A lovebird is a small group of parrots. This bird is 13 to 17 cm in length, up to 24 cm in wingspan with 9 cm for a single wing and weighs around 40 to 60 grams. Lovebirds are among the smallest parrots which has a stocky build, short blunt tail and large and sharp beak.
Interestingly, lovebirds can be trained to talk. It may be difficult to teach them to talk, however, it is still possible. They can be trained to sing too, see the ways in how to train your lovebirds to sing.
Lovebirds love imitating new sounds and you will soon find out that teaching the first word is probably the most difficult task. Teaching lovebirds to talk will need some work and patience.
The most important thing in teaching lovebirds is having a bond with them. Once you tackle the tricks of teaching them, then you will find a lot of joy!
Now, it’s time to see the 7 fun steps to teach your lovebirds to talk.
- Let your lovebirds get used to the new environment
Teaching lovebirds to talk shouldn’t be started by learning words. Since the first day of the birds’ stay, give them some time to get familiar with their surroundings and you as well.
Once you realize that your birds are used to your voice and give good reactions to it, then you can start the first lesson. Get your lovebirds trust you first by putting some delicacies on your hand and let them eat it. This way, you can reward your lovebirds later.
Make sure you also know the the right lighting settings for your lovebirds.
- Choose the most convenient time
Choose a certain time which is convenient for you and your lovebirds to practice. You can choose the convenient time every day. Lovebirds are wise and will be able to realize that the training times are repetitive and will start to wait for them!
- Do repetition of the chosen word
Sit comfortably in front of your lovebirds and do some repetitions of the chosen word clearly. Make sure that the tone of the voice and the intensity are the same.
Don’t get surprised when your lovebirds keep looking at you with interest and even with a slight surprise. Remember not to expect too much. You might only hear a mocking screech at the first lesson.
Another bird that can be trained to talk is cockatiel. Read more about it in how to train your cockatiel to talk faster.
- Pay closer attention to your lovebirds
When your lovebirds seem to get tired of watching you and prefer to take care of something else, then it means that the training is enough. The training is over and you can come back to them on the following day at the same time. After a few minutes, the lovebirds tend to find some food or food which means that they are kind of bored.
- Pay attention to your reaction
Just like us humans, lovebirds also love to see positive reactions from their trainers. When you pay special attention to your lovebirds while they are training, they will try to imitate the sounds. And, when you show positive reactions to what they do, they will be likely to do it more often.
- Be patient
As being told before, training your lovebirds to talk requires much time and patience. So the last step of training them is being patient. The first word you will hear might be unexpected.
Surprisingly, your birds may try to catch your attention, specifically when they feel abandoned. And they will try to pronounce the words you have taught them.
Your lovebirds will remember the words as you devoted the most attention to them. By the time you come back to them, they may demand and continue to learn.
As time goes by, it will be easier to learn new words for your lovebirds. You may try including some additional lessons too in order to repeat the words, melodies and sounds heard at home. The key is never give up. If you don’t give up, then your lovebirds won’t do that either.
If you wish to have a quiet bird at home, then consider these best quieter pet birds that won’t bother you.
- Spend a lot of your time with them
Being together with your lovebirds as often as possible will also be helpful to train them to talk. You can spend most of your time with your lovebirds, such as while you are washing dishes or watching TV, take them with you. This will help you two build stronger emotional bond.
When your lovebirds are close to you, you can talk to them and teach them some simple words. Lovebirds are nature vocal beings by nature, so after some time, they will start imitating you.
If you wish to pet a bird, get to know the recommended pet birds for you who live in apartment.