Will new grey mimic undesirable sound

birdstheword

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Aug 26, 2014
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Colorado
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Marvel, 14-year-old Black Headed Caique
I have an opportunity to adopt an old grey. I have another parrot that frequently beeps like a low battery smoke alarm. Is there a high likelihood the grey would start mimicking this? Are older greys (30s) less likely to learn to mimic?
 

Squeekmouse

Well-known member
May 31, 2017
840
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Illinois
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Yoda, Green Cheek Conure - Trigger, Congo African Grey
My Trigger is still very young and spends all of his time in the center of our house. So I don't know at all how it will go for your older bird. If his cage is near the other birds and not much else, he'll more likely imitate them. If he hears other things that are more interesting or fun to imitate, he'll probably do that.
Some greys mimic and speak all the time, some are mostly quiet.

In general, I've found that if there's something I really want Trigger to repeat, he never will. If there's something I really do NOT want him to repeat, he'll pick it up instantly. :)
 

SailBoat

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Jul 10, 2015
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DYH Amazon
Many say that older birds stop learning or more likely, we stop teaching.

The reality is, if they are healthy, interested and active and so are you, they will learn new 'stuff.' Now when they elect to drop it on you, there is not assurances. My general believe is: when you are least expecting it.

Yes, the younger Parrot will learn from the older Parrot and the other way around as well.

Take great care that will spending at least equal if not more time with your existing Parrot!
 

texsize

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Oct 23, 2015
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I have been saying Bless you after every sneeze (human or avian) since I brought my CAG home in 2016.
She has never said Bless you yet.
But she also has not learned to imitate the screaming amazons she hears all the time.

She does reply to whistles and some of the words the amazons say.

my gut feeling is that your African grey will learn to make the same sound but it's not a sure thing.
 

noodles123

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Jul 11, 2018
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Umbrella Cockatoo- 15? years old..I think?
YES, there is a high probability that some of the sounds will be undesirable- every grey I know has mimicked that smoke detector beeping, as well as microwave beeps, doors slamming etc (among others). There is no certainty that a grey will talk (even though they can). A large number actually seem to pick up on noises more easily than speech, but that is more a matter of mood/parrot perference as opposed to actual ability.
They can ALWAYS learn more...but yeah, they pick up what they hear and sometimes it is the stuff you don't want them to remember that seems to stick best lol..Especially the fact that it would be a flock mate with this bird makes me think that you could start hearing double.
My cockatoo learned to cuss last year and she's well past sexual maturity/adult.
 
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Squeekmouse

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May 31, 2017
840
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Illinois
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Yoda, Green Cheek Conure - Trigger, Congo African Grey
On the brighter side, if your CAG does learn to mimic things readily and some of those things are unpleasant, you can encourage him to mimic the things you like more.

For example, Trigger learned to mimic the way my Green Cheek Conure screams in alarm (which is a horrible SCREECH SCREECH SCREECH SCREECH sound). Trigger started doing this regularly and we'd get mad at him and he'd get attention.... which is what he wanted... SO we changed our behavior. We completely ignored any sounds that made our heads want to explode.... and then the second he said something we LIKE (like "I love you!" or "Pew pew!" or any of the dozens of cute things he mimics) we would lavish attention and praise and treats on him. He still does the awful annoying sounds, but he knows the cute ones are far more effective and does this more frequently.

Also, giving him plenty of toys to destroy and training and attention makes him less likely to scream and misbehave in order to get attention. :)

As with all companion birds, you get out what you put in!
 

wrench13

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Greys ( and every other parrot) pick up what they want. You can repeat yourself til you are blue in the face, but if the parrot does not find it entertaining, they don't repeat it.
 

thegars

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Jul 21, 2018
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4 1/2 years old now CAG..got her at 14 weeks...Debbie is still clown! Now almost 4 1/2....never a dull moment!
Ah…a talking, mimicking Grey…everything,words phrases and sounds! Debbie has the best “machine gun” sound! Probably from NCIS…lol…fortunately no cussing…comes up with some pretty accurate mimics and eventually puts her own spin on it…a true clown!
 

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