Little Live Pets Cleverkeet review

You may remember that a few months ago, we welcomed a Little Live Pets Mouse called Smooch to The Madhouse, so Juliette was over the moon when we were sent another product from the range to review - the Cleverkeet.

We received a fabulous playset containing all sorts of accessories for our new feathered friend (and us !) to play with, including a perch, mirror and cart. The Cleverkeet is described on the box as an "amazing singing and talking real bird". I'm actually surprised they can get away with that because even if, as we discovered, it is a lot of fun and really interactive, saying it's a real bird is just not true! It does act just like a parakeet though - if you think of any actions that a real live parakeet would do, the Little Live Pet Cleverkeet does them too.

It dances and swings, sings songs and talks, even copying what you say. Sometimes it mixes up your words so it seems like it has a mind of its own, and the results can be quite hilarious. It flaps its wings, shakes its head and even answers your yes/no questions. The only thing it doesn't do is poo, as the Madhouse kids pointed out !

Arguably the most impressive feat that it is capable of is driving along in its own little cart under its own steam, much to Pierre's delight. The technology is really impressive - don't ask me how it works but you can give it a name which it will recognise when you play with it. (It even has an adoption certificate in the box.) It also recognises itself in the mirror and you can carry him around on his detachable perch.

The instruction booklet in the box explains all the different ways you can interact with and train your Cleverkeet. We couldn't get everything to work to begin with, then we realised that the batteries that are already installed will only allow you to use a reduced range of demo activities. Replacing them with 2 x AAA batteries will really bring it to life and unleash all its potential.

The Cleverkeet is a real little chatterbox, interacting with you and reacting to your voice but also guiding you, telling you what it wants to do and where it wants to go. It even asks for music and bops along to the tunes that you put on for it ! It's really realistic, particularly when it gets momentum going to act seemingly independently, on its perch or in its cart for example.

Rather like a Furby or a Tamagotchi, it evolves and learns new things the more you play with it, talk to it and pet it. It goes to sleep when you stop playing with it but will remember what it has learnt when it wakes up again. (If only my pupils were the same !). There is a reset button if you want to start afresh with a new name and a clear memory with none of the recorded words and sayings.

I must admit, when I saw the price, I did do a doubletake - at about £60, it's not cheap (although this is a brand new product so I've no doubt the prices will come down). Having seen how much fun all three of the Madhouse kids and also the adults have been having with it, plus the fact that it is a toy with long-term appeal because of the way it evolves the more you play with it, I would actually say that it's worth it though. I've never really seen the appeal of having a real live bird but the Cleverkeet has shown me that they can actually be great fun - I'd rather have the poop-free Little Live Pet version than a real one though !

star rating : 5/5

RRP : £59.99

for more information : http://www.character-online.com/products/Little-Live-Pets/Birds/Cleverkeet/

Disclosure : We received the product in order to write an honest review.