Any ideas on how to get a cockatiel to talk?

Question

I just got a bird today that is approximatly 8-9 mos old. It is male. He is very social already and wants to be with me all the time! I have so fallen in love. How can I get him to say simple things like, "pretty bird" and whistle? Thanks!

Also, How long does it take to get them to talk?

Answer 1

Not all cockatiels are capable of talking or singing but some of them are extremely talented with excellent ability.  Males are more capable of learning how to repeat sounds and words than females, although a small percentage of females can talk and sing too. Vocalization in males is a courtship behavior that is influenced by the male hormones adrogen and testosterone. When birds age, the production of androgen and testosterone drops, which in turns makes males less vocal with age. So how do you teach your bird to mimic sounds? There are a few different methods to do this, but each one requires repetition, repetition and more  repetition.  Repeat the sound for for 10 minute sessions, and have several sessions throughout the day. One method suggests that you remove all food and toys from the cage during a lesson. Another method suggests that you cover the bird's cage during the lesson. A third method suggests that you just conduct the lessons while your bird is in the cage or out of the cage where it can see you and your mouth moving. (The method that I had success with). Mama came right up to my lips and listened intently to the sounds that she liked. When she was in her cage, she started eating as soon as a sound caught her attention. Each bird is different, so follow your bird's cue . You may purchase tapes made specifically for teaching cockatiels to talk and whistle if you prefer.

Answer 2

Try repeating the word or phrase you want him to learn every hour or two, don't over do it or he'll get sick of it. The quieter the room the better.

Answer 3

i was given one that was about ten but i was told that they only start talking after a few years. mine said loads of stuff, sang, danced, humped cusions, whistled, mimicked. aparently females dont talk

Answer 4

I once heard this ancient theory about feeding it red peppers to make it talk faster funny eh. But maybe if you talk to it everyday, in time it will realize your friendship and may start trying to copy what you say. Be patient and you may see exciting results and successfully train your lovable feathery friend:)

Answer 5

It varies from bird to bird with how long it will take and some birds only whistle and some birds only talk. Try say a short word about 100 times. Put it this way, if it doesn't try to remotely say something after 700 times then it is not going to learn. This is how is worked with my birds so I hope it works for you!

Answer 6

I don't know but keep trying to get him to talk and reward him when he does. Maybe if it proves to be too hard you should take him to a bird training course. That would probably make it easier.