How to Teach a Parakeet to Talk (6 Tips and Tricks)

While Parakeets can learn to talk, it doesn’t come as naturally to them as other parrots. If you want to understand your pet, they need proper care and training to work on their tone becoming more precise. When teaching your Parakeet to talk, you should know a few things first. Once we’ve gotten that out of the way, we’ll give you a few tips and tricks to train your bird the right way.

Things to Know Before Training a Parakeet

The earlier you start teaching your Parakeet to talk, the easier it’ll be. Begin training your Parakeet as a baby for the best results. Using word association with your Parakeet is also essential, so he’ll come to recognize the words and phrases.

It’s best to lead by example. In other words, don’t say things that you don’t want your pet repeating. If you train your pet, it’s best to do so during the hours where there’s the most talking going on in your house.

Finally, be patient, as your Parakeet isn’t going to learn to talk overnight. It takes time, and if you get frustrated and become irritable with your pet, your efforts will be wasted, and the bird may never talk.

These factors can determine how long it takes to teach your Parakeet to talk if it decides to speak at all.

The 6 Tips and Tricks for Training Your Parakeet to Talk

These tips and tricks should help you train your bird to talk and mimic sounds he hears from you and others.

1. First Know Your Species

You first need to know the species of Parakeet you have. Wild Parrot species can be tough to train, and adults of the Parakeet species can also be.

2. Start Small and Simple

Once you’ve decided on the type of Parakeet species you’re going to train, it’s best to start small and simple. Try getting the Parakeet to mimic words such as hello, hi, or bye-bye. These are the easiest words for the bird to emulate, and you can add on other words later.

Once your bird is easily mimicking one of the simple words, you can move to another. It usually takes 12 to 32 days for a Parakeet to learn to repeat a simple word successfully, so don’t expect it to be instantly.

3. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat

Many Parakeets learn to mimic environmental sounds such as ringing doorbells, ringing telephones, or water droplets because they often hear them. That means if you want to teach your bird a word, you will have to repeat it several times for it to take hold.

Some birds are shy and may not ever mimic or talk. However, if yours is a bird that is outgoing, then after many repeated attempts, the bird may very well pick up a few words or more.

4. Reward Your Bird

One of the best ways to get your Parakeet to talk is to reward him for every word he mimics successfully. Parakeets are intelligent creatures and will soon associate the treat with the talking.

5. Speak Clearly and Firmly

A Parakeet can’t mimic something he can’t hear. When trying to teach a bird to talk, you need to speak firmly and clearly. It’s best to face your Parakeet when you’re saying the word you want him to repeat.

6. Be Patient

Teaching a Parakeet to talk is a time-consuming task, and it’s not going to happen instantly. You’ll have to take your time, be patient, and be willing to repeat the word many times to ensure your pet is learning it the right way.

Once you’ve taught your Parakeet to say simple words, it’s possible that you can teach the bird to say simple phrases or even ask for their favorite toy. Of course, this will take a bit more time, but it can be done if you’re eager to hear your Parakeet talk.

Wrapping Up

When teaching a Parakeet to talk, it’s essential to realize that it isn’t an easy task. You can’t just give your Parakeet a word and expect him to repeat it. It can be done by following the tips and tricks above, but it will take several training sessions.

Make sure to start with a simple word, and don’t add more words to the mix until you know your Parakeet has a handle on one. Once he can repeat a simple word, add more and move on to phrases.

Featured Image Credit: Ditney, PIxabay