How to Train Your Parrot to Talk

Parrots are very entertaining birds especially if you hear them talk. Knowing a few of the essential points in training your parrot to talk is the key to a successful training process.

The first important thing in training a parrot to talk is to establish a relationship with trust. Like training a child, a trusting relationship facilitates a good learning environment in which both the trainer and trainee can benefit. Take the necessary amount of time to bond with your parrot because this stage requires patience, but is well worth the time. Be the one to feed your parrot so that he will be comfortable in your presence. If your parrot is comfortable enough and feels secure in your presence, he won't be hesitant to please you.

Next, pick a word that can easily be learned by your parrot to start talking. Difficult words may cause you frustration and can even disrupt the entire training process. Most parrots are comfortable to make "B" and "D" sounds while sounds like "N" and "S" are harder for them to make. So a good first step might be to teach your parrot to say "Big Dog" rather than training him to say "Sorry". Training your parrot to say words that are easy for him will likely to make the training process go quick and smooth.

You should get into a habit of training your parrot daily with just a single word or phrase at a time. Repetition of the word or phrase is the key for your parrot to easily grasp it. Every time you pass by or see your parrot, don't forget to say the word or phrase for that day. Don't let other people say different words to your parrot before your parrot starts to talk as this may confuse him. Instead, you can ask them to say the same word or phrase to your parrot in the same manner.

Parrots vary in their way of developing their speech, so it is important for you to give your parrot enough time to say his first word. Speak to your parrot in a calm and low tone voice. A high and nagging tone can startle a parrot and cause him to become inattentive. When your parrot attempts to speak his first word, reward him with his favorite food. Positive reinforcement develops eagerness for your parrot to learn more and makes him strive to please you.

When your parrot starts to master his first word, you can introduce him to new words and phrases. Introduce new words or phrases one at a time and one per day. Do not introduce new words abruptly one after the other. Mastery still takes time even if your parrot has already started to talk. Continue to give your parrot rewards after saying the words you taught him to say.

There you have it. Follow these easy steps and you should have a talkative and entertaining parrot for years to come.