Molting Parakeet is Staying In the Cage

User Question
My wife came across your website while looking for some info on molting on the net.

The problem is our keet, Cookie, isn't as sociable as she was before she molted.

She use to sit on our head and shoulders as we used our computer and did other tasks around the home. She very attached to my wife, preferring her over me. Her cage door is left open as it was before but now she won't come out of her cage. Would a change in the season cause this?

Lisa's Answer
Molting of course is losing feathers, so it's very natural that the keet now isn't leaving its cage much, while the new feathers grow in. It's harder for the bird to fly and it has less feathers to keep it warm, too. Also, the bird is probably grumpy and itchy while those little new feathers grow in. It's like after you shave and the new prickly hairs start growing in.

I'd give her some time to get all of her new feathers in, and she'll probably be right back to normal.

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