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I know, I know, I am sure she is too young yet (7 months), but when can I expect some language out of Diego????

When has everyone else's cockatiels started to say words and is there something I can do to encourage her? Is it too soon?

Hi Lisa,
If your bird is definately a female she may never talk (good possiblity). Females tend not to be the talkers. Males do all the talking. And if it's a male, well, they start in their own time (if they decide to talk at all). My daughter has had 2 males that never did talk. A friend of mine has males that don't talk. But her parakeet talks better than her Gray!! Like everyone will tell you..........just love her for just being. That's enough. She will definately love you back even if she can't say it with words. Kisses are wonderful and speak volumes.
Gloria

Thanks Gloria, I have heard that males are more talkative. As far as we can tell, Diego is a female. So, will just wait and see.

She has more love to give than I would have ever thought possible by a bird. She is amazing. Just 4 1/2 short weeks of living with us and she has stolen my heart. I don't know what I would do without her now!!

Years ago I raised teils. Gloriajean is right the males are the talkers but the female are the sweetest. They also like to cuddle. I have heard in the past about a female talking but that was a rare item. She will making cooing noise and other loving noise. LOL

Well, I certainly agree with the female being lovable. This bird is amazing. She loves to be held and stroked. We have our ritual at night called "Snuggle Birdie". We have to do that before we go to bed.

This morning, I had to get ready for work with a bird on my chest. She has a nice little shelf to sit on while I get ready!! My husband says, "Lucky Bird!!" ha ha

I would much rather have the cuddles over the speech. So if I had to pick, I guess I made the right decision getting her. She does coo and squeak in my ear. She is vocal, just no words.

So great to hear other people's experiences with their birds! Thanks!!

Every night before I put Annie, my 'Too, to bed I tell her to give daddy a kiss goodnight. Sometimes she'll 'kiss' him and other times she'll just lean into him to recieve a kiss. So cute.

That is just so adorable!!!

I never realized that birds were so affectionate and loving until we got Diego! I am hoping that she is around for a very, very long time, but I will never be without a bird. How she has enriched our lives. It is one spoiled bird, but I tell ya, she spoils the heck out of me with her attention.

I tell her to "come to Momma, and I put both hands out to come to me." She waddles over. There is nothing cuter!!! We call her our little puppy!

I have a male and he is about a year old. I heard that they usually don't start talking til after they are a year old, if they are going to talk, that is. Mine is showing signs that he is going to talk. My parent's male cockatiel talked and mine makes that same voice sound he did and sits and does it over and over like he is practicing! I really don't care if he talks or not, I just think that he will, he is very vocal! unfortunately I don't get all the love from him that you all get yet. He is not very tame, but I think in time he will come around and I am very patient. I talk to him alot and spend time with him and I can tell that he likes me, so I guess that it's just a matter of time.

My tiel...Mr. Lou....started talking at about 4 months.....and also tapping and doing the heart shaped wing thing in the mirror. I know he is a boy...I had him DNA tested. I used to call him Lunesta...cause I thought he was a girl...then once I found out she was a he...I changed the name to Mr. Lou....LOL!

My newest tiel Sundance I think is a girl she has never tapped...talked...or cares about a mirror...she does do the wolf whistle like Mr. Lou...but she sort of hollers it rather than whistles it.

So the only sure method is DNA...DNA...DNA!

I never had my bird DNA tested, and probably won't. He is a normal grey and his coloring is that of a male, plus his being so vocal and pecking like crazy at the side of his cage. He learned the wolf whistle in two weeks! He doesn't really do the heart shape thing, but he does do a similar type of thing with his wings--EVERY single time you aproach him-----you can count on it as much as the sun coming up tomorrow!

Well, if being a velcro bird means it's a female then Pizzicato is definitely female! She loves to cuddle and sit on me. I didn't realize cockatiels could be so snuggly--we had two (males) growing up and they were nothing like Pizz, but then they were also not handfed. I'm so glad she sat on me in the pet store!

I have a female also since Jan. - and boy is she a cuddle-bug!! She also likes to sit on my "shelf" under the chin! Every time she hears me from the other room she'll chirp - even after I put her to bed, if I sneeze cough or talk the sweetest little chirp comes from her bedroom.

If someone told me a year ago birds were cuddly and affectionate I would have thought they were crazy! I couldn't imagine not having her. It took about a week for her wrap me around her itty bitty toe!

Girls are not real talkers, but are cuddlers. Some will talk, a little. Boys are definate chatter boxes. My new guy, Loki, named appropriately by my hubby, came talking. I got him because I thought Tiki would pick up some new things, but not happening. They both can cuddle, Tiki especially. Loki is coming around to people.