Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!lll-tis!ames!ptsfa!pacbell!pbhyg!edg
From: edg@pbhyg.UUCP (Elizabeth D. Gottlieb)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: Teaching my African Grey to talk?
Message-ID: <1173@pbhyg.UUCP>
Date: 23 Feb 88 18:55:45 GMT
References: <768@mit-caf.UUCP>
Reply-To: edg@pbhyg.UUCP (Elizabeth D. Gottlieb)
Organization: Pacific * Bell, San Ramon, CA
Lines: 17


Paul,

Good luck with your Grey!  My advice is to talk to him ALL THE TIME -- whenever
you pass by, etc., and repeat what you'd like him to learn in relatively the
same tone of voice.  Also, reinforcement once he learns is important.  My
blue-front Amazon talks up a storm, but only when he wants to.  The blue-and-
gold macaw who sits next to him has finally (after 10 years) learned to speak
from the Amazon!  I think the Amazon (Yakov) learned more quickly because his
voice range is closer to mine, and the macaw needed a male voice to imitate, so
my husband's reinforcement helped there.

A funny story -- years ago, a friend was visiting who kept trying to feed Yak
raisins, which he won't eat.  When I came home from work, he was repeating her
offer, "Want a BIG ONE?  Want a BIG ONE?"  Needless to say, we didn't reinforce
this and he doesn't pop up with it anymore.

Libby Gottlieb