Sound Off...

[jlt666]

hey there everyone!

I would love to hear from everyone at what age your TAG/CAG said his/her first words and any more details you would care to share.

I'm all over the web and see posts/info that range from "...was 4 months old there were not many things she couldn't say." which seems unbelievably young to be saying anything let alone everything - to many books that advise that African Grey's usually start talking around around one year of age and lots in between. That's quite the range right there! So I thought I would toss this question out to the tried and true CAG/TAG lovers and owners who frequent this board to find out what is your real life experience with your babies.

Martini is 7 months old and has picked up whistling quickly (wolf, charge, smoke alarm {oy!}) and chuckles, grumbles and clucks and I am admittedly anxious to hear my baby's first words (and, yes, I understand that some African Greys never speak, but they seem to be the exception and not the rule and if Martini goes that way so be it, no worries).

So, Ziggy, Echo, Bella, Emma, Izzy, Grey Goose, CoCo, Ajax, Jordy, Simon and all that I've may have missed, would love to hear from you all when your baby said his/her first words.

Thanks!!

Jac

[babypiggy]

ajax made his wolf whistle at 5 months old

as for words it was "hello" at about 8 months old or so
i cant keep track at what age he said this or that
:P

ajax is not 14 months old
his vocab is: hello,good boy, hi boy boy (which "boy boy" is his nick name),peekaboo,up up,crow kawing,cockatiel sounds,dog toy squeek,wolf whistle,dog whining,dog barking,sqeeky door opening/closing,and pow pow pow pow pow (esp when daddy play his shooting game he says that for as long as he's playing that game)

ajax is a CAG.. apparently TAGs talk at a younger age than CAGs

[matt74]

Nova's 1st words were "what's a matter", at about 6 months, followed by "it's OK" very shortly after (when he was a baby, I was very paranoid, and always asked him what's the matter and told him it's OK...the it's OK started when he answered me asking him what's the matter). Didn't say anything that I heard for about a year after that. He learned to whistle very clearly a few months after the words. Now he speaks a lot, but usually not when you're in the same room, unless it's late. He actually knows the other birds names (He will call "Jynx, Jynxie, Jynx" when Jynx is in the other room with me and he will tell Roscoe "Roscoe, settle down" when she sqwawks). It is actually quite amazing.

[winglet]

Ihad Charlie when he was 1 year old and all he said was "good boyyyy,Charlie gooddd boy". 2 years down the line and his vocab is brilliant lol (can't shut him up) he calls MARIA.....MARIAAAAA and when she answers with what charlies says alrighttttttt!!! lol its so funny he calls all the kids by their names and when they are making a noise by his cage Charlie shouts "oi not stop it". He also has a telephone conversation with himself,he mimics the ring of the telephone then he says "HELLO .....SORRYYYY....HMMMM...then he laughs and says yeah ok ta ra. When he hears the sound of my toaster he says Charlie want toast...he says Bow Chi a BOW WOWWW. He is so funny he even knows how to Burp now lol. I JUST LOVE MY CHARLIE. Oh and when I go to bed at night I say goodnight to him and as I walk up the stairs he yawns soooooo funny

[Amie]

We didn't get our late CAG Quasi until he was 8 months old, but he didn't speak a word then. In a little less than a month, he had mastered "Good morning Mommy," "I love you" "Good night!" "Be good" "Food bowl's empty!" "Bath time!" and "Hello Scarlett!"

Scarlett, instead of responding "Hello Quasi" would always respond with "Hello Scarlett."

Quasi's vocabulary was around 75 or so words when he died at 5. Mostly phrases. And he used them all in context. Smart little guy.

[sootykitty]

I'm sure this will seem hard to believe but my CAG learned the wolf and "you who" whistle when he was only four months old. He learned them a week apart. I then began teaching him to whistle the Colonel Boogie and he picked up the first eight notes over a couple weeks more. We just listened to it on YouTube a couple times a day while I whistled along. He really enjoys whistling.

The first word he uttered was "What" at five months. He didn't speak his second word until six weeks later and from there he has been non stop. His vocabulary is very, very unusual for a young CAG. He now learns at the pace of a couple new words or phrases per week. Here is a list of his vocabulary so far (in the order he learned them):

What?
Step Up
JoJo (name of one of my Senegals)
What are you doin'?
Hello birdie
Lolly (name of my other Senegal)
Oh little birdie
You're OK
Be nice
Be quiet
Come here
Get over here
Hey! Don't Bite!
No Biting!

He's working on something else now, but I can't make it out yet. He usually does mumbling of something new for a couple days before he spits it out. I think he practices until it sounds right to him. The first day or two that he gets it right he does nothing else that day but repeat that word and throw in one or two of the others he knows. It seems like he is so proud of himself that he wants to hear himself say the new thing over and over and over. It is quite fun actually.

I have never "taught" him to talk in the traditional sense of teaching. He just picks up the things we say to him and the things we say to the other birds. I think he just likes those with the most emphasis and what appeals to him. He has just begun to put things together and make little sentences. He'll say, "Step-up JoJo" and "Be nice little birdie" and a few other things like that. Funny that he still hasn't learned to say his name. Maybe he doesn't like it. lol He is a riot to listen to.

He is such a joy and a really smart bird too. It has been a delightful surprise. I wasn't expecting him to talk until he was around a year old, if he ever talked at all. In fact, I didn't get him because I thought he would talk. I just got him because I loved him so much.

I got Ozzy when he was just six weeks old, but I didn't bring him home until he was weaned. I did visit him every day or so during that time just to build a relationship with him. It was great because he didn't have any trauma or fear during the transition phase into my home because of all the time I spent with him. I think that was a key element. Also, you should know that I am home all the time, so he has LOTS of time with me and is only caged an average of four hours a day (if that). Well, other than sleeping of course. I don't know if that makes much difference, but I'm sure the extra time he spends with me and the other birds helps too.

Anyway, that was a very long answer to the question and if you stuck with my story then I appreciate your patience.

[pippy]

I went to visit my two CAG babies, Mojo and Shinda, at their breeder's house again yesterday (I go as often as I can), as posted HERE.

I quite clearly heard Mojo do a perfect mimic of the breeder's phone, twice, and she is 12 weeks old! There was no mistaking what she was copying, it was as clear as the real phone!

[Xen]

We got Matilda home when she was a little over 4 months. Soon as I opened the carrier she said 'oooooh hello' and has picked up words and phrases aswell as how to use some in context pretty easily since.
You'll know when she's practising because she'll go to the back of her cage, say it very quietly and when she's ready she'll come forward and announce her new word or phrase. To start with it may come out a little yoda-like, but she'll figure it out after a couple of goes.

She knows all the other parrots, dogs and cats names and she knows when to tell them off... which she loves! "No Harv...DOWN!" and "come 'ere Gizmo" etc etc

Now she's 5 and she chats non stop. She doesn't mind if people are there or she's alone... she'll just chat. some of my faves are "Boom chicka wow wow" and "Bada ba da ba I'm lovin' it!"

[pippy]

Originally Posted by Xen

some of my faves are "Boom chicka wow wow" and "Bada ba da ba I'm lovin' it!"

Lovely!

[Xen]

The phone thing... it gets old real quick when you keep falling for it!

An ex neighbours CAG had them up and out the house in the early hours because he thought it would be fun pretending to be a smoke alarm. That would get old after the first time!