Training the Cockatiel parrot

Question
Hi,

I have just bought a 4 months old Cockatiels parrot and it hardly speaks. Is he too small to speak or what extra do we need to do to make him more interactive. Otherwise he is very naughty but does not interacts. We try to make him speak. He does every activity but does not speaks....We are worried that if he will live remain quite or is there any problem with the parrot.

Answer
Hi Vandy!

Thank you for asking my advice!

A cockatiel can learn to talk but not all of them do.  Males are more likely to talk than females.  We have 6 cockatiels right now and only one of them talks, he says "pretty bird", the others just have a variety of whistles.  You can not "make" him talk.

In order to encourage him to talk you can talk to him, repeating the words you wish him to use everyday.  Say it in a higher pitched "sing song" voice.  Teach him to whistle by whistling to him.  Cockatiels are very good whistlers.  

If you have a female, though possible, it is unlikely that she will learn to talk.  

Four months is the ideal time to begin training a cockatiel!  Best of luck and congratulations on your new fid!