Why won't my parakeet sleep in his new cage? How can I help?

Thanks for reaching out about Keke. Birds needs 10-12 hours of dark, quiet time to properly rest. If they hear noises, they probably won't sleep. So, a dark sleeping room or you need to stay up late in a different room, are the basic answers. Good luck.

Try to make sure Peet's cage is ina quiet draft free area. If you don't already I recommend covering his cage at night. Make sure no other animals such as dogs or cats have access to the cage or around it as they could easily cause him to startle. Most birds will sleep soundly if the cage is covered and in a dark room. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach

Sky might be feeling a bit cold or nervous from the change to a new home. Making sure his cage is kept in an area that is free of drafts and not too warm or cold can help, as well as making sure it's not in an area that is super busy or noisy. Give him a few days to settle down in his new home- you can observe and offer him some treats in the cage itself, but waiting a bit to handle him until he's had a change to settle in may help.

Give Buddy some time! It takes awhile for birds to get used to new surroundings. Make sure he has many perches, toys, and fresh food and water available, and try to leave him alone for a few days to adjust to his new environment.

Hello and congratulations on your new friend, King! Parakeets make wonderful pets, and they are a great first bird for a new bird owner. It sounds like you have everything in order, but I'd definitely get King some toys sooner rather than later as parakeets do require mental stimulation - they are very intelligent! Taming will take some time and patience. Using a perch to entice him to step up can be a good place to start, though I recommend waiting a few days to allow him to adjust to his new surroundings first. Yummy treats can be helpful - dried fruits and veggies are a good choice. Here are some good tips on taming your parakeet: http://www.budgiekeet.com/taming.html Good luck, and I hope King adjusts well! :)

Thanks for reaching out about your keets. It is recommended you allow them time to acclimate to their new home. This doesn't mean your shouldn't interact with them, but only if they are willing. Keep a good routine of waking in the morning, offering food/water, cleaning, bedtime, etc. Stress (new home) raises corticol levels which can cause feathers to fall out easier (just like our hair) but stress can also induce them to pull their feathers out (like us biting out fingernails). Some diseases can also cause feather loss and excessive grooming, so if persists, a veterinary visit is recommended. Take it slow. Good luck.

As long as your bird gets between 8 and 12 hours of sleep, he should do fine. That sleep doesn't have to be in one stretch, but when you wake him up to play or handle him, don't just stick your hand in the cage, like people, they need time to wake up and become alert, so give him about 30 minutes before handling him. Letting him sleep someplace that is absolutely dark and quiet is ideal, and cover his cage too, even if his sleeping area is dark to minimize distractions and disturbance. Once you're done playing and interacting, he should have no trouble going back to sleep.