Bells!?!

[vivalis]

I wrote awhile back about my budgie, Phinny, becoming really aggressive with mirror toys and even trying to feed them! Realizing that male budgies can develop bad relationships with such toys, I took eveyone's advice to get them out of his cage. Slowly, I have phased out all of his mirror toys and he has been "mirror-free" for about a month. However, he has begun to be really aggressive with the bells on his other toys! I thought it was just aggression at first, but last night I caught him trying to feed one of the bells. I am so upset! The bells are shiny and I think he can see a distorted reflection of himself. Do I need to take away all of his toys with bells on them? Its so hard to find budgie toys without mirrors OR bells. I don't want him to be bored. Has anybody had this experience? I would not have thought the reflection in a little bell would have such an effect on a budgie!

I worry that he is lonely for other birds. I spend lots of time with him (I've had him for about 4 months), but he always fights me on leaving his cage. I play with him without his cage in the room everyday, but he is almost always afraid and even begins to breathe heavily sometimes! Is there anything I can do? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! :S

[Amy]

I would take out anything that looks like a budgie, and give him more Ladders and things that do not have a simalarity of a budgie. Hope this helps!

[bluebird]

there are many toys you can buy that he wont be able to see hes reflection in. rope toys are really good,i never heard of a small bell being a problem tho ! but if he was trying to feed it then he can obviously see his reflection.Is he left for long periods of the day alone ? It may be that he is lonely ? would you consider another budgie ?
i must admit im a little stumped on this one,hopefully other members will soon add some suggestions. Let us know how things go.

[Amy]

Maybe his is lonely? Oh you've already said that! Oh well 2 minds are better than 1!

[Enna]

Yes there are tons of toys and soe for cheep. I would have spent well over 100cnd at a pet store for toys and i spend like alittle over 15 at a differnt store to toys. :)

[Debby]

Chew toys are great. Foot toys, even home made toys are fun and won;t resemble another budgie!

[Bea]

My budgie Blinkie is like that with bells too. But then again he is also turned on by the warped reflection of himself in the back of a spoon. :eek:

[vivalis]

My budgie Blinkie is like that with bells too. But then again he is also turned on by the warped reflection of himself in the back of a spoon. :eek:

Hmmm... atleast Phinny isn't the only one! Do you keep bells in Blinkie's cage even though he likes the reflection? I'm afraid this is going to make Phinny territorial like he was with the mirror. Is there any way to make Phinny feel less lonely without getting another budgie?

[Bea]

Is Phinny agressive to you if you try to go near the bells? Blinkie's not so i leave them in there.

[Mistyoriline]

Well glad my budgies are not so obsessive...but good luck with that.

[Rob_B]

Chalky has just started to lick her bell?! She never went anywhere near it before but last night she was there for about half an hour just nibbling it! It was quite funny though :D

[snowy]

Maybe he is lonely.... But he might just be trying to be freindly to his toy hehehe:p

[shawna]

If you are concerned about the mirrors affecting how tame he will become, they may have nothing to do with it. I think that there are some budgies that don't tame very well despite doing all the right things. If he isn't agressive to you, then maybe you can just leave the mirrors if he enjoys them.