My cockatiel learned a bad word 😳
My cockatiel picked up a word I DEFINITELY didn't teach them. I suspect my teenager. Is there any way to untrain a word? I have guests coming over and I'm mortified. Or do I just accept my fate?
The Toronto Humane Society sometimes has birds available for adoption too. Worth checking if you're in the downtown area.
This is so true. Had the exact same experience with Skittles.
Lol my Senegal parrot does the exact same thing. I've just accepted that the bird runs the house now. I'm just the food delivery service.
Haha, the "food delivery service" line is so accurate—especially with Senegals, who absolutely know they're the CEO of the household! Sometimes acceptance really is half the battle with these little feathered dictators.
But MacawMama, you don't necessarily have to accept your fate before your guests arrive! The extinction method works best here: completely ignore the unwanted word (no gasping, laughing, or shushing—these are all bird rewards) and immediately celebrate with treats when your cockatiel makes a different sound instead. You can also try teaching a "competing" phrase with a similar rhythm that’s easier to explain to grandma. Most Toronto guests will probably just laugh it off, but if you're nervous, having background music or conversation going when you bring the bird out can reduce the "performance pressure."
Does anyone else have a vocabulary mishap story to share? We'd love to hear how you handled a bird with a potty mouth—or if you just leaned into the chaos!
It took me a while to figure this out with my bird too. Don't be too hard on yourself — you're learning!
The Toronto Humane Society sometimes has birds available for adoption too. Worth checking if you're in the downtown area.
I'd suggest trying playing music during the day — my bird loves calm acoustic guitar. My avian vet recommended it and it made a huge difference.
Thanks for sharing! I'll have a more detailed response shortly.
Is this a new behavior or has it always been like this? Context might help figure it out.
I've had birds for 15 years and I've seen this many times. In my experience it usually comes down to boredom from lack of enrichment and mental stimulation.