pugnacious Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 I adopted a four and a half year old TAG about three days ago. He's previous owners of two years said that he has never talked for them. It took he almost a year to start whistling. My question is this. is it too late too try to get him talking? I have read that the start talking at about 9-12 months. If you don't start then they may never. It seems to me that these animals are way too smart to just never pick up on something. He gives kisses and he steps up perfectly. So he surely can pick up talking, Right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyGreys Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 Three days is very little time for him to adjust but he seems confident enough in that he steps up for you.There is never any guarantees that a grey will mimic speech,some are happy to whistle their time away.Engage him in conversation,talk to him etc.. one way to tell if he is listening intently to you is he should tilt his head towards one side .Please dont be too upset if he doesn't talk, they have so much more to offer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siobha9 Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 Also some greys will only talk when they think no one can hear them. A couple of our members have greys like that. But they are such fun birds even without the talking. Have a read of some of the threads of the silly things our greys do to give you an idea of the fun you have in store:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 He may or may not talk but he needs to settle in and feel comfortable before he does. But even if he doesn't talk he will be an awesome companion, there is more to a grey than the ability to talk, you will find out more about that as time goes on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pugnacious Posted August 27, 2008 Author Share Posted August 27, 2008 I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make it seem like that was the only thing that I was interested in. He's an awesome bird already. I even think he has a sense of humor. He does this LOUD sonar ping sounding noise if you stand close to his cage. The first day that I had him home he did it to me while my back was turned. Scared the bajeezus outta me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pugnacious Posted August 28, 2008 Author Share Posted August 28, 2008 lovemyGreys wrote: one way to tell if he is listening intently to you is he should tilt his head towards one side. If that's the case, he's done for. He'll be mimicking my 10 month old daughter in NO time. She loves talking to him, from a distance of course, and he seems to relish in every babble that spills out of her mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyannsGreys Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 I too have own my pair of greys for three days...LOL The gentlemen said they aren't talkers and nor were they talked too. Just for breeding he said. They are 8 years old and they wistle like the dickens. The other day I thought the police were coming down my road... well guess who... yes, grey mimiced PERFECTLY I would like to add police siruns. Now being from a big breeder in florida they were around baby parrots of all types... and yes, you guessed it, the can sound just like baby's... Some greys never talk... The above comment is rght, they will cock their heads and listen... I also notice they do the weird looking eye pinning like their focused...They are so lovie even if they never utter a "word".... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TinyTimneh Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 Just talk to him alot, the same way you would do to your daughter, label everything he sees and use interesting pitches in your voice. he is new, so even so, don't expect anything. some greys just never talk. my TAg is like that, but he does ocaissionally mumble and mutter. The more included he feels in your home and the more he hears other people talking back and forth to each other the more tempted he'll be. Try implenting a few rituals (like every day at whatever time you both sit and share an orange together while watching some tv for example) it seems to help. and yes, he'll probably learn to cry like your daughter does lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reneej72 Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 I have an 8 year old Congo ... she just makes sounds... her previous owner had a Macaw that talked his head off...the congo imitates cell phone ringing, answering machine, smoke alarm dead battery beep,microwave!, water drop... but no talking. I taught her to whistle Andy griffith (she does part of it lol) and the Blue-skiddo song from blues clues) so she can learn... shes only been with us since June, and she just recently got groomed and ignored me for two weeks after that. Shes back to whistling away. I hope someday she will talk. Only time can tell with yours and mine!:whistle: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btdaycare Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 I have had my grey for just a few weeks and the previous owners said he only said a few things like hi and bye, whooooeeeeeeeeeee he talks all the time now and picks up new words right and left and sounds! He barks like my dogs, or should I say yelps like the yorky when she is excited. He even sounds like the push buttons on my phone. Oh, by the way, my bird is three or four so yep there is still a chance he will talk. My suggestion is to take him where ever you are and tell him what your doing. Treat him like a one or two year old and talk constantly, he just may pick it up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SchroedersJen Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 We have a friend with a TAG that didnt talk at all. They got him as a baby, and one day he came home from work and the bird had a full vocabulary, was talking up a storm and hasn't shut up since. The bird was 13 1/2 years old when he started talking...I guiess he was waiting to have something memorable to talk about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppy Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 George my CAG will talk all day IF no one is around, as soon as he sees anyone he shuts up and stays shut until the room is empty again .He mimics us all perfectly so he just doesn't want to talk to us ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Well that is proof positive that it is never too late for them to start talking, 13 1/2 years old, I guess he just decided one day to just cut the crap and say something and now he doesn't know how to shut up, thanks Jen for sharing that little story with us, gives the ones with non talking greys hope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
she Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Thats a nice story Jen. I guess they talk when they want, if they want.Charlie chatters away with me but just plays his music toy if anyone visits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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