Anyone have a "Closet Talker"???

We adopted Nic Nic about three weeks ago, since then he has be wonderful, adapting well and has become comfortable and friendly with everyone in the family.

On my 3rd visit to spend time with him at the rescue, he mumbled his name to me. I mentioned it to the woman running the rescue and she said that niether she, nor his former owner (he has had 3 families) ever heard him talk.

Since he has been home with us he has said his name from time to time, but never in response to us or what we say to him.

The other day my wife called me at work to say, while she was in the other room, playing a game with our two sons he was going "BALLISTIC" talking up a storm, whistling, giggling and chattering.

He did this again with me tonight, while I was in the kitchen doing dishes.

Any suggestions on how to encourage this "closet talking"?

I am hopeful as our bond grows stronger it will happen more and more...but it seems strange that his last two caregivers NEVER heard him utter a word.

Thanks...~T

Maggie tends to be a closet talker. Not to say she doesn't talk to us, we've heard her say all sorts of things. However, sometimes in the morning we can hear her from our room talking up a storm for what seems like an hour. It's entertaining and quite adorable. I think most birds talk when they're really comfortable, Maggie likes to talk to certain family members over others.

Yes, even though Nic Nic is new to the family he has certainly taken to me more than others...but in the past few days he has begun to allow my wife to do more with him.

My wife is so incredibly excited to hear him talk, but he rarely, if ever says anything around her.

In due time, I suppose.

I think it's rather common in Cockatoos, I knew one that would only talk to strangers and never spoke for the family only hysterically laughed. I've also seen one's that preferred talking to children over adults.

The best way to encourage his closet talking is to ignore it and act like nothing is going on out of the ordinary. My little Senegal does it all the time. She will sit on top of her cage, facing the window and chatter, chirp, an occassional squawk and yep talking. But if we enter into the room, she will stop. But if I get on the computer, which is in the same room with her cage, she will start talking and having a gay old time. But, I'm ignoring her and typing on the computer.

It doesn't take her long though to want to be with me at the computer, where she likes to sit on my knee. Sounds to me like yall are getting along just fine.

Was the game that your wife was playing with your sons loud, or did it make sounds?
My birds usually get loud when there is loud activity going on in my house.
My Yellow Naped Amazon Lila talks when I am in the room & she says some different things when I am not. She sings opera when I am not in the room, she cries a woman's sobbing kind of crying which I am pretty sure that she learned before she was here when I am not in the room. She gets loud if my grandchildren & I are in a different level of the house watching a movie, I think that she knows that she is missing out on a fun activity, but I can't let her out when my grandchildren are here. She is jealous of my close relationship with my granddaughter.

It is usually when we are doing quiet activities. I believe they were playing a board game and I was washing dishes when he did it for me.

We are lucky, in that, when the kids are loud (and a 3yr old & 4yr old get LOUD together) he never says a word, but clearly enjoys it...he usually dances, hangs upside down in his cage flapping his wings or swings his head wildly from side to side...just looking at him, you can tell it is pure joy and not frustration.

I LOVE top hear him talking, as I am sure most of us here do. I look forward to the day when he interacts with me while talking...that would be fun.

Yes, when I fostered an Umbrella Cockatoo for a while earlier this year, I really enjoyed watching her strut around with her wings spread & making some of the parrot sounds that I wasn't used to hearing, having never had an U2 previously. It was very interesting.

Hahahaha! This is a cute post. We have a conure who whispers to himself every single night "pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty bird." Sometimes he does it 3 or 4 times before drifting off to blissful sleep.

He doesn't ever say it during the day when I'm talking to him. Or even if I'm just in the room...he doesn't say it...only at night after he's crawled into his happy hut.

Our cockatiel...he's learning quite a large vocabulary...but he will only talk when he's IN his cage...when I have him out to play...he never makes a sound. Not even a sneeze!

Inside his cage, door shut...he's the happiest go lucky feller ever! Saying "hello, whatcha doing" his name "Chicken Little, him a good boy?" Pretty bird and so forth.

I've been wanting him to start talking OUTSIDE of his cage, so when I get video's of him to share with people...he doesn't have to look like a prison bird! LOLOL!



Toni

LOL

My U2 Lotty does that. When people are around she says in the softess baby girl voice, "hi baby" but when nobody is around she jabbers non-stop. I think its funny that when she jabbers on its a lower voice. I'm her 4th owner and her previous owner said she never spoke...... I dont know but it is very cute.

I found your post because I had basically the same question! My little green cheek conure says his name "Rio" plain as day....when we are not in the room! It is the funniest thing, I notice that he says it more when it is noisy in the house, like when the vacume is going or I am noisy doing the dishes. Im hoping that he will say it more often and when we are in the same room, but I will take what I can get....it really is very cute! Good luck and hopefully these little closet talkers will soon come on out of there and chat it up with us!