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Post by duckysmom on Aug 18, 2016 20:18:30 GMT -5
I just have kind of a general question about quakers learning to talk. Ducky is only 4 months old, so I haven't been expecting a lot. I just keep talking to him and my BF and Auntie do as well. But it seems he tries something for a while, then stops. I guess I'm used to my macaw, who could learn a new word in a day and would use all her words consistently and just add new ones. I don't really care if Ducky is a talker or not, but I was just wondering if this is his young age. When he came home 2 months ago, he was trying to say "step up" and "yum yum". Haven't heard either in a month and we say both to him all the time. He learned my laugh and cracked us up. Heard that one more time, then not again. He said "hi" once, that was it. I always give him praise and encouragement and he seems pleased with himself. Is it his age? It would be fun if he was a talker, but he's fun and lovable anyway. Just wondering. I don't want to make talking into a training thing. It's entirely up to him.
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Post by biteybird on Aug 19, 2016 6:18:49 GMT -5
I don't know if it's age-related or they don't feel the need to talk - but Bonnie doesn't say the words she used to say, either. Sometimes if we are in different rooms of the house I hear her practising her whistles and words, but if she knows I'm listening she stops. The only ones she says anymore are "good girl" (only joining in with me when I say it) or "goodnight". Oh, and she shrieks "hello!" at our feet when she is on the floor.  But her talking has definitely decreased as time has gone on... having said that, we never actually set out to teach her to talk in the first place. |
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Post by Caseysmom on Aug 19, 2016 9:22:39 GMT -5
I think Casey started talking by 6 months or so, she learned lots of words fast but hadn't added tons more over the years. She started saying papa when my grandson grew up and just calls my OH that when he is here. Just last week I heard her say Nana. If Ducky is good st laughing, just wait till you get a cold, they are really good at coughing and sneezing along with you too! Casey goes through her repertoire around 8 pm every night going through the sounds she has heard during the day and the words she knows.
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Post by beccilouise on Aug 19, 2016 13:21:13 GMT -5
From what I've heard, it depends wholly on the bird. Maya is a year old. She laughs, blows kisses and sometimes sounds like she's trying to say 'hello', but there is no clear speech at all yet. Some birds I've heard of are talking up a storm by about two months, and others suddenly begin talking after a year or two. It sounds like you're doing the right thing by just talking to him as much as possible. I also try as far as possible NOT TO SWEAR in front of Maya, or regularly say things I don't want her to repeat. If I'm in a workshop with Maya in two year's time and she suddenly comes out with an expletive, that would be SO embarrassing. They hear more than we think they do! Unfortunately, however, I'm notoriously clumsy and have uttered many curses upon stubbing my toes or knocking my elbow, so...
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Post by easttex on Aug 19, 2016 15:35:27 GMT -5
In my experience, birds seem to enjoy our more excited utterances, which unfortunately often means the blue language. It's funny to a lot of people, and to be honest I find many of the YouTube clips pretty hilarious, but it can be a real drawback if they ever have to be rehomed.
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Post by duckysmom on Aug 19, 2016 15:55:57 GMT -5
Bad language is not allowed around the bird. My macaw picked up a couple shockers from my ex and the swear jar came out. We don't need a swear jar here. It's not a common thing in our house. Even when I fell down the stairs, I was so stunned when I hit the bottom no words came out. Now that would have been the time to let loose! Lol.
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Post by cnyguy on Aug 19, 2016 20:08:31 GMT -5
The average age for a QP to begin imitating speech is 6 months, so Ducky has a headstart on learning. Just keep talking to him and repeating the things you'd like him to learn as often as you can, using them in context whenever possible. Ralph has learned a lot of words, and knows what they mean, but he's not a very talkative parrot and doesn't say the words he knows all that often. Some things he won't say at all for weeks and then suddenly will come out with them. I try to live by the rule "don't say anything in front of your parrot that you wouldn't want the parrot to repeat to your clergyman," so I use more innocuous substitutes for common curse words. Now, if I could get the people downstairs to do the same when they argue (loudly). Any day now, I expect Ralph or Scooter to say "You're a *%$#ing" idiot!"  |
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Post by julianna on Aug 20, 2016 13:43:38 GMT -5
Oscar knows a lot of words but very rarely will he say them while we are around. The other day I was very surprised to hear him talking away in the kitchen while I watched him from the living room. His new word is Hmmmmmmmm.... this is what I say to him after cuddling. Like... How's my little boy hmmmmmmmm. or Yeahhhhhhh.... a very soft yeahhhhhh. Hearing him say it blows me away.
I think after he says a few words very well... then he decides to move onto new words.. but again... very seldom in front of us.
He talks to most when he is in the house and I am outside in the garden. I can hear him chattering away as I know he wants my attention and he isn't getting it. I honestly think that because he gets too much attention... he doesn't need to talk... and won't.
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Post by zim on Aug 21, 2016 2:49:46 GMT -5
I think Yoshi was about 5 months old when he started talking. Several of the first things he learned he hasn't said again in months. Or at least not when I'm with him.
He will randomly repeat things I say, then never say them again. He's actually really good at catching on to new words and phrases super quickly. Especially in a dramatic situation. Earlier today he threw a towel off the counter on to the floor, and I very dramatically said "what did you do!?". He immediately repeated it very clearly, bobbing his head while he did (to make it more dramatic of course).
What amazes me is not only how he can pair phrases with situations, but can put multiple phrases/situations together. I recently started working night shift, and put him to bed at 10 minutes before I leave. I always tell him "night night baby" as I cover his cage, and he always repeats it back. When I leave, I tell him "bye bye baby, I'll be back", but I don't if he's already in bed. Well, after about a week of him hearing me leave after putting him to bed, he now says "I'll be back, night night baby, I'll be back" as I put him to bed. Smart little critters these birds are.
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Post by Aardman on Aug 25, 2016 1:56:16 GMT -5
Trixie is a little over a year old now and up until about a month ago her repertoire of sounds was limited to three. A horrid ratcheting sound she uses when she wants something, a sweet tweet she makes when she gets some attention, and a very soft pig-grunt like sound she makes when she thinks nobody's listening. When I say soft I mean it - I have to strain to notice it.
Starting about a month ago she started varying the sounds she makes - especially during the middle of the day. She will get "talkative." Nothing that sounds like anything even vaguely resembling speech, but just random and varied squawks and whistles. If I'm playing music or we're trying to watch television this often encourages her to make more noise, but it's rarely excessive. My wife claims to have heard her imitate our dog, a demanding Chinese crested that squeals and hollers at us for a ridiculously long time when we come home after an absence, but I've yet to hear her do it.
I'm guessing some birds just aren't interested in talking. For the longest time Trixie wasn't really interested in much of anything except hanging out with us and having her neck scratched. Here lately she's started playing with toys just a little bit. Not much, but anything at all is more than she used to do.
Maybe she's finally coming out of her shell, I dunno. She is most definitely the sweetest dispositioned bird I have ever had the pleasure of taking care of. She have never bitten once. Even on the rare occasion where she has taken a swipe at a finger, there is no bite attached to it - she uses her open beak as a lever to move the offending digit instead of biting it.
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Post by easttex on Aug 25, 2016 5:52:08 GMT -5
It's good to read that Trixie has developed some interest in her toys, at least a little. She does sound like an exceptionally sweet and docile girl. Hopefully she will hang onto that basic sweetness as she gets more mature, but will continue coming out of her shell.
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Post by aaron on Aug 25, 2016 11:46:33 GMT -5
Yes, some birds are simply not interested in talking... Our QP, Cupcake, is not a talker. She's five years old and as never uttered a single intelligible word in our presence. She has many noises for many circumstances and laughs with us, but simply seems to have no interest in speaking. I can tell you it does not get in the way of our relationship with her at all. She's an amazing little bird and we love her dearly, and while I can see how it would be neat to be able to have that form of communication with her, we have other ways  Of course we always have to explain this to people because the very first thing they ask when we tell them we have a bird is... does she talk? |
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But her talking has definitely decreased as time has gone on... having said that, we never actually set out to teach her to talk in the first place.
Of course we always have to explain this to people because the very first thing they ask when we tell them we have a bird is... does she talk?