all that much. She will NEVER perform, especially for strangers. But she does use words and phrases in context. We talk to her like she understands it all, and I think she does.

 

One more story. I was sitting on the couch and suddenly looked up at Sierra who was on her cage. She was staring at me. I swear I suddenly had an understanding that Sierra wanted her full spectrum light on....I can't explain the feeling. It wasn't words, it wasn't a vision, it was just a knowing. So I got up and turned it on. Sierra looked right at me and said "thank you."

[kingsnake]

One more story. I was sitting on the couch and suddenly looked up at Sierra who was on her cage. She was staring at me. I swear I suddenly had an understanding that Sierra wanted her full spectrum light on....I can't explain the feeling. It wasn't words, it wasn't a vision, it was just a knowing. So I got up and turned it on. Sierra looked right at me and said "thank you."

 

That's freaking awesome!