Any ideas on how to get a cockatiel to talk?
by Toy Buyer on 19/10/09 at 8:48 am
paigematthews225 asked:
I received a cockatiel from a co-worker who could no longer care for him, and he is now nearly 9 years old. He’s very sweet, but no matter how much I repeat words to him, he doesn’t respond. I honestly don’t think he got much attention with his former owner, as he had no toys or anything in his cage, only a food and water dish. He didn’t really start saying much of anything till I gave him toys and a swing. Now he cries to get out of his cage,and is content to sit on my shoulder for hours. Is he too old to learn how to talk?
Does Your Child Love Animals?
I received a cockatiel from a co-worker who could no longer care for him, and he is now nearly 9 years old. He’s very sweet, but no matter how much I repeat words to him, he doesn’t respond. I honestly don’t think he got much attention with his former owner, as he had no toys or anything in his cage, only a food and water dish. He didn’t really start saying much of anything till I gave him toys and a swing. Now he cries to get out of his cage,and is content to sit on my shoulder for hours. Is he too old to learn how to talk?
Does Your Child Love Animals?
Rainbow Dash
Oct 19th, 2009
Personalized NameTrains is the Perfect Gift
Cocatiels are not able to repeat words, I believe parrots are the only birds that can repeat words.
violet
Oct 20th, 2009
Spark Your Childs Imagination
Though cockatiels are indeed parrots, they are not the best talkers of the parrot family. They can learn to mimic sounds that approximate words, but they don’t typically speak as clearly as the larger birds. They are good whistlers, though, and can learn short tunes of a few notes. Ours whistles the first few notes of the theme song to The Odd Couple for instance.
Cockatiels are wonderful birds, whether they talk or not, with unique personalities. It’s great that you’ve given your bird a more varied habitat — like all parrots, cockatiels are quite smart, and need various jobs (even if it’s just shredding toilet paper tubes) to keep them busy. Hopefully your bird has a varied and nutritious diet, as well, including grains, fruits and vegetables — an all-seed diet is easy, but not healthy.
marilynnmarie2
Oct 22nd, 2009
Creative Toys
Since he didn’t get much attention, it will probably take awhile. Babies don’t usually start talking for at least a year after hatching. As you can see, he’s already responding to the new toys and attention. Be patient and keep repeating the same simple words and phrases. Also it helps when you say certain things he can relate to certain occasions, like whenever you give him food say here’s a treat or good night when you cover him up at night. Good luck , he sounds like a little treasure.
meesh1902
Oct 22nd, 2009
Creative Toys
he’s not too old but you need to keep up the repitition alot..most cockatiels will learn simple words within a few days if you hold them close to your mouth and say the word softly and clearly several times a day
Monica E
Oct 24th, 2009
The Coolest Educational Toy
Tiels may not repeat words very clearly, but BOY can they learn to whistle and mimic simple sounds!! Ours used to ring like the telephone, it could make a smooching sound, it whistled the UofM Fight Song, could meow like the cat and make sounds like laughter! You should try giving him a mirror; he’ll think it’s another bird and will spend hours whistling to his reflection! Our bird could say a few words like baby and what sounded like love you. Just be patient; you will need to repeat yourself over and over and over and over…..you get the idea!! LOL
cujoswings
Oct 26th, 2009
Give Your Baby a Headstart
Try recording something you want him to say on tape. Play it when you’re not there and encourage the repetition. In time, he’ll start to mumble something. One of mine didn’t speak until he was about 6 or 7 and it took a lot of time. Think of them as the LD students of the parrot world. So far, it seems like you’ve done good things with him, kudos!
Yenyen San
Oct 29th, 2009
Does Your Child Love Animals?
Actually, Cockatiels can’t talk, they only can make sounds like whistles, telephone rings, and other sounds. We have a Cockatiel bird too, he always repeats the telephone when it rings, it is so funny when he tweets!
truelove
Oct 31st, 2009
Personalized NameTrains is the Perfect Gift
I think the problem with your bird is that the former owner never paid it any attention. that was the case with my cockatiel. When I first got her she didn’t say anything and she had no toys. Now it has been a couple of months and she is already saying hello, yes, and ank. She also loves to whistle. The thing to know is that the more time you spend with your bird the better your bird gets at talking. Also the bird will only repeat words that attract it’s attention. Try starting it out with small one sylable words. It will eventually come around. Be patient and if you have any other questions contact me!
benji
Nov 1st, 2009
Learn How to Make Learning Fun
its not too late i have a 32 year old cocky that pick up words i say a lot
mickmanster1
Nov 4th, 2009
Check out these Intellectual Products
no its showing you its time to play and keep repeating things to him. he will talk.
UNKNOWN
Nov 6th, 2009
The Coolest Educational Toy
well sorry to break it to you but birds can only pick up words when they are in their younger. if ur buddy had given him to you when he was like 4 months then he could learn words because he hears them and his brain picks them up. I have three cockatiels and only one of them can talk. and when you teach them younger they will master it… *-*
luba
Nov 7th, 2009
Personalized NameTrains is the Perfect Gift
keep saying the same thing over and over again to them be it will take some time
Jess B
Nov 11th, 2009
Creative Toys
i have a cockatiel and i tought it to talk it says pretty bird and does the wolf whistle just keep saying something over and over again, or whistling.i takes a little longer then parrots but it will pay off when you hear it!though it may not be very clear at first keep working on it and it will become clearer.
jess
retrac_enyaw03
Nov 11th, 2009
The Coolest Educational Toy
patience and repetition.for the bird to learn to talk you must have great patience,one word at a time, or a small sentence must be repeated many times over for the bird to respond and repeat it.i used a tape recorder and set it to loop
tooqute4u_bitches
Nov 13th, 2009
Check out these Intellectual Products
find out information about your pet.Birds do not talk period, they only mimic when they want to. Bird have to get use to people like any other pet. if the bird doesn’t know you, he wont do anything.But (I’m not sure) i think they only pick up language at a younger age.
iceni
Nov 16th, 2009
Give Your Baby a Headstart
Give your bird a treat every time he makes an unusual sound to encourage him to try more sounds. It might be easier to teach him other types of tricks instead.
xaphan
Feb 7th, 2010
cockatiels CAN talk they are better whistlers though. Just repeat what you want them to learn soft and clearly they will pick it up. My father teaches them to talk just keep it simple.