Shelby's not learning new words ?

[427HISS]

We've had Shelby for about a year now and you can tell that the owners taught her a lot of words referring to "baby". She speaks about 7 words or so like, hey baby, hello baby, and come back ! lol
We think she's between 10-11 years old.

It is amazing,....that she's smart enough to use them uses in different tones and attitude.

Hey baby, real calm & sweet. Then if you don't pay attention, Hey Baby with a louder voice and more force, then after that much louder and really pissed off ! lol

If she gets a "time out" because of screaming if I'm not in the same room with her, I take her into her room and into her cage, and after aboy 15 minutes she'll say really sweet, "I'll be good" lol. She must have been around children with the parents scolding the child.

She would also babble talking to herself in her cage. I've been repeatedly trying to teach her "I love you" since we brought her home and several months ago, she was in her cage and heard her say I love you three times in about 1/2 hour, but since then, nothing.

I did read a book that says (at least with cockatoo's) once past 8 years or so, they won't learn new ones unless they drop one word in their vocabulary.

Any ideas what we can do ?

 

[Jtbirds]

Well the book is wrong no bird drops a word... Ever they just might stop using it. As for cockatoos idk what kind Shelby is I'm guessing a sulphur crested? Our m2 is not a good talker at all he says words and babbles but mostly babbles now our galah talks a lot and very clear and so on.

Really I just have normal conversations around my birds like hi how are you, etc.. And they usually pick up what they want from it over a period of time. Like I say bed to my guess at night now they say bed. Or if I say whatcha doing when they are playing toys then they started to say this. I don't really believe there is a way to force them or make them learn new words. I believe ant has a good method with mishka, but it is also bird to bird IMO. Just keep repeating certain words and hope that she picks up on them is all I do.

 

[blstandifer]

My too was around other parrots and picked most of her words and phrases up from a macaw.

 

[427HISS]

Yes you're correct, she a Eleanora.

I suppose since their so intelligent that they look at us and say, "stupid human,...I'll only speak what I want and when I want to" lol

 

[Jtbirds]

I think that is correct lol, I have never tried to teach my bird words since I got my first amazon years ago and even then I think I got lucky teaching him hello after standing Infront of his cage for hours repeating myself like some dumb doofus... Then I learnt they pick up what they want even if they hear it once in there life they could repeat it. This happens with "bad" words it seems.