him to start talking if he is going to talk at all he whistel s like the old man i got him from will he talk and copy my family eventually and is it usual for them to make a very loud growling noise when scared ?
2007-03-19 23:53:15 · 16 answers · asked by michelefaeglesga 1 in Pets ➔ Birds
We used to have one.......bloody thing kept swearing.
still miss the lil blighter.
2007-03-19 23:56:15 · answer #1 · answered by Clint 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Depends on how old he is. Between 3 to 9 mo. Lots of good answers here. Combine them. Do keep in mind he will say the things you say most often. If you work with him a min. of 3 times a day at 15min. a lesson he will catch on to what your saying. These birds are really smart and can be taught to count and can learn specific items like keys, rocks and OH yes CAT! There brains are the age of a 3 year old human which if you have had kids or are around them the 3's are called terrible 3's. Which means the little darling can get an attitude not always a good one either. The growling is the beginning of his speech so you are on your way to hearing what he has to say. He will also mimic the phone ring. If you leave the TV on for company make sure its sesame street or something teaching. He will pick up on it. I was always running for the phone she got a laugh out of watching me and then I would say you little s--t. She also caught on that very quickly. lol Good Luck and enjoy!
2007-03-20 07:15:16 · answer #2 · answered by ascendent2 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi, you did not say how old he is, some greys can start talking straight away while others may not talk till they are about a year old. He is probably a bit stressed about the move to a new home and maybe getting lots of attention from so many new people, keep him in a sheltered spot for a while where he can see everything but will not be too disturbed. Talk gently to him and offer treats if he responds.
Good luck with him they make wonderful companions and will be with you for a long time.
2007-03-20 07:07:12 · answer #3 · answered by aeb 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
African greys normally start talking from their second year but there exceptions and it known some start as early as 8-9 months,A parrot reaches maturity in 4-5 years but will have the emotions of a 2 year child ,they also get grumpy just as children do,they also require a lot of sleep +- 12 hrs a day and because they are intelligent birds they thrive a lot of love , care and attention and it will live for15-20 years.
2007-03-20 07:55:06 · answer #4 · answered by bryte 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The growling noise when scared is normal. Most African Greys start talking around 12-18 months of age. If your Grey is older and he is not talking, he may never learn to talk. Parrots are individuals and not all Greys talk. Even if he does not talk he will probably whistle and imitate other noises in his environment. My advice to you is to simply enjoy the bird, give him lots of attention and toys, talk to him a lot and love him for what he is, not what you want him to be. Maybe if he is really comfortable in his new environment with you he will start to talk. Parrots often will not talk if they are not comfortable and happy.
2007-03-20 09:04:26 · answer #5 · answered by Rags to Riches 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i got an african grey and she talks at 7mths old, some will not talk atall some take years.they tend to start off whistling my advice would not to whistle to much although this is great as copies you as this will be the only thing it will want to learn.parrots to growl at you when they are scared this is normal.i was told to not try and handle mine for 3wks so she got used to the surroundings shes in.honey is my parrot shes great has a harness so she can go on the pushchair for walks,make sure yours is very tame before doing this and put him outside to get used to traffic noise,mine goes out for a spray with the hose gets in the shower allsorts,honey is far more the best pet i have ever had a proper chatter and character.i hope you have alot of fun with yours as me and my kids do with honey..friend for life.
2007-03-21 16:22:01 · answer #6 · answered by easty90210 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Our african grey is about 10 years old and you cant get her to shut up. She mostly mumbles to herself, but in the morning she calls the cat, tells people no, demands treats, and calls people twits. She clears her throat all the time and takes huge breaths before talking. She also imitates water, laughs maniacally, clicks, calls the cat "psyco kitty", calls herself "crazy bird", "pretty bird", and "pretty echo"(her name), and says "hello?" when the phone rings. And thats not all that she does!
She's been doing this since she was about 3 years old, so I would assume yours will start talking soon. They are very bright birds and need to be out all the time. They need constant stimulation so I would invest in a bunch of toys often.
She also made a loud growl when frightened, but now thats changed to a "whoo" like she's on a roller coaster.
One time, she had to be put under to have her beak clipped, and she woke up going "whoo" and saying "wow"! She was so funny! But we wouldn't put her under again, cuz its not good for them, she was just being evil to the vet so he suggested it cuz it was an urgent case....
Have fun with your grey, you'll be buddies for a LONG long time!
2007-03-20 12:31:32 · answer #7 · answered by Sputz 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Their the best talkers. Repeat a phrase over and over for about 15 min three times a day. Parrots are smart(like a 3yr old child). Also try going to Birdfancy.com.
2007-03-20 06:57:20 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have 2 African greys Charley doesn't talk but Tia does Charley is quite old but Tia is only 3 we had her from a chick it is really best that they are bought from chicks but our Charley was rescued, my husband was a telly engineer and got Charley he was badly treated with sore claws etc perhaps he just wont talk, some just don't, but repeating a phrase for weeks Even months can help. growling is because they are scared almost close your eyes when you talk to him/her and try to win him round with a favourite treat it worked for charley he growled at us like he was demented but a few monkey nuts and a lot of patience did the trick. try not to teach him/her whistle tunes as these are easier for them to do and can hamper the talking process.. hope this helps any other info you need please get in contact.
2007-03-20 07:48:00 · answer #9 · answered by allison K 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Keep repeating the same phrase to him over and over, he could start talking in a matter of weeks, but they are all different, they do tend to make lots of strange noises, if he is afraid he should settle down.
2007-03-20 06:57:38 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have found that the Congo Grey takes just a little longer to start talking than that of the timneh Grey. of course, every birds is different but, my Congo's started around 1 year to 13 months and my timneh's started around 8 to 10 months to start saying a few words. my oldest Grey can actually change his voice to sound like my kids and myself. he doesn't like my husband so, he does not try to sound like him. if Grey's don't like something or are scared of something it is very normal for them to grawl. my Grey's also hiss alot too.
2007-03-22 10:14:29 · answer #11 · answered by missywst 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋