Bird Talk Is the Tie That Binds

Raising a talking bird takes patience, persistence and affection.

Nov 10, 2009

African grey parrots are the blabbermouths of the pet bird world. Recognized as the most skillful of talking parrots, the grey is sensitive and thrives on attention.

While many pets become cherished members of the family, imagine living with an animal that says, "I love you, momma," calls the dog by name, has short conversations and speaks in context.

And it's especially endearing when the voice coming from that beak sounds just like its beloved owner.

Bonding with Pet Birds

The sooner the pet parrot is handled after it hatches, the easier it is to tame. Even when the baby still resembles long-forgotten food from the fridge, the human touch makes all the difference.

Hand feeding -- a baseline bonding experience -- isn't for the faint of heart. Hatchlings eat about every two hours. Preparing the special formula and serving it via syringe can be intimidating initially. To watch a how-to video on hand feeding baby birds, visit the Kaytee Web site.

Rocking That Baby Bird

After the baby's crop is full, settle into a rocking chair and snuggle with the little fluff ball. Placed on its owner's chest, the baby will respond to the warmth and the rhythmic, reassuring heartbeat.

Birds become accustomed to regular handling, and it's not hard on the owner at this point because the baby can't bite.

Dealing With Parrot BitesExotic birds aren't domesticated and even a tame one occasionally will chomp its owner. It doesn't take a big beak to deliver a painful bite.

Respond as calmly as possible with a firm "no bite!" Retaliation ruins trust, so never neglect or abuse.

Birds habitually grab other beaks and preen other feathers, and they consider their people part of their flock. So clamping onto a finger or a shirt doesn't necessarily mean the bird intends to injure. It may simply be saying, "Hey, pick me up and hold me."

Encouraging Sounds, SpeechAfrican greys are amazing mimics. They can imitate beeping machines, other animals, unpleasant or interesting noises, curse words and other attention-getting sounds. Greys absorb language like sponges, even when they don't appear to be listening. And they can talk in context, such as saying "bye" when someone walks out the door.

Don't scold or ignore the bird if it doesn't meet expectations. Each learns at its own speed, and some pick up language better than others.

Above all, love the bird whether it can say dozens of words, just a few or none at all.

The copyright of the article Bird Talk Is the Tie That Binds in Pet Birds is owned by Annette Mardis. Permission to republish Bird Talk Is the Tie That Binds in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.