Howdy Janice,
Welcome back!
I am happy to hear that you are nipping the biting problem. That can really be a pain! Get it..Pain
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_wink.gif)
..ok enough with my lame jokes!
Ringnecks start to talk at around 7- 12 months of age. Some Ringneck will take 1 ½ years to even say one word. Some Ringnecks don’t even talk at all. Every Ringneck is different and every bird learns at his/her own pace.
To increase your chances of getting her to talk, try to make your vocabulary very colorful. Be really enthusiastic about your words. Say them in different tones. Make your voice high or nice and deep. Every time you enter a room say, "Hello." When you let your Ringneck out of the cage say something like, “Play time.” You get the idea.
The key here is repetition and making your vocabulary very colorful. I would stay away from those repetition tapes. Parrots are more responsive to the voices of the people they love, rather than a stranger’s voice.
Also, those weird mumblings you hear could very well be your Ringneck practicing. When your Ringneck says her first word, you’ll know but not know. For example, a Ringneck trying to say hello might muffle it or make it very hard to understand until she practices it more and more. So listen for two syllable sounds. That could be the start of hello. Also, parrots will get the word clearer as time progresses.
Best of luck with talking! Hope this helps and please keep us updated.
I.C.