My parakeet is sometimes cranky and biting

[ct92404]

Hi,

I just joined this site tonight, and I was hoping someone could help me with a problem I'm having with my parakeet. His name is Buddy. He's the first pet bird I've ever had. I got him from a bird farm when he was about 2 1/2 months old. He's now about 4 months old. He was pretty easy to tame, and he's very friendly. Normally, he likes to be petted and he will perch on my hand with no hesitation. I try to spend as much time with him as I can, and I will take him out of his cage to play with him and pet him throughout the day. He has always been kind of reluctant to come out of his cage, but once I get him out, he is very friendly and affectionate. He likes to be scratched and I can tell when he likes it because he will turn his head like a cat and puff out his feathers and sometimes close his eyes. He'll even nibble gently on my fingers. Often, when I'm playing with him and I sit on the floor or on my bed, he'll jump up on my lap.

Here's the problem though...

Recently, he's been getting kind of cranky. Sometimes when he's in his cage, if I try to pet him, he will bite me. He doesn't bite hard, it seems more like a warning nip. I know he can bite a lot harder than that if he really wanted to, so I don't think he's actually trying to hurt me. Sometimes he'll lunge at me and peck me or nip me. He doesn't do it all the time, just sometimes. It seems like he gets that way more often at night, but he has done it during the day too. At first, I thought maybe he was cranky because he wasn't getting enough sleep. His cage is in my bedroom and I do tend to stay up late watching tv or playing on the computer, so I thought maybe that was keeping him up. So I've been covering his cage earlier and turning off the lights. He was a little better after that, but he still bites sometimes.

I don't think his is sick either. He is eating normally and seems to have plenty of energy. I see him playing with his toys in his cage. I took him to the bird farm for them to check him, and the lady I talked to said that he looks very healthy. I had also taken him to a vet shortly after I first got him, and the vet had said that everything was normal.

I think he is molting because he has been dropping little white fluffy feathers, and today I just noticed a bigger feather. Is it normal for parakeets to get this cranky and moody and bite when they're molting? He's normally a really friendly bird and I just don't understand why he's getting like this sometimes.

- Chris

 

[DannyA93]

OOOO yes! molting will change a bird! (for the time being) haha mist him more or baths whatever he likes and that'll help with the itching and irritation. if he has lil pin feathers all over his head then he's probably molting you just have to be patient and only pet him on HIS terms! if he don't want you touching him DON'T TOUCH HIM. but if he doesn't seem to mind then have at it most birds get cranky during this time, especially my bird. she's a super pain when she's grumpy haha

 

[Birdlover11]

Defiantly !Molting turns even the sweetest birds into little devils,Oh i know my parakeet just molted and he acted like a grumpy old man in a rocking chair.I agree with Danny,he wil be less patient and will be the boss.Only touch him if he's okay with it , if he nips you I'd you go near him or get him on your finger leave him alone.Mist him a lot, you could find special misting sprays in pet stores. Remember,RESPECT THE BIRD

 

[ct92404]

Ok, thanks a lot guys! That makes me feel better to hear that this is normal. Buddy is such a cool little bird and I was afraid that he was sick or his personality was changing or something.

I lost a lot of pets when I was a kid, so I'm trying to do the best I can to take care of Buddy. He seems to be doing pretty good...he's just really moody right now!