Severe mood swings

[Dawnsfall]

My severe, Cody, is either an angel or a little demon. He can go from one to the other at lightning speed. This is actually one of the qualities that our family usually finds so endearing (probably says more about what kind of psycho-bi-polar family we are than anything else ). Cody is our first bird, until we got him we have been a largely reptile/invertebrate/hedgehog/cat kind of family. Those pets sure don't prepare you for having a very smart little hard-headed ball of feathers with a sharp little beak!! We are so amazed at how much it is like having a baby in the house again. Pooping, messy meals, sweet cuddle times, endless games of peek-a-boo, and ill-timed temper tantrums. It makes me laugh everytime I have to ask one of my daughters to take the bird and entertain him so I can get stuff done. My husband is a stay at home dad so Cody pretty much is out of his cage and hanging out with someone from the time he wakes up until he goes to bed.

Cody definitely thinks that I am his woman and when he came to live with us it was clear that he definitely did not see any reason to keep my husband around. He gave John several nasty bites, but John slowly built up a relationship with him and they have a great time together now when I am not home. Even when I am home, he has gotten to the point where he will tolerate John touching me (usually) and just voice his displeasure rather than going for the throat. He will step up for John now when I am in the room if he thinks John is going to bring him to me.

I have read a lot that says that Severe's are really one person birds and aren't great family pets, but Cody will go to either of my daughters- they can even take him from me. He really does seem to enjoy spending some time with all of us- and has come up with specific games that he only really likes to play with the person that invented them with him. The games he plays with John are the most hilarious because they are rough and tumble games of tug, throwing his ball, and catch the finger mouse under the towel. Cody will start out laughing, move to belly sounding laughs, and end up squealing like a little piggy. He won't play rough with me though- so I guess it is their form of male bonding.