adc
Hatchling
Posts: 4 
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Post by adc on Jan 24, 2015 20:39:30 GMT -5
We just picked up Riley today, he has been in foster care since September and the lady said she has never heard him talk (obviously makes bird sounds but no mimicking) they estimate based on what the previous owners said that he is between 8-15 years old. Is it possible for him to start mimicking? Or should we just assume he won't?
My daughter Wants so bad for him to say something to her
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Post by cnyguy on Jan 24, 2015 22:58:59 GMT -5
Welcome to Riley!  Simply because the lady who fostered him said that she never heard Riley say anything doesn't necessarily mean that he can't or doesn't talk; he may not have felt comfortable enough with her to speak. He may surprise you once he's comfortable in his new home. Then again, he may be one of those parrots who doesn't imitate human speech at all. Don't give up hope though-- keep talking to him a lot. Frequently repeat any words or phrases you'd like Riley to learn, and use them in context. He may learn to say something. Even older parrots are capable of learning new things. |
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Post by Sharyn and Mr P on Jan 25, 2015 10:02:04 GMT -5
Congrats on getting a rescue!!!!!! In order to encourage Riley to talk, associate words with what you are doing! Mr P's (full name, Mr Piggy) FAVORITE phrase is "Do you wannna yummy?", something I always say to him when I give him a treat. This was a concept that was so important for him to communicate to me, that he learned to say it without me trying to teach it to him. Mr P does not speak as well or as often as some of the other quakers here, but he does say things that he feels I need to understand Ironically enough, I have been trying to teach him to say "I love you" for over a year now. When I hold him up to my face, look him in the eye and say it, he moves his beak and works his throat like he is saying it with me, but he has yet to say it out loud in a way that I can understand. Shows you where his priorities are LOL |
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Post by siobhan on Jan 25, 2015 10:32:51 GMT -5
I've been trying to get Clyde and Jade to say "I love you" for YEARS. Sometimes Clyde will mutter something that I pretend is "love you" but it's not really intelligible. Meanwhile, that's my starling's favorite thing to say. One day when I was saying it to Jade over and over and she just kept saying "thank you" and "Jade a good girl!" (GOOD girls would say "I love you" when their mommy wants them to) Benjy the Brat Budgie flew over and piped up "I love you!" just to prove he's as smart as a Quaker.
But your rescue can definitely learn new things. He's probably had a lot of upset and change in his life and once he's settled in and knows he's going to stay, he'll be more willing to talk. As others have said, associate the words with actions. And remember that Quakers say what THEY want and not necessarily what YOU want. LOL
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Post by easttex on Jan 25, 2015 11:39:28 GMT -5
In my general experience it's a bit of a crapshoot. If it is important to you that he talk, I'd recommend giving it a real training focus after he's had a chance to settle in, which could take quite a while. Barbara Heidenreich offers a DVD on her talk-training method at goodbirdinc.com, but there is no guarantee for you. If he doesn't respond to your efforts, I hope it will not cause your daughter to lose interest. Parrots are all individuals, fascinating in their own right, and once you learn their body language, they can convey a whole lot even without words. |
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Post by aaron on Jan 26, 2015 13:17:18 GMT -5
Congrats! It's really great that you got a rescue bird.
Our quaker parrot, Cupcake, is a little over 3.5 years old, and she does not talk. She makes all kinds of noises, and sometimes it really sounds like she is trying to talk, but so far no actual words. My understanding is that while it becomes somewhat less likely for them to pick up speech as they get older, it is always a possibility.
That said, like easttex said, these birds say so much without speaking. Their body language is very expressive, and while at first it is a bit foreign to a human, once you become familiar with it, you will feel like you are seeing a new side of your bird. It is still amazing to me how much I can pick up just from the shape of Cupcake's eyes. At first we really wanted her to talk, but over time it has become less important to us, and now I feel like we have more than enough ways to communicate with each other, so if she doesn't feel like talking, that's fine by me.
But the more comfortable your parrot is, the more expressive they will be, and the more you will get to see the nuances of their personality. So don't expect too much too soon, and just give little Riley some time to settle in.
Good luck!
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Simply because the lady who fostered him said that she never heard Riley say anything doesn't necessarily mean that he can't or doesn't talk; he may not have felt comfortable enough with her to speak. He may surprise you once he's comfortable in his new home. Then again, he may be one of those parrots who doesn't imitate human speech at all. Don't give up hope though-- keep talking to him a lot. Frequently repeat any words or phrases you'd like Riley to learn, and use them in context. He may learn to say something. Even older parrots are capable of learning new things. 
