Labelling household items and tasks

[Jason]

Ernie (CAG) is 9 months old now and for the last few months I have been whistling to him. He now has learnt lots of different whistles.

 

Lately I have been labeling items in the household such as saying "milk" and showing him the milk carton and letting him touch it when im making tea.

 

Should i continue to encourage whistling or talk to him instead ? At the moment I whistle to him more than talk (cause he is so young). Any advice ?

 

Thanks in advance

Jason

[Jane08]

If he already knows alot of whistles then I would start talking to him, just like you would have a conversation if it was a friend over.

 

Tell him what you are doing, what is going on and exactly like you do when you show him things name them for him. They do really learn from these conversations. Also get a bit excited when you talk to him.

 

We do this with both of ours. One example is water. We show it to them and ask them if they want water and repeat the word to them. When they drink the water I say water, can I have water. Finally they learnt this, so now when they are thristy they will ask for water most of the time.

 

He is not too young for any of this if that is what you are thinking.

[danmcq]

Jane is spot on. Always related the correct word(s) with actions, items etc as they are taking place. Greys are highly intelligent and well get the association rapidly. You may not hear the word or words for weeks or months, but believe me, they are practicing under their breath. :-)

[Luvparrots]

Ana Grey is 8 months old and does not talk yet but she knows what I'm saying. If I say "eat your brekke," she runs over and eats the new food I have just brought in. If I say "nite, nite" she climbs quickly to her sleeping perch. If I say "want a nut" she heads for the peanut can. She doesn't say anything yet but she knows what I mean, I'm positive!!! I do believe she is trying to say "hello" its pretty clear but not quite. I believe they are never too young to learn.

[Tycos_mom]

Yes by all means talk to them like you where teaching your child to talk Tyco is 6 now and she assosiate and knows allot she knows what most fods are by name and asks for them if she see them or knows I have some like apple or chicken, popcorn, macaroni and cheese eggs fresh water. and lots more she also gets into conversation and she will tell the dogs to stop barking or she will call them by name and say something like Gloria(shith-zu) wanna treat and then throw a peanut or something out of her dish for her. They are very intellegent and can learn allot just by listening and watching what you do and they will learn todo it also.

[Jason]

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. I will try all of these out with Ernie.

 

Thanks again

Jason

[Azzie]

Luvparrots, I reckon you are spot on! Cleo is too young to talk, but she knows certain things I say. She's learnt to associate the word yum-yums with a tasty treat and becomes very excited. I've had her for a month and she already responds to her name and flies over when called, and she most certainly understands the word scratch, and assumes the position when I say it. Cleo has also gotten into the habit of grabbing my finger and tugging on it when she is trying to tell me it's time for a scratch.

[Dave007]

Jason

I'm gonna paste something here that I posted somewhere else about 5 hrs ago. No need for me to retype it since it's exacting about something you're doing----

 

***Over the years, I've told countless people who are buying young birds to NEVER start whistling around or to an CAG on a steady basis because in the parrot world they're probably the most natural whistlers around with a big variety of whistles, some being very melodic. That's one reason why so many people start to hear a grey do a wolf whistle with no lessons. They need no stimulation and as they get older, the whistling will be heard more and more. They will start whistling when they hear it on a TV or radio or from other people etc. Important---Use words instead of whistles***

 

PS--they will even whistle at things that sound like whistles even though what they're hearing isn't a whistle.

 

Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2009/04/25 02:13<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2009/04/25 02:20

[Jason]

Thanks again. I am going to replace the whisltes with words from today on. Last night Ernie has started to make a noise i have never heard before which sounds like the begginning of him trying to talk.

[she]

Believe me, even if they dont say a word they can know its meaning.Always tell your grey whats going on.eg, shall we clean your cage,want some toast,want some water, nice bath,want a head scratch and so on. They soon realise what actions these words are linked to.I agree about the whistles,use words in place of whistles.I must say though that my grey and tiel do whistle tunes and things they have picked up and I do love hearing them whistle but both are very good talkers.