I've talked to all the bird experts that I know and nothing I've learned thus far has helped with this "problem". It's not really a huge problem because I love him regardless, but...
Rio, my Military Macaw is 6 years old. He came from a HUGELY abusive background, and ended up coming home with me last year on February 13. We are very bonded, he loves me, I've got great hand control, he listens to me, and he talks. He knows well over 200 phrases that he uses AS LONG AS...
I'm not in the room with him. I want him to speak with me and to me. I've jumped in the room and praised the heck out of him for talking, I've came in and repeated what he's said and given him treats, I've always tried to catch him doing it and reinforcing it, but still he won't talk for me. He only seems to do it when he's bored, other than telling me Mmm! for when he likes food and requesting temperature changes in the water and telling me "Love you!"
Any ideas on how to help him talk in my presence?
2007-01-30 05:43:04 · 5 answers · asked by sdkramer76 4 in Pets ➔ Birds
Lady Cockatiel...that's exactly what I do too. LOL I shush everyone up so that I can hear him, and sometimes when I know I'm going to have to go in there and it may cut him short, I try to talk to him and ask him to talk back. I very much enjoy listening to him from afar. I'm just hoping that someday that he can trust me enough to try it out on me too.
On a side note, I did talk to a good friend of mine about it today. She said that she read somewhere that for a Macaw's most beloved person, they want their speech to be perfect. So, they practice and practice and won't speak until they are comfortable that their speech is perfect. She said that her bird actually will turn her back to her and practice in a whisper, but won't talk out loud for her, but will talk out loud when she's out of the room too. I think she might be right. I've heard Rio practicing. He says a lot of stuff, I don't need to get him any recordings or anything, I like what he says on his own.
2007-01-30 14:56:03 · update #1
Perhaps he is just not as comfortable with a human around, which wouldn't be surprising with his background. Since he has been abused, when a human is present, he probably feels he must be on 'high alert' at all times, and they can't pay full attention to what you are doing if they are busy chatting away!
I wouldn't worry about it...sounds like you have made great progress, and eventually as his trust of you deepens he will open up to you more. He has only been with you a year, and it will probably just take time. I would just keep doing what you are doing and one day he will surprise you.
My CAG is the exact same way...he was a rescue and he would NOT speak around me although he would allow me to pick him up and love on him. Well, it has been 3 years almost and he FINALLY just starting speaking tiny phrases around me, even though he talks his head off if I am out of the room. (African greys are ground feeders in the wild and probably retain some of that built-in instinct that keeps them on that high alert mode. :) )
Good luck,
amanda
2007-01-30 08:14:43 · answer #1 · answered by Amanda C 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have two african grey parrots they are the same they will speak when we are not in the room they have a conversation with each other and the one talks all the time he to has a brilliant vocabulary but he seems to talk a lot only when we are out of sight,i think it may be a way of getting attention to be noticed,also they can be shy like children when there is someone in the room.try giving him a treat when he speaks in your presence good luck with him & keep loving him.
2007-01-30 14:18:25 · answer #2 · answered by lynda w 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have the same problem with my blue and gold macaw he will talk up a storm when I'm not in the room but if sees me he shuts right up. So I have learned when hes talking to talk back to him when I'm in the other room, and I have learned to simply sit here and listen to him to talk and enjoy hearing him be happy. I aint too worried about him talking in front of me, I dont make such things so important to me that I get frustrated, I simply learn tp enjoy my birds from a distance when they feel happy and comfortable enough to sing to me in their own time without interferance from me. Heck I want them to make all the noise they want to. I love it so I keep my distance and enjoy myself. Maybe you should do the same and see what kind of things he likes to say when he thinks no one is listening or looking. Discover just how happy your bird really is by respecting his space. I bought some CDs off of EBAY and now my bird talks up a storm off of them.
2007-01-30 22:03:47 · answer #3 · answered by reasonable-sale-lots 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This will definitely take time. Perhaps, talking to him in an excited enthusiastic voice may help. Mine started talking to me more when I would sneak up and play "Peek-a Birdy" and speak in a baby voice like when I talk to a small child or baby. Have a tweet year I would even dance around and laugh. It excited my bird to try harder to talk back.
2007-01-30 13:56:30 · answer #4 · answered by firestarter 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You've got him talking. You must be doing something right!
I think if you keep talking and interacting with him, he'll eventually start talking with you in the room. Perhaps you're trying too hard. Give it more time.
If there's one thing my CAG has taught me it is: Birdie is BOSS!
2007-01-30 14:36:54 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋