Talking w/ your bird and training to talk

[BmDubb]

Ok, so Dexter already says Hello, and meows. And since he's moved in with me its like he knows hes in a better home and he is very happy with us. Hes a chatterbox, and tries to mimic all kinds of sounds ( He meows and laughs like my son lol ). My question is I have been only trying to say to him the word Im trying to teach him to ensure hed learn one word at a time... Well last night I had a few drinks and was actually socializing with him while I was cleaning his perches and etc. I would talk to him like he was a person. and I was giving him treats and trying to get him to do multiple tricks. I would say things like " What are you doing Dexter " and when I would jingle his bells on his swing Id say " Bells "... I just felt like really close to him last night and spend alot of time standing in his cage just talking with him.. Well treating him more " human " seemed to really grab his attention. he was way more responsive. Lots of head tilting out of curiosity, lots of mumbling ( trying to mimic ) and now when I say " Bell " He looks down and listens for the bells to jingle. So Im thinking Dexter will learn more when hes approached like this. Almost like its more stimulating and he seems more interested in the different words and tones I say.

So instead of being like " Hello.... Hello... Hello Dexter " ( lmao ), I will be like " Hello Dexter, What are you doing pretty boy?" And stuff like that.. Any opinions

[julie]

We talk to ours like they are people. When we walk in we say hello just like we would when one of us comes home ect. I also say Hey my boys now that they know hello quite well. I just talk like i normally would. It cracks me up when the phone rings and Mika starts saying Hellloooo over and over like he knows what we say when we answer it.

[laine]

I talk to, and treat, Smokey like a family member. There are lots of things he doesn't say however, he knows what I am saying. If I say "where's your ball" or "get your ball" he goes and gets it so we can play ball. I ask him if he wants garlic bread and he always nods his head before I give him some. If I am in the kitchen and he is in the lounge and I call out "GARLIC BREAD'S READY" Smokey is usually the first family member to claim his piece Because I talk to him about what I am doing I am sure he relates my actions to the words I say. I know this because if I am watching TV and say "I think it's bedtime" most nights I can guarantee Smokey will fly off He is not too hard to catch but if he doesn't want to go to bed, he knows ALL my movements in the lead up to bedtime, and he will do anything to delay it. Sometimes I have had to spell it out to my partner to avoid the nightly chase - I am going to B E D and then I change my routine and order of things I do.

Another thing he knows is "Wait there, I'll be back". I say that when I want to go outside to the bin or the mailbox. He knows not to follow me and that I will only be gone for less than one minute.

Sometimes, I think what he understands and responds too is far more fascinating to me than the words he speaks.

They are very clever little family members.

[ellieelectrons]

Thanks for sharing that laine. That's really lovely.

Ellie.