Today, we have had a break through with the STEP UP practice! For some reason, for the last few weeks, he had no interest in stepping on my hand and 'going for a walk' to his playscape. I have been concerned since he is caged in the living room where the sunlight is limited. I think he needs some real light. So, I have been dragging his honkin' big cage through the house to get him to the family room then dragging it back at night! What a pain in the behind! "Hang on, Axel, you're ok" has become my mantra! He didn't freak-out on the trips, but it is not something I look forward to as a forever thing.

Anyway, I have been trying to regain his trust in stepping up and it sure wasn't going well. No improvement and I just seemed to be tickin' him off! Being a stubborn old goat, I am not giving up on this process and, today, for some reason, he regurgitated for a short time while doing his little one foot up, then down, the other foot up, then dowm dance but..... then he got up. I brought him toward me but he acted concerned so I returned him to the perch and he stepped down. We did it two more times, then I had to stop to prepare to go out for dinner. I really wanted to continue and not lose the progress.... but...whatever.

When we returned, I started to clean the cage - talking away to him as always , and he started his little baby squeeks and got all shivery - he does that when he wants to feed me, so I put my hand up and he started to step up. He did his dance a couple of times but then just stepped up. I didn't move to bring him away from the perch. He stayed put then stepped down. Then he stepped up turned around then down. He must have done it fifty times! A couple of times I moved him to me and be beaked my nose and made his kiss sound. Wow!. Can't figure what got into him!

Although, I must say, that I suspect that by the little booty shake of his lovely red tail feathers, he may have been having an amorous moment! I must look that up, somewhere!

He still preferes to bathe in his drinking water but he likes to bite the little ducks we have for his tub (cake pan) that I still offer to him every other day - he doen not bathe every day.

Another new behavior this week - he has begun to use his words when we are in the same room with him. Until now, he made very few noises when we were sitting near him but the minute we left the room he whistled, and talked like crazy. Well, that has changed. He uses all of his words wherever we are. He really enjoys talking when I am on a phone call. If I am sitting right next to him he comes as close to me as possible in the cage and puffs up a little, tucks one foot up, then chatters with a lot of OK's and Allrights and Byes. Sometime I have to leave the room because I cannot focus on the phone call because I am listening to Axel. He makes the sounds of a conversation, but kinda' under his breath. His voice inflection is perfect but I don't think they are all words. I think it is just tone and nonsense chatter. Sure sounds like he knows what he is talking about.

One night this week, I was cleaning the bottom grate and not talking to him - I guess I was deep in thought, probably about poop and how dry and hard it can get in 24 hours, and he was perched right in the center of the cage watching. He broke the silence with "What's a matter?"

Now, how cute is that? I laughed a little and he laughed a little too. He has a variety of laughs! Cute little chuckles, bigger hearty laughs and and a really evil low pitched laugh. Gosh, he is an amazing little guy!

Almost forgot another breakthrough this week! He has let me scratch his head and neck a few times. How could I have forgotten that? He has quite a few new feathers coming in and they are pokey with that covering on them and I think he really wanted a little help with them. Whatever, this is a first for us! I felt a little giddy that he would let me help him out. He has lowered his head many times before but when I made a move to scratch, he was like a serpent striking at my offensive finger. He got me a few times but I have learned a lot about his moves and generally I am able to avoid the bite. When he is successful at 'getting me' he makes his evil laugh then bashes a nearby hanging toy. (Don't know what that toy bashing is about, but it is a pattern that anytime he tries to 'get me' he grabs the toy and smashes it against the cage.) That's when he gets to hear my rendition of "Wild Thing"!

I think that is it for now. Each day of these eleven weeks has been filled with the joy of Axel and what we have learned about each other. He is precious and we are blessed to be able to have him with us.

Good Grief, how time passes!

Axel has lived with us for 7 weeks! He is constantly showing us how clever he is and shows us what he can do and say. Each day has been wonderful for us. Fascinating little creature.

I bought some young children's toys for him to play with. One is a See and Say animal sound toy. He is a riot! The rooster sound entertained him first. He now repeats the sound with the toy. I think he is trying to sing Old MacDonald but he is still working on it.

Another toy is Ernie and Cookie Monster sounds toy. There are doorbell, duck, firetruck, etc. sounds. He is doing really well on pushing the buttons to get the sounds. Such a clever boy! Although I am pretty sure he just wants to remove the buttons and get a really good chew, but the toys are still in good shape, so far.

Still likes to bathe in his water bowl. UGH! Even though I keep giving him a bigger container on the bottom grate, he still just pushes it around, removes whatever I have put in to entice him, then tries to dump it - then returns to his bowl. He has gotten better with my misting him while he is in and out of his bowl

More later.

Five weeks and one day since Axel came home with us. Each day has had only up's! Literally and spiritually. My life has certainly changed for the better. Still hoping Axel feels the same. He is pure joy!

We spend our days calling back and forth to one another. Wherever I am, in our little house, he can hear me whistle back to his call. I like that. We spend a lot of time in the same room and still repeat each other's call or words. Well, I use more words than he. When he is quiet, I am too.

I have made great use of the baby monitor since I was not certain what he was saying when I initially heard him mumble.... and when we are not in the same room I couldn't understand. Well, he uses more words than I imagined. Very impressive. He uses Robert's voice and mine and there is no doubt who is who!

He has picked up Robert's little cough. Gee, when I first heard him cough, I went straight to my little African Grey references and Parrots for Dummies to check out coughs! I was certain that we would be making a Vet visit and I didn't have an Avian Vet, yet! (I do now!) Nor, do I have an appropriate carrier! (Nest week!) Anyway, one of the books said, '.... African Grey's don't cough but can pick up and mimick a human cough quite well! Phew! I am so used to Robert's cough, I don't hear it any more. But now each time he coughs, Axel coughs too. Now I notice both of their coughs ...... a lot! I think Robert needs to have that checked out!

His bathing location has not changed! I have put the cake pan with celery leaves in the bottom of the cage each day He goes down to the pan, takes the leaves out, chews a little, then tosses them, then gives his little evil laugh. I stay and splash the water.....nothing! I leave him to his privacy, he moves the pan around the cage bottom and tries to dump it. (I can hear it on the monitor). So he is still enjoying his little water cup for him morning libations. Silly ole' parrot. It is as silly as me trying to soak in a delicate china tea cup.... or even those big soup mugs. But he does not seem to get frustrated so I will continue to offer the larger tub for a while at least. He is not always brave about new things so maybe in time he will put his little foot in. I gave him a new perch about a week ago and he will not use it even after all this time. Funny, all of the perches were new in the new cage and that didn't faze him. Wonder what it is with this one?

Well, that is about all for now, I am so very thankful that I found this precious parrot. He is amazing. He is wonderful.

Today, we were sitting and carrying on a conversation, Robert and I that is, and in a moment of quiet between our comments, Axel spoke what was about 5 words quietly and almost under his breath. It was around 3pm and that seems to be the time he gets quiet - maybe naptime -. We were shocked, surprised, whatever since it sounded so much like a sentence. However, we have NO IDEA what he said. His tone and voice inflection were perfect for a comment interjected into our conversation.

So................. I went to the store and purchased a baby monitor. He whistles like a pro, some very lovely sounds - trills and all. But I can hear those sounds all over the house. Even when he calls himself, I can hear him. Occasionally, I have noticed other new sounds, but haven't a clue if he is zipping a zipper or just squeeking - he seems to like noises better than words and never thought about words under his breath. So, anyway, I have a baby monitor to leave on and and carry the receiver with me and try to catch him muttering again. I am very curious to hear what he has heard - wherever he has been in his 22 years! Facinating! Amazing little creature.

He bathed today, again, in his water bowl. So, I decided to bring a round cake pan with about an eigth of an inch of water in it and put that on the bottom of his cage. He did stop his bowl bath and watched me splash in the new water source. He came down for a closer look and I kept splashing with my hand and finally splashed a little on him. He fluffed up and seemed to be enjoying it. Then I decided that maybe he didn't like me splashing him and closed the cage and went to my chair to watch. He got down on the bottom and looked it over for a while then got closer and took a drink. A couple of sips later he grabbed the rim of the pan and dumped the water, laughed and went back up to the bowl and continued bathing.

I am not sure he is getting enough of his pelleted food. He is not very fond of the two Zupreem I am giving him. I think he is a seed eater. The food that came with him had pellets but a LOT of seeds - big seeds and little ones. I was told that she wasn't sure what she bought and what she gave us was a mix ol a couple brands. Over the last four weeks I have been giving him the old pellets mixed with the new but gradually leaving the seeds out. I pick out the sunflower and pumpkin seeds and the peanuts and only use those when I am hands-on interacting with him as a treat for not taking the rest of my nails off. My finger nails are kinda' long and when he bites he goes for the nails. Two are gone now, and I am contemplating cutting the rest. Now I have mainly little seeds in the jug that was given to us. Dunno' going to the store and try to match the pellets he came with to something in the store. Should have done that to start with, I guess. Should have tried to weigh him - ugh - hindsight! Only good thing is he is much better with his veggies and fruit. Just hearing "breakfast" or "dinner" he runs to his fresh food dish. Love it! Corn on the cob is REALLY MESSY! Glad I bought those brush tools - they are GREAT! Especially the 4brush thingy for the bars.

I was singing "Wild Thing" to him this afternoon, and I started to think about it and, indeed he is a wild creature trying to survive in a small cage in a human environment. As pleased as I am that he is here with us,there was a moment of saddness for him and how his life has come to THIS. Hmmmm....He is pure pleasure for us, but are we what gives him pleasure? YIKES! Enough!

Later.

Today, 4weeks and 1day since his adoption, Axel said "Molly". This is the first word, he has learned in our home! Yippee!

Molly is our 6 yr old Cavalier, and Axel hears her name a LOT! She has found a new source for table food and sits and barks for Axel to throw her a crumb. When food drops to the bottom of his cage, Molly starts to dig at the tray until she finally gets it to move out and then she can just pull it until she gets the morcels she is looking for. UGH! Molly's name is used a lot and I am not surprised that Axel can speak her name. I am searching for a clamp that might deter her ability to get into the tray. Home Depot, here I come.

Although, I hoped he would be a talker, I truly don't care if he ever says anything new or not. He is a precious pet and I think he is perfect just the way he is.

Another new thing, is that he now runs to his fresh foods for breakfast and dinner. Those are the two times I prepare fruits and veggies for him. When, he first came to live with us, he showed very little interest in his fresh foods. Spaghetti was his best meal that first week but the veggies that went with it were untouched. Now, he has been exposed to my 'cooking' and is more accepting of my limiitations. He still has no use for beets, but that's ok, since I understand, now, that nobody, except me, likes them. DUH! Brocolli, Cauliflower, Zuchini, Carrots, Celery, Peas, Corn, Beans, Snow Peas, Sweet Potato, Melons, Apples, Banana, Peppers and the rest, are making a better impression, I think. He does NOT enjoy cold food. Even the melons have more appeal with the chill off. Good to know!

Every day, I rejoice that this gorgeous parrot is living with us and seems to be enjoying his new home.

Just a thought... this could be another bath day. Seems he likes to bathe every other day. Think I will set the towels out on the furniture and floor, just in case. Hope he eventually will choose to bathe in the bathroom. Has shown no interest yet, but we still go in there and he sees the shallow pan of water just waiting for him.... maybe I will search for another idea.

Later.

Note to self: Self, having Axel come to stay with you was a GREAT idea. Don't doubt yourself.

Yesterday we found a 34 x 26 cage which I though was wonderful. The cage that came with Axel was 26 x 18 I think that's right........... oh well it looked small and was kinda' crummy. Anyway, with a great deal of huffing and puffing, my husband and I finally got the already assembled cage into the house! Axel let out a few ALARM calls and moved to the furtherest corner of his little cage and said nothing.

I sat and talked with him for a little then got up and started to clean the new cage - all the time talking about the wonderful features of his new home. Told him we would take our time getting used to it being close to his space. After some time he started to move around and doing his usual 'thing' and I quit futzing with the big new cage. I read a bit from 'Bird Talk' to him, showed him some pictures of the 'little birds' and some really 'big birds'. He was in a better frame of mind, so I did our bedtime stuff, covered him and turned out the lights. All was good.

This morning, I gave him his breakfast and left him alone for awhile. I returned to start in on the new cage. Figured out the one big perch and got it in but couldn't get it straight. It is in there at a slight upward tilt. Took a few of his toys out of the old cage and sat and cleaned them... by then he was out on the top of his cage (old one) watching and listening. Took an old perch out and cleaned it up and placed it in the new cage. Same with his swing - funny looking swing but can he ever make it go! Put paper in the tray. Water in one dish, Food in the other and sat down to admire my work. Axel, who had been watching carefully made a rude sound and went back into his familiar crummy cage and sat quietly.

Eventually, about an hour later, he stepped up on my hand and I moved to the lovely new cage and offered him the tilted perch which he timidly stepped down on. And there he sat. Did my best to whistle, talk, and laugh him into a better space. Nothing.

I moved the old cage out into the center of the room, told him to hang on and started the move. Not exactly how I had planned but it was an easy push and he didn't seem to mind being moved in the cage so I just kept it up until he was in the right place - right where he had been in the other cage. I sat in the chair I always sit when we chat and he MOVED. Came over to the side I was sitting. He was right between his kibble (that's not right is it) and a lovely dish of fresh water.

Water. I stuck my finger it the water and let it drip hoping he KNEW that was where his water lives, now. Ahhhh...... water.

Within seconds, Axel was IN the water. First one foot and his beak, then the other foot and his beak! He fluffed, flapped and carried on. Tried his best to get his chest and the rest of him in. I hardly had time to get my old self out of the chair before I was more than damp. The walls, chair, fresh paper in the tray, kibble, floor, area rug and grandma got it. There's more water in that little dish than I thought. For all of that, he was hardly wet. Eeee gads, the poor fella' was waiting, all this time, I guess, for his bath. We are going to find another spot for bathing - and a better tub! .

You know, being retired and just the two of us hanging out becomes kinda' boring (that's not the right word) but having Axel hanging out with us has brought life and a lot of laughter into our lives. I hope he is enjoying being with us too. He is the BEST.