Is it actually possible to make budgies learn to talk

shortys94

Can budgies be taught to talk? If so any recommendatons on teching techniques, it would be cool to have a bird that can talk:)

Thanks

luckat

Yes - at least, budgies love to repeat sounds, and those sounds can happen to be words. All parrot-type animals do this, as do ravens, magpies, mynahs, etc. (In fact, I read recently about a parrot in Dublin that's been listening to too much talk radio, and has picked up the word "Absolutely!")

Here's a couple of sites:
http://www.giveusahome.co.uk/articles/budgie_talk.htm
http://www.budgie-parakeets.com/teachingabudgietotalk.html
http://wvwv.essortment.com/howtoteachbi_rdne.htm

The main thing is to start with one simple one-syllable or two-syllable word ("Hello", for instance), say it to the budgie, and when it makes any kind of nearly-right attempt, give it a treat and lots of praise. It'll soon catch on that saying the word gets it a treat. Once the first word is taught, and really bedded in, start trying for a new word.

Don't teach it bad language; if anything happened to it and you couldn't mind it for some reason, bad language will cut its chance of getting a new home by a lot.

tallus

the younger the bird is when you get it the better, it's a case of not being abe to teach an old dog new tricks if you'll pardon the pun. and it's far easier to teach a single bird.

shortys94

thanks, im probably too impacient to try this

luckat

I'm sure you're not! Just find out what treats it likes, then go up to the cage and say a word: "Hello!"

Keep saying it, and your bird will stare at you as if you're a lunatic. Then it'll chirp. Give it a tiny treat.

Say "Hello" again, in the same tone, with the same intonation. If it chirps again, give it another treat.

Keep saying "Hello", and it's likely that it will soon start to imitate you. First time it says "Hello", give it a jackpot - a biiig treat. After that, just keep on the same way, gradually fading out the treats, but praising for talk.

Keep the training sessions short. Three minutes is long enough at a time for both you and the budgie.

Simon201

"Can budgies be taught to talk?"

Yeah and other stuff here's the proof

http://homepage.mac.com/simon201/Sites/Einstein.mp4

tallus

Simon201 wrote:

"Can budgies be taught to talk?"

Yeah and other stuff here's the proof

http://homepage.mac.com/simon201/Sites/Einstein.mp4

That's an African Grey, not a budgie. Where budgies can be prolific talkers, they cannot be fairly compared to The Grey in either quality or volume. They do not have a very loud voice. Grey's do.

Nala

Budgies can learn to talk but not all of them will. Male budgies are reputed to be better at it than females.
I have a 3 year old budgie, I got him when he was a baby but I've never got around to teaching him anything but he picked up loads of things by himself.

-He can do my text message alert sound (the "Beep-beep, beep-beep).

-He does an excelent impersonation of my zebra finch, I only had the finch a day or two when my budgie was mimicing him. He was the same when I got my cockatiel. It's brilliant, the finch makes his finchy noises and the budgie answers him in his own voice!

-He can say lots of little words but he's not as great on them and I can't make out some of them but he has said "Hello" quite clearly several times.

-Also, one time, I stuck my head out the door and made that "Pss-pss-pss-pss" noise to call my cat, and the budgie mimiced it back to me to perfection! I think the cat was miaowing once and he miaowed back at her as well.

If you are going to teach him anything, pick something short to start with. Bear in mind you will have to repeat it over and over again for about 5 minutes at a time, and you have to say it exactly the same every time. You can record yourself repeating the same thing on a tape and have it on repeat and he might pick it up like that but afaik its better to be there saying it in person.

shortys94

yea i kinda get impacient and shout at them, yep, those budgies got a mind of their own

J2DaC

Simon201 wrote:

"Can budgies be taught to talk?"

Yeah and other stuff here's the proof

http://homepage.mac.com/simon201/Sites/Einstein.mp4

That video is on ebaumsworld mate. Very funny!

Sigma Force

Budgies can learn to talk if they are bonded to you and aren't living with other birds. Males generally are more prolific talkers. You need to pick one word and stick to it, something short and better still something that ends in a 'Y' or 'IE' eg Pitty tweety etc.
It can take weeks or months depending on the bird, any time you approach the bird just say that word, the more time you spend with the bird the quicker he will learn. A lone budige needs a few hours a day at least of attention from an owner, if not teaching the bird to talk and your time with the bird is limited it might be worth thinking about getting another budgie as a companion.
Lone budgies when they bond to you make really great pets, so sweet and funny.