Essential Tips on Encouraging Your Parrot to Speak

Teaching your parrot to speak can be a fun and easy task. It's a very rewarding experience, and you'll enjoy your bird's chattering and antics for years to come. Following a few simple guidelines will get your parrot talking in no time!

Patience is key. This is the number one aspect to keep in mind when training your parrot to talk. Birds don't take well to change, so rushing them or forcing too many new things on them at one time can cause great stress. It's important to take things slowly and allow him to learn at his own pace.

Food is a great motivator! Using positive reinforcement, in the form of food treats, is an excellent way to encourage your parrot to talk. There are various types of treats available. Fruits are a favorite of parrots, as are leafy greens, seeds, nuts, and fresh veggies. Not only are these foods motivating, they're nutritionally sound as well!

Parrots love praise. Birds absolutely adore being praised and preened. They're flock animals by nature, and you are their flock leader. Using an excited tone of voice when rewarding them for good behaviors, and never yell at them or use a negative tone of voice.

Be respectful of space. Parrots are incredibly territorial creatures. Keep in mind that their cage is their space, and their toys are their possessions. It's important that your bird not feel like you are violating their space. Try to keep your hands out of the cage as much as possible. When removing from the cage, it's better to coax them out of it, rather than sticking your hands inside.

Keep him interested. Some birds have a short attention span. If you find that your parrot does seem to be paying attention to you for extended periods of time, try several 15 minute sessions in a single day, rather than hourly sessions once per day. The same applies for any CDs or programs that you may play when you're away... after a certain amount of time, these will just become background noise to your bird.

Don't lose heart! Making human sounds doesn't come easily to birds. Their vocal chords are built differently than ours, and it takes a bit of effort to get used to speaking our language. It will happen! Don't give up. Keep at it!

Following these essential tips will ensure that your parrot learns quickly, with little stress. You'll be astounded at the rate at which your parrot will pick up on new words and phrases, and you'll build a relationship to last a lifetime!

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