A Controversial Bird Toy

[spiritbird]

I know there are bird people out there that have negative opinions about mirrors in a cage. I also think there are those people that like them in a cage. Most birdie mirrors are enjoyed by the small male birds. My Chipper for one is not obsessed with his mirror but he does seem to enjoy talking to his other friend. I have been searching the web for a mirror that would be safe and not break apart. So far I have been through several of them. Bird mirrors just do not seem to be constructed well. Does anyone have a mirror that has lasted a long time? I actually saw some Macaw or large mirrors being sold. Of course there is that problem of keeping them clean.

[plax]

Jack adores his mirror! In fact, it's the only thing that has kept him somewhat sane since Maynard rejected him back in 2005. And Jack's is a framed 22 x 18 inch wall mirror. I just hang it on the wall outside of his cage behind a piece of plexiglass. It's mounted at the same level as his swing. He loves sitting on his swing and watching himself. As far as mirrors for birds in general, I think it really depends upon the bird and the situation.

[kendrafitz]

Rosie has some baby toys with safety mirrors. She hasn't destroyed them yet. She doesn't bother with them much either. She does love to talk to the birdie in the bathroom mirror though. :)

[spiritbird]

Would love to see videos of your birds and their mirrors. Of course they always seem to know when they are on camera.

[jtbirds]

Personally we are not the bird we cannot judge if they are obsessed with a mirror or not.... Some people look at mirrors more then others. This has always been my statement about this umm single minded comment. I feel like this has no research or evidence behind it when most people say it. I will be the first to say I think mirrors are great. Our rose breasted cockatoo romeo loves talking into mirrors.. may it be for himself or something he sees in the mirror who knows, only him:).

[spiritbird]

By being obsessed I refer to other people's experiences I have read with mirrors in a bird cage. Specifically 2 people wrote their birds kept on feeding the image in the mirror and participated in no other activities and did not enjoy out of cage time due to the presence of the mirror. These two individuals took the mirrors out of the cage and the birds could then enjoy other activities out of the cage with their flock. Does this make sense when I use the word obsessed?

[plax]

By being obsessed I refer to other people's experiences I have read with mirrors in a bird cage. Specifically 2 people wrote their birds kept on feeding the image in the mirror and participated in no other activities and did not enjoy out of cage time due to the presence of the mirror. These two individuals took the mirrors out of the cage and the birds could then enjoy other activities out of the cage with their flock. Does this make sense when I use the word obsessed?It does to me, Dianne. I've actually witnessed this happening with certain birds (never with my own, though). With some birds, as you've mentioned, their own reflection can stimulate a hormonal response. And this may thus result in an emergence of the nesting impulse and in the frequent regurgitation sessions (where the bird may repeatedly attempt to feed the reflection of itself), as well as in other undesirable behaviors. But with other birds this problem doesn't seem to occur (at a noticeable level, at least). I suppose the best course to follow to determine whether a mirror may present a problem for one's bird might be to try providing the mirror and then simply monitor the bird's behaviors.

Justin: the above is why I said "I think it really depends upon the bird and the situation" within my previous reply.

[Mare]

Dianne, "obsessed" is truly a word I would use when speaking of Amigo and a mirror. He tries to KILL that intruder daring to enter his territory!! We have a wall mirror in the bathroom, that when he is on the floor he can see himself. He will charge it, crest up, wings flared and bash into the mirror, head first!:th_eek:

[spiritbird]

Oh Mare I wish you could get a video of that. Birds are so amazing in everything they do.

[jtbirds]

I completely understood sorry if it seemed like I didn't:o.. I agree though with what is being stated:).

[kendrafitz]

Lol Mare!! I so wish I could see that!

[Mare]

I could get a video of it but posting the video is another story :(. Photos are one thing..videos are another..

[2birds]

Dianne, "obsessed" is truly a word I would use when speaking of Amigo and a mirror. He tries to KILL that intruder daring to enter his territory!! We have a wall mirror in the bathroom, that when he is on the floor he can see himself. He will charge it, crest up, wings flared and bash into the mirror, head first!:th_eek:

Siamese fighting bird LOL

[2birds]

Clover loves mirrors. I don't keep one in or near his cage but I will bring him to a mirror and he loves to talk to the other bird. He says "what ya doing? Huh?" and then he'll say "A[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks] Cute" but he draws out the cute part

[Mare]

A while back, I had him on the counter, in the bathroom, there is a full size mirror there that he could see himself in. I have a basket filled with jewelry, crystals, rings and things on this counter. I left the room for a minute and hear this huge commotion going on! I run back in and here is Amigo, slinging rings and necklaces at his reflection. I watched for a while and it was obvious, he..was..pissed! He started to chest-bump himself in the mirror!

[spiritbird]

Guessing Amigo does not want another Cockatoo in his home. Message understood!

[Lady]

These accounts are all so interesting. I never really had Lady around a mirror much except when passing one. She just jerked her body back her eyes started pinning and she let out a hi. With the way she is regurgitating on her toys as well as me I don't think now would be a good time to try.

[Minamommy]

I had a little parakeet she loved the mirror and hated me or coming out of the cage. She just could not be trained I worked slowly with her for 6 months. Finally I thought if your happier in your cage I'll get you a friend. I bought her a fake friend. WOW she loved it. Mina when she looks in the mirror she just looks at herself. No reaction. Then she leans forward and wants to lick it. Weird bird.


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[froggij]

Orsino actually became aggressive when we gave him a mirror - he didn't want to come out at all, just sat in front of it singing to it, and bit until he drew blood even if we just reached for his food dish. We got rid of the mirror in his cage and he became a loving, adorable little guy after that. I still let him see the birdy in the bathroom mirror on occasion, and he's much better with that, but I think that having it in his cage made him think he had to defend his "friend" and keep us away from it. When it's outside his cage, he's absolutely non-aggressive around mirrors, but when it's inside he's a completely different bird.

It's fun watching him talk to the bird in the bathroom mirror, though. He'll tap his beak on it, sing to it, whistle, look up at me and 'laugh', and then start flirting with the bird in the mirror.

[Robyn]

as far as a mirror that won't break walmart makes one that has two metal rods on it with beeds that are infront of it making it a good toy that your parakeets won't break and it's cheap only about $1. None of the birds I have had a problem with a mirror.

[Abby]

I was never a fan of putting mirrors in bird cages. I always figured it'd be better to just get birds like budgies a companion instead.