Newbie Question

[TeriG]

I am rehoming a 25yr old grey and I have a question about how they learn words and phrases. She talks quite a bit, but it's mostly things she hears everyone say. How do I get her to ask questions such as "can I come out" in stead of repeating me asking her "do you want to come out"? She doesn't say this yet, but I would like to know how you go about things like this before she starts saying it. I have read on here where other Greys ask "Can I have..." Do you just say the phrase like they would?

[Ray P]

IMO I beleve a care giver should talk to their parrot and not at them.

You don`t want to sound like you are barking orders at them.

Talk to them like you are talking to a child.

Use a phrase that is related to what you are doing at that time.

These are things that will help them associate a word with an action.

Its called comunication.

Remember that a grey is a intelligent being and some times will look at you like your nuts.

[TeriG]

I understand that they learn by us teaching them. By showing them things they learn what they are. I was just unsure as to how they learn to say "I" when asking thinks instead of repeating when we ask "You". I hope this is coming out right Virgil will say "you hungry" because her previous owner would ask her "are you hungry". I love when I hear other members talk about their Greys saying things like I'm hungry and can I have a treat and things like that. I know they are very smart and can learn. I just wanted to make sure I was teaching her correctly.

[CLB]

It seems to me that our greys tend to say what they want as opposed to simply repeating what we teach. Shadow's communication rarely involves a "taught" phrase but rather a string of words she planned out on her own. I have read that with some other birds it is recommended to say words/phrases as you want to hear them back. Greys are much smarter than that and will learn the most from daily interactions and as Ray has already said, regular communication. Be sure that a grey will pick up very quickly on the things you might NOT want them saying or on the things you say all the time and might not even realize that you say them. :rolleyes:

[TeriG]

That's how I thought they were. I know that in her previous home, she didn't get a lot of attention. So I don't think things were ever explained to her as she recieved them. I'm new to Greys and so I'm trying to learn as much as I can, so that I can give her a good home. Thanks for all the advice.

[chezron]

So we talk to him as we would talk to a child. We ask him questions, we ask his permission, and we always tell him what we are doing and where we are going. I think they deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. For example we ask him, Do you want to come out?" and he says, "Ready to go" or "got to go to work." He figured those out from other things we said, and didn't need rote learning from us. He doesn't know the concept of "I" yet. I am not sure how we would teach him that. He will refer to himself as "Brutus" though.

[birdhouse]

I'm wondering if it may be different when an older fid learns human, though. Phenix makes his own sentences up. But he uses the pronouns by rote. He says "Are you...?" a lot when he means "I am..." I've tried saying things to him as if I was creating his dialogue. "Feed me!?" instead of "Are you hungry?" But he doesn't use words that way when he makes his own sentences/requests. And he's more likely to make lip smacking & drinking noises rather than ask outright. I assume it's just simpler to his way of thinking to communicate the important stuff thru sound effects. And it's actually very cute, too. lol

[Wisp]

Maybe you can answer back like he's asking you a question. Like if he says "you hungry" reply "Yes, I am hungry" then eat something. Or just try correcting him, when he says the sentence reply with the correct way to say it. I'm not too sure how these would work since I still don't have a grey at home though.

[Sarasota]

Remember that a grey is a intelligent being and some times will look at you like your nuts.

 

Ray, this brought a huge smile to my face.