Talking to your Bird

BillsBirds · Apr 30, 2012

I was just visiting cousins of mine who have birds. One has a 12 year old CAG, the other has a Sennie & 3 parakeets. Both of them speak to their birds in a baby talk sort of way. I speak to my birds in my natural voice. Sometimes I might whisper, or raise my voice (not yell), to get their attention. But, always in a normal adult way. These people talk to their birds in a squeally, nonsensical baby talk. They were amazed that I do not. The CAG talks relatively normal, but, does have a "squeally" sound to some words. The Sennie has a high pitched voice, and the 'keets have the usual 'keet sound. I wonder, how does everyone speak to their birds?

lexx510 · Apr 30, 2012

I can hear my girlfriend in the other "baby talking" to our green cheek conure as I read this thread, lol!

jaimmorr · Apr 30, 2012

I don't have a bird yet, but when I visit birds I always talk to them in a normal voice.

Beako_N_Kiwi · Apr 30, 2012

I definitely baby talk to my girls. Hard not to

even my boyfriend talks to them like babies!!!

cdog · Apr 30, 2012

I talk to my birds in my normal voice because I think of them as my friends not my kids. They respond better if I raise it a little because I have a very deep voice but it's not a baby voice. I don't talk to any of my pets in a weird voice because, well, it's weird.

nikkiscriv · Apr 30, 2012

I baby talk to mine mostly..they seem to like it more

KatherineI · Apr 30, 2012

I hated baby talk even when I had a human baby!!! It's so not necessary.

I dont talk nonsense baby talk, I may change the connotations of my voice a little, it may be slightly higher pitched and softer, but everything is in normal wording. And I talk to my guys all the time.

luvmytooo · Apr 30, 2012

I talk to my animals in a normal tone. If I used a squeaky voice with my
Border Collies , they would most likely try to nip my nose , lol.
A squeaky voice tends to over stimulate them. I wonder if using certain tones when talking to our birds could do the same ? Very interesting topic Bills Birds

TortoiseLady17 · Apr 30, 2012

We don't baby speak to any of our animals.

lexx510 · Apr 30, 2012

Beako_N_Kiwi said:
I definitely baby talk to my girls. Hard not to even my boyfriend talks to them like babies!!!

As the boyfriend, I'm guilty of this, too lol.

Mozzie · Apr 30, 2012

I talk to mine in a normal voice. My cag seems annoyed if I baby talk.

goalerjones · Apr 30, 2012

It varies for me, when we're "wrestling", basically me tickling him and avoiding his sharp beak I tend to baby talk. However when I sing to/with him, whistle to him, teach him words (I always teach a new word in a regular tone) it's usually normal tone.

And then there's what I call "Birdy shrink" time, where I basically monologue and cue him for his time to respond in a normal fashion like we're having a conversation when I am frustrated or upset about something.

I often talk to him when I am performing mundane tasks as well, and I do that with the dogs too. Basically my animals are just furry or feathery people to me.

HalfInsane · Apr 30, 2012

I tend to be pretty sarcastic, and my usual speaking voice even has a note of sarcasm to match haha. So when I talk to Pixel I use a more pleasant, friendly voice. Not baby talk by any means, but not my usual voice. She responds better if I use a happy voice.

KatherineI · Apr 30, 2012

HalfInsane said:
I tend to be pretty sarcastic, and my usual speaking voice even has a note of sarcasm to match haha. So when I talk to Pixel I use a more pleasant, friendly voice. Not baby talk by any means, but not my usual voice. She responds better if I use a happy voice.

I think that's more of what I meant. It's just more upbeat, happy sound. But I certainly don't do the baby talk. Ugh!!

antoinette · May 1, 2012

TortoiseLady17 said:
We don't baby speak to any of our animals.

I guess you are honestly joking here. Everyone speak to their pets.

Having three birds, the 32 year old Panama Amazon, Ollie a 1.5 year old Quaker and Maui, the 6 year old Cockatoo, you surely chat to them each day

:grey:

cdog · May 1, 2012

antoinette said:
TortoiseLady17 said:

We don't baby speak to any of our animals.

Click to expand...

I guess you are honestly joking here. Everyone speak to their pets.

Having three birds, the 32 year old Panama Amazon, Ollie a 1.5 year old Quaker and Maui, the 6 year old Cockatoo, you surely chat to them each day

I believe she meant she doesn't "baby" speak to her birds, as she stated.

antoinette · May 1, 2012

cdog said:
antoinette said:

TortoiseLady17 said:

We don't baby speak to any of our animals.

Click to expand...

I guess you are honestly joking here. Everyone speak to their pets.

Having three birds, the 32 year old Panama Amazon, Ollie a 1.5 year old Quaker and Maui, the 6 year old Cockatoo, you surely chat to them each day

Click to expand...

I believe she meant she doesn't "baby" speak to her birds, as she stated.

I hope so cdog !! Just making sure

:grey:

Rio Mom · May 1, 2012

I speak to my birds in a normal tone of voice. Pepper often talks in exactly my voice back! It's both incredibly awesome and at the same time just a little bit creepy hearing my own voice talk to me! Lol She sometimes speaks in a male voice too. (not hubbys, she came here speaking that way). River of course has his adorable squeaky conure voice.

antoinette · May 1, 2012

I never spoke to my human kids in a baby voice from birth, the same goes for Mishka. The same goes for baby words, why confuse someone when they are little, then changing the words to something more "mature"
If you view and listen to most video's on youtube, where birds are talking, you can immediately tell if the guardian's are talking to their birds in a baby voice.
The birds do sound squeaky, and their words are not clear at all.
I do change the tone of my voice, sometimes soft, other times louder, making sure Mishka is paying attention.

henpecked · May 1, 2012

I call Jake, Jakiepoo, so i guess that kind of gives me away.The truth is, i speak to her in many different voices. Each different tone causes a different mood, i tell people i can play her like a piano.Who cares how you speak to your pet so long as it responds. The high pitched, sing song voice, is very appealing to many birds.

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