oh my....it has been WAY too long since my last post. my apologies to everyone interested in Ellis!

Ellis has been just a sweetheart since the day he came! he steps up VERY nicely on our fingers and hands. he had some issues with stepping up on to hands from his cage, but it seems to be solved now. (just have to keep it up!).

when he wants a scratch on his head, he will come looking for your fingers and bow his head down for you. if he doesn't put his beak to the surface he is stepping on but is keeping his head low, watch out...he may just try and bite you once you slightly touch the top of his head.

with bathing, he REALLY loves his baths when he is ready for it. i take him with me on my finger into the shower, turn on the shower (he likes his water s-l-i-g-h-t-l-y warm - to me, it feels lukewarm) and deflect the water to spray lightly all over Ellis. he'll wait a bit and sit there getting wet - doing nothing. then, when he gets going, he will fluff himself up and start getting silly - he will roll his head around on his back spread his wings around him, stand on one foot while he is scratching his neck and face, shake his whole body and end with his tail, and rub his head with his wings.

Ellis LOVES to entertain for pieces of walnuts. i need to teach him something new, but so far he will touch a target (anywhere i place it, and the target could be anything) and wave on cue. (he will lift his foot way up over his head!)

he does have his outbursts of screeching, but we usually know the causes of some - not getting his dry food as soon as he is done with his fresh food, when he hears my husband and cannot see him after coming home, etc. - and we try to avoid them.

he also does some of his talking - i think it happens when he is a little dozy and still hears the activity in the living room (or he is in the living room with us and getting a bit dozy. its cute!