How late is too late?

[adamsfamily531]

Hello! Gearing up to get our first IRN baby for Christmas. Just wondering, how late is too late to teach an IRN to talk? She is 11 months old, so she will be almost a year old when we get her. She turns 1 on January 16. She is VERY quiet, and I don't think I've EVER heard her so much as peep. It doesn't matter to me if she never talks, we will love her just the same... but is there a large chance she won't talk since she's older? Do you think she's too old to learn?

Thanks everyone!
Rachael

[MissK]

I wish you the best with your new parrot.
-MissK

[sanjays mummi]

I read somewhere that IRN's don't start talking properly until they are mature. Sanjay says Wot? and imitates a lot of sounds, but he is not physically mature yet.

[adamsfamily531]

Thanks everyone! That gives me some assurance that she might talk then, if she ends up being a "talker"... now... I do believe that she is not a talker, simply because she is just very quiet when I go visit her. I've never heard her so much as peep. The rest of the birds in the store talk and chatter and chirp all the time, but she just plays by herself and cuddles us when we come see her. I'd love to be able to teach her a few words or so, but I'm thinking she might have a tough time since she's not used to talking. Never know though, I might be surprised once she's not in a "pet store" setting anymore! I know it's hard to teach them to talk when they're around so many other birds! Thanks again everyone!

[superfrank]

I adopted Tupelo, my 18 month old female about a month ago. Since moving in with us, she has learned two new phrases. She also loves to invent new phrases such as "peekaboo cracker" and "Whatcha bird?" BUT it took a LOT of repetition and postitive reinforcement.