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Bridget got her talking parakeet Hamlet to help with her anxiety. Now, he helps millions of others with theirs

By Bronte Gossling|

When Bridget Chant got her rose-ringed parakeet Hamlet almost four years ago, she had no idea he'd become a certified global sensation.

The Toowoomba-based 25-year-old originally purchased him after a tough year at university, as growing up, her pet cockatiel of 10 years was a constant source of support she could rely on.

Now, not only does Hamlet กช who is known by over four million people on TikTok for constantly parroting "What doing?" and giving Bridget kisses with a big "Mwa" กช support Bridget, he also helps users worldwide with their mental health.

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Bridget Chant and Hamlet
Bridget bought Hamlet, who turns four in September, in November 2018 after a rough year at uni. (Supplied)

"I struggle with anxiety and really have trouble sleeping and keeping calm when I'm overloaded with work or just day-to-day things," Bridget tells 9Honey.

"I bought Hamlet from a breeder with the intention of having a smart, beautiful friend to look after so I wouldn't be so caught up in my own anxieties."

Hamlet was about eight weeks old when Bridget took him home. She named him after the Shakespearean character and story, both because of her background in theatre and acting, and as a nod to the bird's own matching "dramatic personality."

Hamlet himself is a bit of an actor, though it's unclear if it's something he learned to do, or a talent he was born with.

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"He [sees] the phone and it's like he reverts back to his most practiced words, like he is in performance-mode," Bridget says, noting that although "What doing?" and "Kisses!" are two phrases viewers see on camera most frequently, his vocabulary is quite extensive beyond those.

"He tends to stick to what he knows best, but he does have quite [the] vocabulary. Annoyingly he doesn't do it much on camera because of what he associates with being filmed or seeing [on] my phone," she continues.

Hamlet watches the videos she posts to their TikTok account, @chantyb97, which she believes is how he knows how to "use his best lines" when she whips out her phone.

"It's really quite cool, like a small diva that is always camera-ready."

"He has certain noises for annoyance and joy, some [for] confusion and when he has moments to himself and is working through his repertoire of vocal sounds. For instance he can say, 'Hello,' 'Steven [Bridget's boyfriend],' 'Bridget,' 'Hamlet,' 'Huh?,' 'Good boy,' 'Step up,' 'What do?,' 'Good morning,' 'What?,' 'Really?,' 'Why?,' 'Hii?'" Bridget continues.

"There is a difference กช big whistles, 'Oh no,' he can laugh, beep, sing, growl and just grumble in general."

"It's really quite cool, like a small diva that is always camera-ready," she says of Hamlet's on-screen persona.

"It's amazing, he just recognises situations. For example, [when] we are trying to put him away back in his cage, he will fly to a high point and yell back down at us, 'Come on!' Like he's taunting [us], specifically Steve, who gets very frustrated with him."

Steve and Bridget have been together for over two years, and initially, Hamlet and Steve clashed over "territory" and noise issues. In the last six months, however, they've begun to get on, and their relationship now is something Bridget likens to that of a step-father and step-son.

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When Bridget first got Hamlet, she'd hoped he would talk กช male parrots are known for being able to speak กช but she was more looking for company than conversation.

"When he did start talking, I was so blown away by his clarity, his understanding and seeing how he absorbed information," she says.

Bridget did not intentionally teach him his popular "What doing?" or "Kisses" gimmick, rather, she would speak to him as a friend and ask him how he was going. Hamlet would give her an indication that he was listening and he flourished under the attention, so she continued asking him, and it helped the pair form a closer bond.

Hamlet's "Kisses" habit formed the same way กช he learnt how to do it from Bridget "smothering him with kisses."

"The way he comes in for a kiss then throws his head out for a big 'mmwwaaaa' is exactly how I [gave] him his big kisses, long before he could do it himself," she says.

Their TikTok account started at the beginning of the pandemic as a way to spread love and joy in a time of uncertainty, and it's something Bridget did not bet on blowing up.

"I decided to share some moments I had with him, adding quotes where I [imagined] him saying something with a head tilt or look rather than him physically saying the words, but also including his actual words," she says.

"My only goal then is the same as now, I post him to share joy, to promote being in the moment and show the love in our relationship as equal. He has his own loud and clever personality that is such a joy to share."

Bridget says she cherishes the messages of appreciation she receives from her followers who grapple with depression and anxiety, and it reaffirms her resolve to continue sharing snippets of her days with Hamlet.

"I get messages like, 'Your videos are what cheers me up on a crap day,'" Bridget reveals.

"Even parents who have kids that have trouble communicating or learning struggles reach out saying thank you because their child engages with Hamlet and give kisses goodnight like Hamlet. It's amazing, I love that I've both entertained and helped."

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