I really think food is the royal way to get animals to do things.

It has been for our cats. Food rules their lives!

It might be that some birds don't realize you WANT them to talk.

By using the incentive and reward thing...they learn very quickly that you WANT them to talk. I think once you break that barrier, your cute bird will perhaps talk your arm off! LOL

I love cauliflower too! (hubby hates it). I'd certain "talk" or work for cauliflower treats!

My second parakeet Willie... used to go bonkers for ice cream or milk. If he saw me having some, he would run back and forth on the bottom of his cage bursting with energy--which was fun to watch and hard to ignore---to be let out. I guess it was the calcium in those foods? He didn't eat alot of it but just have to have a few little pecks. I can still hear his little feet making the pattering sound on his cage floor paper! I never had to train him with treats tho... he was an avid mimic. He could do my dad's cough and a squeaky door as well as words and phrases.

He'd follow me around the house when out of his cage. I'd just say " come on Willie, let's go" and he'd fly onto my shoulder and I'd go to my room for homework. He'd come with me to the bathroom and loved when I took a bath. I had a little shallow bowl for him on the sink and he'd splash around too all the while watching himself in the vanity mirror. He was a great bird, and a great friend at that time in my life!

So please keep us up to date with your Reg's antics, Anne. I love reading about them! Ditto for the other bird lovers here!