How long to learn to talk?

[lidaweg]

How long does it usually take until a parrotlet learns to talk/say it's first word? We are doing a lot of talking with ours, short words at appropriate times. Pablo has been with us about a month and is adjusting very well. Any good hints? That will be so cool when he says hello!

[AndreaFahy]

I have had only a few youngsters before six months learn mimicking (simple kissing sounds and a whistle) They seem to gain the abilitly more after 8-12 months.

I will be honest though, I never really try to train speach :) With me they are having to pick it up and try on their own. We focus on so many other things, but for some reason speach training has never been a priority of mine.

I think I met someone with a parrotlet named Wendell that has great speaking ability, perhaps he, along with others, will chime in.

How old is your Pablo? How did you acquire him and what more can you share? Do you have any pictures of he and his home to share? (I am a nosy, busy body :) )

[lidaweg]

Thanks for the reply. We will just keep talking and singing with him and wait for the day he replies! We got Pablo at a very well respected bird store in NJ. Although I work, we spend a lot of time with him when we get home and he seems happy and is getting used to the routine. Take him out every day for kisses, treats and fun. He is such a cutie. Will try to figure out how to post a picture. Thanks again...

[Kumiko]

My Kiwi is about 3 months and he learned the Hello without the "o"... dont ask. I think bc he is so young that he cant say the word correctly, cutting some of it off... but it is funny to hear him say ** when I walk in the room. :p

I am giong to wait longer until I train him other words, but right now he seems to be trying so hard to mimic whistles.. But he doesnt seem to ahve the vocales yet or the smarts to do that. Probaly when your parrotlet is older, as of mine, he will start mimicing.

[lidaweg]

Pablo is about 3 months old too. When he makes those grinding sounds, is that him practicing?

[Kumiko]

I dunno. I would say that I am still on the boat that you are in. More to the point, I am still at the level where you and your bird are at.

[Pado]

Mr. Peepers started saying hello when he was about 8 months I think - he would also say a longer sentence but we never did figure out what he was saying - He has only said Hello once or twice since we got Mrs. Peepers - he prefers instead to speak Parrotlet to her :D

The few times he said Hello after Mrs. Peepers arrival was after he flew to my shoulder - I think he associates the word with landing on my shoulder since I always say hello to him when he lands there -

But don't expect too much - their voices are very rough and robot like - they are pretty hard to understand :p But don't give up - you just never know when they will decide to mimic you.

The grinding you hear is the sign of a content bird - they usually grind as they are settling down for a nap or for the night.

[birdiemom]

lidaweg:
They love the attention of being talked to. Say something to him EVERY time you pass the cage...training as such is not necessary. They learn the same way children learn to talk....they say what they hear. Paulie was talking at 4 months. His latest phrase "Miss Paulie's gonna beat your butt". I am Miss Paulie. He says about 10 complete phrases and other single words, and has not had even 1 "lesson"

[lidaweg]

That is great you are hearing complete sentences! I thought they could only say a word or so, IF that much...

[birdiemom]

That is great you are hearing complete sentences! I thought they could only say a word or so, IF that much...

O gosh no...they can learn to say anything a larger bird can say. Their voice is a little different so if you are used to other talking birds, you might have to listen closely at first so as not to miss anything!