What's the earliest an African Grey will speak?

[Jenlynn]

Just curious when everyone's grey spoke their first word? Niles my CAG is just turning 5 months and when he's alone he babbles and babbles. It sounds like he's really trying to talk and could pass for some sort of alien language lol.

Sometimes I sit outside the room when he's alone and listen and I swear I hear things that sound like words. For instance I thought I heard "what are you doing?" and "i love you" He won't do it when he knows I'm there. If I walk in during the middle of his practice, he's on the floor in the corner, like he's really hiding while he's practicing.

Is it at all possible he's speaking or trying to speak or am I crazy lol? I've been considering buying a baby monitor to keep in the room to try to hear him, but I really think my family would think I've gone crazy.

Anyway, when was your CAGs first word? What was it?

 

[Ash]

My Alexandrine when he first started to speak, he was really shy about it. He would only do it when no one is around. It also looked like he was practicing. Once he got clearer in his word "Hello", he started to speak in public.

So I would say your grey is most likely talking, but shy about. Once he gets more confident he will probably start talking around you

 

[oled]

When and is a parrot starts to speak is individual from bird to bird and it is dificult to say a sertain age when start to speak

 

[Spiritbird]

My lady TAG began with hello at ae 9 months.

 

[usamimi]

my cag is five months and every once in a while will say babbles that sound like words. I can't tell if he's more mimicking and enjoying being able to make noise or actually talking yet.

 

[Jenlynn]

yeah, i know. I know each individual bird is different. I was just curious of the earliest people have had it happen so i can stop wondering if im overreacting or if its real lol! Although, my mom is sure she heard something that sounded exactly like come here michael. We have no Michaels here, but I did email the breeder and she has a grandson Michael...so thats definitely interesting. He's just about exactly 5 months

 

[antoinette]

Niles is definitely trying to talk, he is know as a closet talker, talking to himself when alone. I reckon he is practicing.
Mishka my AG did exactly the same, once he began to master a word, be would say it in front of us.

Below is a video of him, +- 2 months old. A month later he came out the closet, and began talking freely.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9sYyGulb9w"]World's Amazing Talking African Grey Parrot "MISHKA" @ 2 MONTHS OLD - YouTube[/ame]


I used a tape recorder to record him when he was in a room alone. Played it back later, I was absolutely amazed just how many words he actually knew. I used the baby monitor as well. When he learnt a new word, I swapped the monitor around, so he could hear me saying the word, and began adding on new words, eventually making them into sentences.

Below is a video of him at 4 years old


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbWEtyNHu18"]Teach your Parrot to Talk - Talking African Grey Parrot - Mishka - YouTube[/ame]

Some birds will talk, other may never, it's their choice. Never ever give up, patience and perseverance will pay off in the long run.
A friend who has an AG Jessie only began talking after 16 years old.
Barbara his guardian, followed my method (link below). Barbara continuously plays the tapes she made for him, using her voice. 7 months later he began talking, saying small words eventually turning them into sentences. Today he talks 24/7.

Teach Your Bird To Talk

Keep talking and talking to your bird at every opportunity, repeating the words over and over again, making sure he understands what the word means. EG When walking into the room say HELLO and when walking out say BY BYE. Eventually when you enter the room he will say Hello and BYE BYE when you leave the room.

Good luck

 

[nofearengineer]

Gandalf ran right out of the gate blabbering everything. His first words I ever heard were "I love you" at only 3 months old. He was a real prodigy in the talking department, a lot like Mishka. I didn't know it was anything special...I just thought all African Greys were like that.

Bitty apparently was not encouraged to talk a lot by her previous owners. I got her at 18 months old. To this day, the only things she says from her former life is "Courtney." Everything else is from our time together. She is a very good talker though. She continues to amaze. Proof that even if they start late, they can still be terrific talkers.

 

[member]

How would you go about getting your bird not to talk without being mean about it?

 

[Jenlynn]

Thanks for the tips...I made a recording of "I love you" Yesterday was the 2nd time I played it while I was out of the house for a few hours. When I came home I heard his usual babbling. It sounds like actual sentences in some sort of foreign language. You can really tell he's practicing inflection and talking. Then out of nowhere, he stopped and clearly said "I love you" My mom and I were in the living room, one floor down and we both stopped and said...did you hear that haha. It was really exciting. He also is starting to make a cute little monkey sound I was teaching him. He's adorable.

 

[suncon97]

My CAG is around 8 months old and she barks like a dog,does the attractive whistle,and babbles like yours!I don't know where she gets some of this stuff but today I just heard her about say "Pretty Pearl!" She tries soo hard. Pearl does monkey too but she can't actually say monkey yet. The last few days she's starting a deep growling noise in her throat(the dog when she hears car doors) and a lip smacking noise.