Do any of you live alone and have a grey that speaks?

[jenniferag]

Hey there!

Just wanted to say... my sister has a grey but she works nights so the bird has only one companion during the day... he mimicks noises from t.v. and video games that are being playing.

He makes all the noises from Star Wars now!

he loves music too.... so I would definitely second the idea of playing music or t.v. :)

[girly]

Boy am I out of it-I always write '09 for her birthday. It's actually Dec. 8, 2008. She's almost 6 months old.

Today I asked the woman who raises birds and was clipping Jezebel's nails, if it were true about birds not talking from a single parent home. She claims it isn't true, and that if I keep talking to Jezzie, she'll start talking to me. I hope so!

I know that you can't be guaranteed that your grey will ever speak, but I was concerned when I heard certain opinions about single owners and such.

Thanks for your replies, fellow bird lovers. Time will tell-I'm just pretty impatient!

[nestbox]

Maybe if the bird came from a family of people it stops talking as much when it's only one. I don't have a problem with this my CAG talks her head off and there's no one here but me. She calls the dog, she talks to and says the names of the other birds. She answers the phone and carries on a conversation, she dances and calls MOMA. Then I just melt, but talking has not been a problem living with just one person.

[girly]

That's great, nestbox! You give me hope!

[Monica]

When there are two or more people within a home there's a lot more talking going on than if it were just one person.... as a single person may not feel like talking to "themselves" and may enjoy an intelligent conversation... a bird who doesn't talk can't give "intelligent" responses, so if the person doesn't talk much in their own home then their bird may not talk much, either. Therefore, one can assume that a bird in a household of two or more people may be more likely to talk than a bird who lives in a single human home... but as the others mentioned, even birds in single human homes do learn to talk! It's really more about how talkative the human being is, and if the bird is interesting in learning new sounds.

[marti375]

I don't live alone but when I first got my bird (Boobo a Hahns macaw) I always talked to him and asked "What are you doing" The first thing he said was "what are you doing". So I don't think it will make much of a difference. Boobo just turned a year old and knows a few words and phrases. I'm always the first one up in the morning and when I turn on the light Boobo sticks his head out of his happy and says "What are you doing". Then starts in with peak a boo! that he was taught by someone else in the house. Thats not somthing he picked up in a conversation between to people.

[chapala]

she's still so young that you need to be patient and see what happens. I'm sure you'll encourage her to speak by speaking to her a lot, and if there are opportunities to socialize her around other people, that would be great too. Like taking her to someone's house who doesn't mind a bird visit and doesn't have cats and dogs that might try to eat the bird.

[girly]

Reta, do you have any helpful hints on what I could do with her once I get her over to a friend's house for a visit? I don't want to leave her in the carrying case, and if I take her out on my hand she may fly and/or poop. I love the idea of bringing her over for visits, though!

[hollyhawkz]

Our cherry head says about 18 different phrases in context. Mostly he says things that are said to him. He only says a few things that he had over-heard. Pepper learned three new phrases in the first six months with us (we got him last August at seven years old). He learned "give me a kiss", "good boy" and "give me your beak"

[chapala]

Originally Posted by girly

Reta, do you have any helpful hints on what I could do with her once I get her over to a friend's house for a visit? I don't want to leave her in the carrying case, and if I take her out on my hand she may fly and/or poop. I love the idea of bringing her over for visits, though!

A portable stand, such as one made from PVC, would work well. Or, I have used a large basket with a handle, wrapping the handle with bird-safe sisal or cotton rope. Newspaper can go in the bottom of the basket for easy clean up, and you can tie toys onto the handle. Of course, you would want to get her used to the basket at home first - handy to take them from room to room.