Parakeet Training Record

In the 60's, science had an answer for everything, and vinyl did much more than just supply you with the latest pop tunes. For a mere 98 cents, this 45rpm disc from Hartz Mountain claimed to be able to teach your parakeet to talk using a "scientific new method". The idea, it would seem, was to place your bird near the record player while a "carefully trained voice" recited over and over again a series of banal phrases. "Hello, baby", says the voice. "Hello, baby".

Whether this worked or not is anyone's guess (put me down for No), but judging from the wear on this particular disc, it would appear that somebody gave it a shot. It's actually hard to imagine how much easier using this record might have been compared to the "old fashioned" method it replaced. Considering that each side of the thing is only about 3 minutes long, a dedicated parakeet owner would have had to do an awful lot of record-flipping to generate any appreciable amount of listening time. Weigh that against the disadvantage to having your parakeet learn only those phrases carefully selected by the Hartz Mountain engineers, and -- wait, I keep forgetting. This was the 60's, and these are consumers we're talking about.

It's too bad that the parakeet training concept seems to have been a passing phenomenon. With today's multi-gigabyte MP3 players able to hold hours of sound, it might actually have a chance. Hello, baaaaaby...

jool hul says:
Pete, my time traveling parakeet could rhyme. I'm serious! He always was knibbling on my dictionary which he really liked. I just had to say a word and within 10 minutes he came up with word that would rhyme. EVERYTIME. This was espacially handy round christmas when we always make a little poem to go with the gift.

PS my goldfish plays the banjo.
(06-24-2009)

isaac (villegas247@hotmail.com) says:
ive been trying to make my parakeet to speek and to go on my finger i do it the right way but it doesnt work i say the words over and over. could some one help me PLEASE!! (04-16-2009)

Ms. Cnote (misscnotejobseeker@yahoo.com) says:
I just bought a new parakeet and her name is Lyric. Lately she pecks every time I or anyone put our hand inside her cage. What does this mean? (12-11-2008)

phataboi says:
that was some of the funniest stuff ive listen to in a while LOL. the "real parrot" was FAKE for sure :P (07-01-2008)

Cheryl Questell (cjquestell@yahoo.com) says:
Hi, I have a parakeet named "Prayer". She likes to sit on my shoulder, follow me around, sit on my head in my hair or sit on my shoulder and play with my earrings or necklace. Lately She likes to bite my lower lip. I turned toward her once and she leaned forward so I let her do it to see what she does. But now she seems to do it alot and I'm visiting my parents and she's been doing the same thing to my dad! I saw one answer above about it but could someone explain what that's about? Is it aggressive, is she hungry, am I her mom? Please inform. Thanks.

Cheryl Q (05-23-2008)

dee dee says:
i just got a parakeet.she always looks in her mirror.does that mean she's lonely?should i get an other bird to company her? (05-12-2008)

michelle (jmercedes1968@aim.com) says:
i just got a bird. how should i takecare of it. how do i teach it to talk. and step on my finger. please help me. email me back. (04-22-2008)

michelle says:
Hi everyone. I have a 2 harlequin boy and a girl. The boys name is spike and the girls name is tammy. I also have a all white one. And a blue and white one. I wanted to know if anyone can tell me if this actually works. Please help me. (04-22-2008)

joe says:
i got my parakeet 2 days ago and he goes on my hand all u need to do is spend time with them talk to them softly and then around 2:00 he gets really active and flys around his cage :) (04-20-2008)

anna_bananakins says:
how long does it take a parakeet to learn how to talk (04-11-2008)

Jennifer says:
hey everyone who has problems teling if thier parakeet is a male or female. i can tell you how to tell them a part. You know how the parakeets have a blue, brown, or purple thing over their beaks. Well thats how you can tell if it is a girl or boy. The blue one is a male (boy). The brown one is a female (girl). The purple one i have no clue. (03-13-2008)

Natalie says:
I am finally getting a parakeet this weekend. Can't wait! The only problem is that I am the only one who has to take care of them. Oh and the next problem is that i don't know what to name them. I am getting 3 parakeets so it might be hard to think of 3 good names. That's why I am looking on the internet for names. Can someone please help. (03-13-2008)

Brittany (Pop_bubbles_101@yahoo.com) says:
I just got a white blueish parakeet and i would like to know how to train her/he to talk!!!
He/She will cherp sometimes but im trying to get something out of its mouth!!! If anybody has any answers just email me.

Thanks (02-10-2008)

rob (xr0b3rt3x@hotmail.com) says:
how should i teach my bird to talk and wat r good names for parakeets and wat shood i teach it to say

P.S. pc3! (01-29-2008)

karah (thegreatkarahbooski@yahoo.com) says:
I need some help. just last year, my female bird died, and she took care of my new baby bird. ever since then, the baby has been very mean to me. she bites and makes me bleed!!! if anyone has any advice, just email me, please!! (12-31-2007)

Jackie (brownybabe@gmail.com) says:
Im tryinh to teach my parakeets to talk but all they do is chirp!!! i got a new one and he just runs away from my (fly) i have a girl and a boy and there so cute together! 3 im looking at them right now and there sitting next to each other almost about to fall asleep :) (12-14-2007)

Natalie (say-word@hotmail.com) says:
I have a parakeet who i love dearly. I have name it peatree Im not sure weather it is a boy or a girl but I have taken the time to start talking to it and sometimes it trys to repeat it. I need to know how to get my bird to go on my finger it will eat out of my hand and let me pet it but just wont go on my hand or come out the cage I leave the cage door open but it just wont come out. What to do (12-12-2007)

Nick Westman says:
PARAKEET TRAINING TIPS: If you have just gotten a bird you have to get it used to you. Approach it slowly, always with some food in your hand, and talk to it the whole time. Put your open hand inside the cage slowly, near the bird on its perch and hold very still. After a while the bird will take food from your hand and might climb on your hand, probably biting a little as he climbs aboard. All young parakeets bite what they climb on, to make sure your hand isn't a snake or something. Don't react, just keep on talking. The best food and vitamins are by DR. LAFEBER (lafeber.com). Be sure the bird gets leaf lettuce as they eat it and also use it to bathe (in the wild, they roll in wet leaves, if your bird does this be sure he doesn't get too chilled). If you want it to talk, besides a good parakeet talk record or tape, get some Books On Tape with people reading in clear voices, or tune your radio to NPR. Arrange things so that they can safely fly around the room or even the whole house. Never clip a bird's wings. Two or more parakeets are better than one as they are a social bird. It will take longer for them to speak English, but it is worth it to their mental health! (09-24-2007)

Gracen (dgeorge409@netzero.com) says:
Jerry is my new parakeet. She/he is shy and polite, doesn't bite, but doesn't go out of the cage when I let it out. It just runs back into the cage. Funny! I'm using Nutriphase food. It is eating it. Is there anything better. I play music for it. I'm waiting for it to get used to stepping onto my hand. (09-14-2007)

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