Encourage Talking

How to encourage talking??

Nalani is about 8 months old and she mimics the sound of words but hasn't actually said a word. She mainly likes to talk when the tv is on, I try to reward her with treats and affection each time she gets close to a word. However, she still hasn't made any improvements. I know she is still very young and who knows, she may never master talking. But I was wondering what other ways I can encourage her to learn some words. I don't know... hehe maybe play scrabble with Nalani.

Wanted to hear some of your tactics on teaching your fids words. Thanks!!

Rosie doesn't talk at all, but I know a few tactics

Talk to your bird when they are concentrating on you, when your entering and leaving the room, when all their focus is on your.

Find words that your bird seems to get excited about, they are more likely to learn a word they like. Also some birds like different peoples voices more than others.

I do have a pretty husky voice, and so far from what I heard she has a very high pitches squeaky voice. It's so cute and sometimes I wish I could sound a bit more girly. But oh well you get what you get. Hehe. My mom has a pretty voice but nalani isn't too fond of my mom, so that doesn't work. Boo!!

Just keep talking to her. Hopefully she'll surprise you with a word or two. I ended up being surprised at what one of my birds picked up They never learn what you want them to lol I spent 3 years telling both birds goodnight over and over while I covered them. Carlisle picked up on it quickly. Kayak just recently starting tell me "goodnight!" in a very annoyed voice as I covered her. It shocked me the first time I heard her say it. I never expected her to learn to say anything other than her usual "what" and "poopies"

I've noticed that my talkers who came to me as talkers with low voices, gradually raise the pitch of their voices the longer they live with me, matching me and the other talkers I imagine.

One of my girls does have a quite sultry voice and I think it's fun. If Nalani is already stringing sounds together at 8 months, she'll probably be a talker.

Mine say all the dumb, day to day stuff I tell them, the dogs, my family, etc. They pick up whatever trips their trigger. One night I covered Bella and LaFitte asked, "is that better?" You learn a lot about yourself when you have a talking bird!

The older fellows and girlies I've acquired who talk have given me a glimpse into their previous homes by the things they say. It's quite bittersweet because all of them say only nice things, praising themselves and even "I love you". Someone cared for each of them very much at one time or another.

My boys who I've had since chicks (father and son) are my best talkers. I think to a degree it must be genetic, although mom and daughter don't talk so maybe that blows that theory.

I talk to them like I do my kids I suppose. I tell them what I'm doing, what things are, talk about stuff that's going on, etc. My daughter says I sound like I'm talking to a bunch of preschoolers. I don't do baby talk though. Just stuff like I would say to a young child when teaching them or getting them interested in things.

When I would leave the house, I would say to my lory "bye bye". She picked that up quick and within a week was saying "bye bye" to me when I left the house. Then I added "see ya later". And within a couple days she would say "bye bye see ya later" to me when I left the house... but she would say the "see ya later" part super fast. So I began saying it very slow for the next few days... and she responded by slowing her phrase down to normal.

There's been other times that Sweet Pea will say something but I can't understand it. And when I figure out what she's saying then I say it to her very clearly and that helps her to say it more clear.

I agree with all the other comments made, that you just need to constantly talk to Nalani, just like you would talk to a little toddler, but in regular speech, not baby talk. I've found that my lory can learn to say a word after only hearing it once, but that doesn't mean she will say it though! She says certain words/phrases when I'm not even around - my daughter has reported this to me. I've noticed that my lory will adjust her talking/behavior depending on who she is with. Just like a person does, lol.

Customcasket said:

They never learn what you want them to lol I spent 3 years telling both birds goodnight over and over while I covered them. Carlisle picked up on it quickly. Kayak just recently starting tell me "goodnight!" in a very annoyed voice as I covered her. It shocked me the first time I heard her say it. I never expected her to learn to say anything other than her usual "what" and "poopies"

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I agree! They learn the things THEY want to learn! I spent many months saying "I love you" over and over and over to my Jax and got nothing. I said "Peek A Boo" twice. I wasn't even trying to teach him to say it, I was just playing with him and those were his fist words!

Thanks for all the tips!! I do hear her try to make out hello and hi, but she hasn't got the pronunciation down yet. It's funny because I too say good night and good morning to her but she just gives me the "what do I look like to you.. huh?" face at me. I'll try to capture a few videos of her this week, although she is a bit of a closet talker, I must be sneaky

antoinette said:

Please go into Talking - How I teach Mishka to talk

You are sure to get some tips there

Keep us updated okay
Good luck

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Oh my goodness!! Mishka is so precious!!! i love the "mommy i miss you"

moni.k said:

antoinette said:

Please go into Talking - How I teach Mishka to talk

You are sure to get some tips there

Keep us updated okay
Good luck

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Oh my goodness!! Mishka is so precious!!! i love the "mommy i miss you"

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Thank you

I promise you all it takes is LOVE TIME & DEVOTION

Aww I love the idea of Loki talking. We try to encourage but also expecting the least ! That way we are always happy with any progress.

Kiwi (who is 8 months now) also tends to try to talk more with the TV on, and funny enough - when my husband is vacuuming he becomes a (loud) chatter box. I have no clue what he's saying (I can make out a "hello" here and there) but otherwise sounds like baby talk.

When I'm training him or talking to him around the house he's not really loud when he talks back (he only says "hello" right now, and I'm working on "I love you") but he says hello LOUD randomly when we're watching TV or when vacuuming, but otherwise he talks very softly.