parrot talking

Talking With Your Parrot

Polly Wants A Cracker' is a phrase notoriously attributed to parrots. But how do you get your parrot talking?

Teaching Your Parrot To Talk

Ideally you want to start teaching your parrot to talk after it's 6 months old. Your parrot will probably outlive you so there's no rush, but don't leave it until it's an adult. You will be using a reward system so have treats on hand.

Put your parrot's cage in a place where it can socialize with people, such as in the family room. Make sure your TV isn't on when you're teaching your parrot to talk as it will pick up words from the TV.

Talk to your parrot and do an action at the same time. In the morning when you take the cage cover off say 'Good Morning'. At night when you put the cover on say 'Goodnight'. Give them shiny objects and say something at the same time and they will attribute that word or phrase with the object. Say 'Hello' when you enter a room and 'Goodbye' when you walk out.

Talk with an enthusiastic voice. Your parrot will begin to learn that this is a fun and interactive time.

It takes time to teach a parrot to talk, so perhaps record your voice if you're out at work for the day and have it play over and over again while you are gone. Be patient with your parrot.

Mimics or Conversationalists?

It may appear that your parrot is having a conversation but in fact it's not. Parrots are mimics. They may go on to learn that certain words are associated with actions or people. Your cat may walk in the room and your parrot will associate a certain word with your cat.

How Do Parrots Talk?

Parrots do not have vocal cords. They use their syrinx and trachea and produce sounds with the airflow. It is much like how a person whistles. Also, by turning their neck they create different sounds, this is why you will often see a parrot turn its head when it's talking. They can also use their tongue to modulate the sound.

If Your Parrot Stops Talking

There could be a number of reasons your parrot stops talking. It might be sick. There could be a change in your environment, for example, a new person or pet might have been introduced. Or it may be bored. The change could be as simple as shifting the furniture around in the room. Parrots like attention so make sure that your parrot hasn't stopped talking because you're ignoring it.

Types of Parrots That Talk

Here is a list of parrots that are good talkers:

African Grey Parrot
Indian Ring Neck
Amazon Parrot
Umbrella Cockatoo
Rose Breasted Cockatoo

Owning a parrot is a huge commitment since their life expectancy is above 50 years. The most important thing is to have fun with your parrot talking, after all they will be around for quite a while as a member of your family. Slow but steady progress in teaching your parrot to talk is going to bring a bundle of laughs and conversation for decades to come.

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