Cranky from molting, or hormonal?

[Peeko]

Peeko is roughly four months old now. Lately he's been pretty cranky and nippy. He's still a sweet little cuddlebug, so his behavior hasn't had any drastic changes, but he is definitely nippier now than he used to be. Nothing too serious - he never nips very hard, and its mainly when someone stops him from doing something he isn't allowed to do (like trying to squeeze into the dove cage). But he does have random little "tantrums" in which he growls and nips, but again, not hard. He usually only does this when other people are in the room - he wants to be with them instead of me, but also gets cranky. If he's alone with me, he's very cuddly and is attached to be like velcro. His nippiness started rather suddenly, about the time he began molting and getting a ton of pinfeathers. I have heard that molting makes them cranky, and also that 'tis the season for hormonal conures. But is Peeko old enough to be getting hormonal at this time of year?

 

[ptcbass]

I remember when I got mine. On and off for the first year mine would get cranky and bite more than usual, not just nibble. She always wants to nibble on my fingers - even when I am rubbing her head she has to be nibbling on one of my fingers. I know they do go through some hormonal things the first year. Hang in there and it will level off to her only having a bad mood only every once in a while. Now when mine gets nippy I either put her up for a while or give her a version of a time out - With one hand I hold her to where she is laying on her back and where my hand is mostly out of reach until she calms down (usually about 30 seconds) and then she usually calms down after that. If she starts back up she has to go to her playpen or cage.
Spring is here so it is hard to say what is causing it. I just know mine was a lot more cranky during her first year.

 

[weco]

He's a little young for hormonal presswures & if you don't see pin feathers popping up, he may not be moulting, though he could be coming into his first moult & the pins just haven't started yet or he could just be testing his limits in the flock, in which case you need to start setting limits.....

 

[Peeko]

I stated in the first post that he has a ton of pinfeathers.

So I'm going to guess its probably the molting that has got him so cranky lately. He's almost like an overstimulated toddler when there's multiple people in the room...

I have had limits ever since I got him; its other people who are having trouble understanding this. I'm having a hell of a time getting everyone else to set the same limits I have because they all seem to be under the impression that putting him away for a few minutes when he nips and other such measures are unnecessary "because he doesn't bite hard anyway" so he experiences a lot of inconsistency when it comes to what he is and isn't allowed to get away with. Sigh.