4 months old & talking!!

[ChicBird]

I am a little confused here...Colin is 4 months old and yesterday he said a croaky 'hello' to me! Today he said a more pronounced 'hello' to my other half!!!

I didnt think they talked until they were around 8 months old, or so all the books say so.:unsure:

[danmcq]

Hi ChicBird,

 

Everything you read in writing or hear are generalities and averages. Greys start saying their first word anywhere from 4 months to a year or sometimes never speak a word at all.

 

So your grey is starting early!! :-)

[lovemyGreys]

As Dan has said books etc.. are always generalized, As with everything there is no set age in waht they can achieve.

[ChicBird]

Although I do beleive in 'dont beleive evrything you read' I was quite surprised to hear him say this word as I didn't expect it quite so early. My step dad had a grey just over 2 years ago, this bird was absolutely mental when he first got him and it took my step dad around 6 months to get him to the stage at what Colin is at now. Max (bird) didn't talk until he was about 12 months either so my step dad was dis-beleiving and said 'they cant talk until their around 8 months, your heard him babbling'

So Colin is talking....oh my gosh, isn't this where the fun really begins???:ohmy:

[lovemyGreys]

I have 3 greys, my two boys started talking at 6 months, but i do know of greys that have started talking as young as 3/4 months. If you are talkative around your bird then he will pick up words far quicker that a bird who doesnt hear much talking !They are all individual & vary so much.Enjoy his talking

[ChicBird]

That is probably the reason, lovemygreys. I am at home all day most of the time, my partner has been signed off sick since before Colin came to us so he's at home, then theres Lily my youngest who is home after 12 and my other two, so its quite noisy throughout the day here and he does get a lot of attention from everyone. I dread to think some of the things he could come out with...

[mervyn2233]

Hi ye i my cag is almost 4 months now and i have him only a little over a week i its unbelievable how far he has come on in such little time .At the start he was generaly quiet but lately he has become more vocal and we could have sworn that he said hello to us over the weekend it was a really deep squaky hello not that clear but it came in the middle of a load of weird noises from him like i said hes making sounds now that we didnt hear before and gets into a funny humour whilst we are talking back to him he thrives on the attention we give him .Have recently bought a feathered phonics talking cd does anyone recomend them ? as i am at work in the day and my wife is working part time so just to fill the gap of few hours in the day to play the tape .

[HilaryQ]

I heard that it's not necessarily the best for the bird to hear the same thing over and over again, as they do from a CD on repeat. Something about them going a little batty -- I know I would! But maybe for short periods of times it would be beneficial to play it for your grey. I like to leave the radio on while I'm gone. Or maybe you could leave the TV on, set to a nice bird friendly station... I think someone recommended Nick Jr on an earlier post?

[judygram]

Like you Hilary, I leave the radio on when I am gone during the day, the same station I listen to in my car and at work, so I hear what they hear.

 

But that is amazing that he is talking at 4 months, I guess he has heard plenty so he decided to join in, my Josey did not really say her first word until she was 1 year of age, so it does vary from individual to individual.

[Tari]

Some just start early. My Que is a TAG she said her first words at around 9 months.

She did not come to live with me till she was 6 months old. I feel had she been here as soon as she was weaned she would of started earlier. And I think maybe she would not be a closet talker too. But that ok she is my baby.

Gratz on your baby saying his first words it is always so thrilling.

[watchout]

I have also read that TAGs tend to talk earlier than CAGs because in the wild, they become independant at around 4 to 5 months of age where CAGs stay with their parrents longer. This may have something to do with it. My Maui is a CAG and when he really gets going, we think he has said a very clear Hello to us too. Could just be wishful thinking though. All the volcallizations are really cute though. You wonder how they can make all those sounds.

[Christian]

HilaryQ wrote:

I heard that it's not necessarily the best for the bird to hear the same thing over and over again, as they do from a CD on repeat. Something about them going a little batty -- I know I would! But maybe for short periods of times it would be beneficial to play it for your grey. I like to leave the radio on while I'm gone. Or maybe you could leave the TV on, set to a nice bird friendly station... I think someone recommended Nick Jr on an earlier post?

 

hahaha! I can see it now. you leave the tv on fasion tv for the grey while your gone... the next morning you get ready for work. as you walk out the bird says. "That hair looks awful!" or.. "Where did you get those shoes? The discount section?" lol!!

[tarnold]

And here I thought my bird is a genious!! Not disappointed though, bet her IQ is still higher than mine!:laugh: