Questions about talking

[noblemacaw]

During the day while I am up in the office working I can hear Valentino making noises like he is mumbling or just making baby vocalizations. I think he is trying to talk but I am not really sure. On the 12th Valentino will be 6 months old.

Do you think he is trying to talk, maybe learning or practicing? If this is the case could I do anything to help him learn more during these periods of "talking to himself"?

I feel bad that he is down there in his cage all alone jabbering to himself. It really sounds kind of sad and makes me realize he is a lone with no other parrot to talk to or make noise with. Sometimes I will talk back to him from upstairs saying "Hello" or "Hi" or "What cha doing?" but mostly I get to hear what sounds like little vocalizations.

I am to the point I am probably going to break down and try to adopt another parrot. Then there will be the 90 day quarantine, vet check, adaption period, and all of that. *sigh*.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I DO believe he's trying to talk. They all start out what sounds like mumbling and jibberish, but soon enough those sounds will begin to resemble words more and more.

I have a Wordy Birdy for my fids. This thing:
Wordy Birdy Recorder - WHAT'S NEW & EXCITING! by Bird Paradise

If you can record your voice on a CD and replay that, it's just the same.

 

[Cowtown]

What don't you get a perch and bring him upstairs with you so you can interact and talk to him.... it will help with the bonding and his talking?

 

[BillsBirds]

In the beginning, that is what they do. They build up their confidence before using these sounds with someone. Talk back to him, and encourage him. Repeat what you think he's trying to say. Isn't it fabulous to have a pet that talks to you in your own language?

 

[WharfRat]

yea my 2 GW's are over a year old and I am definitely starting to hear discernible words now and then. The Zon's talk all the time so I'm hoping they pick up more words from them.

 

[Turquoise]

Macaws & all parrots are amazing creatures! Valentino is definitely trying to talk. Both my boys could say Hello as plain as I can before they came home to me. Roscoe was 4 1/2 months old & Angel was 9 months old. Their breeder talked to them all the time while hand feeding & she taught them to say Hello. They both can now say quite a few words & are saying short sentences as well.

Leyla Belle, my Eclectus jabbers in ekkie talk all the time. She can say a few words clearly, but she hasn't gotten it down as fast as the macaw boys. When she does say something she uses a cute high pitched little girl voice & she puts that 'southern belle', ummm Texas drawl to it! LOL

 

[noblemacaw]

I thought about bringing him up to my office for some visits but also wanted to establish right away that he cannot be with me 24/7. I am with him and training him several hours in the morning then I need to go to office to get some work done. I have established that he has alone time between 5 and 6 hours a day. Considering I stay at home I could spoil him a lot more yes?

When he is gabbing to himself I do talk back to him and say Hello or Hi or what cha doing? things like that but sometimes I am working and just hear him talking to himself. He is pretty quite during his time alone and when he is talking to himself it is soft and low volume.

I feel bad that during his independent play cage time he is alone. When I still had Diego and Mihijo and I was not with them they would talk to each other and I am sure enjoyed each others company. They lived in seperate cages because they did not get along but when I was not with them they did take pleasure of having the other parrot there. I feel guilty that Valentino is the only parrot and he has to spend his independent time in cage alone with no other parrots to watch, see or talk with.

Before Valentino left the breeders he spent time with his clutch mates, other baby RFM's and baby BTM's so he always had other parrots around him. Now he is alone the sole parrot in our home. It was not planed this way. After all after quarantine he was to live downstairs and have a Noble macaw next to him. Another parrot to watch and listen too and maybe even communicate with. It was never intended for Valentino to be the only parrot. I sort of feel guilty about that.

 

[goalerjones]

This is kind of where I am at right now with Hahnzel. My son told me he heard him jabbering away to himself like an auctioneer when he thought there was no one around.

I spend time in the morning with him before I go to work, then lots of time after work with him. My wife also tries to socialize with him if she gets home first. I try to put him near the patio door, half hidden by the blinds so he can watch outside for stimulation.

I am also wondering if another bird might help (but thats actually a whole other thread I started tonight).