How To Train Your Bird To Talk

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Birds aren't like babies—you can't expect them to pick up speech just by babbling away at them. You need a plan.

To complete this How-To you will need:

The right breed of bird
Time
Treats
Patience

Step 1: Pick the right breed

If you haven't already bought Tweety, pick a breed that is known for its chattiness. Amazon parrots and African greys are the gabbiest, followed by macaws, male cockatiels, mynahs, and parakeets.

Tip: Female cockatiels, female budgies, grass parakeets, rosellas, and canaries don't talk.

Step 2: Choose an inquisitive bird

Once you've narrowed your choices to a talkative breed, focus your attention on choosing a bird that seems alert and interested in what's going on around him. These are clues that he'll make a good talker.

Step 3: Get a young bird

Get a young bird. Like the proverbial old dog who can't learn new tricks, an older bird is going to have more trouble picking up speech.

Step 4: Name that bird

Give the bird a name that is no more than two syllables. A longer name reduces the chances that he will learn to say his own name.

Step 5: Designate a teacher

If you're married and/or have children, pick one person to teach the bird. If several people are trying to instruct the bird, it will only confuse it.

Tip: Birds learn more easily from women.

Step 6: Time your training

Start training at the optimal time. For smaller birds, that's at four to six months. For bigger birds, wait until they're six to twelve months.

Tip: Don't teach a bird to whistle before training him to talk, or it will make the speech lessons that much harder.

Step 7: Keep it simple

Start training by saying a few simple words to Tweety, always using them under the same circumstances. For example, you could say "Good morning" every day when you first rise, and you could reserve "Bye" for when the bird can see you walk out the door.

Step 8: Repeat words

Repeat the words several times in each instance. You want the bird to start associating the sound you are making with the context.

Step 9: Reward speech

Give Tweety a treat every time he repeats something you are teaching him.

Tip: Remember that birds don't just repeat what you want them to; they mimic sounds they hear. So if you're suffering a bout of loud flatulence, or getting ready to rip someone a new one, stay out of Tweety's earshot.

Step 10: Unteach them

If Tweety has picked up a bad word, washing his mouth out with soap won't work. But ignoring him when he repeats the word will, because getting your attention is his main incentive.

Step 11: Enjoy

Now enjoy chatting with your fine-feathered friend!

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Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• HomeFamily
• pets
• animal
• animals
• bird
• birds
• pet
• train
• training
• parrot
• parrots
• talk
• talking
• teach
• teaching

[ALoveForOrcas]

at 1:14 why the hell did his neck open up instread of his beak O.O

[finamajigg]

MY BLUE FEMALE BUDGIE TALKS SHE IS VERY OFFENDED BY THIS VIDEO!

[mj4ever1332]

thumbs up if you dont have a bird XD

[navyusmcair96]

Can female budgies talk? I think they can but i dont know..

[420maayingen]

i  have a female cockatile and she can say hello, goodmorning, and pretty bird. this video says her kind cant talk and thats a load of bull crap.

[Brittonbubba137]

@ALoveForOrcas Suspension of disbelief.

[misspinkypie90]

@ 2:16 its funny!!!

[calypsocowgirl]

lol BEEB!!!! roflol



[cameroncrossrules]

2.24 funny as hell!

[concerts4utube]

@M3gal0us it

doesnt

say

female

parakeet

i

sais

grass

parakeets

[kevin9440]

@M3gal0us its grass parakeets... not female...,. FAIL YOU!