# Mirrors



## PoseidonBird (Dec 15, 2015)

So i would please like to ask all of you smart and well established budgie owners a question. Everyone who has had budgies for years, bred them or even just had one for a pet and is super knowledgeable please help me. My mother doesn't want to believe me. I told her mirrors are bad for your bird and we have had on bird for 8 years. I just got a new one and they both had mirrors. Just today i took out all the mirrors from both of their cages because i found out they are bad for them. My 8 year old bird is addicted to mirrors he had 3 which i removed because i found out it was bad. i just bought new toys to hopefully distract him and plan on buying more. She keeps telling me he will get lonely and he will die. I told her that he wont die from not having mirrors and that those mirrors have messed him up so he needs to be more socialized with humans and not his reflection. She tells me if thats the case then he is already messed up enough and to just give them back to him because he likes to squawk pace in his cage and she doesn't like the noise since he doesn't have his mirrors. I tried to explain he needs more attention but she gets mad at him because he likes to bite. I have been working with him every chance i get but it's hard when she walks behind me and does things i ask her not to. She doesn't know how to train birds and it ***** when i have one new bird who im trying to earn his trust and one bird with behavioral issues that every time i make a step in progress she takes two steps back and he gets worse. Could someone please help me explain to her in a way she will listen to and understand that im not just some dumb kid and if she wants my birds issues to go away she needs to work with me on the training and not against me? please anythig would help....


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## Niamhf (Dec 17, 2013)

Hi Jesse I'm sorry you are in this predicament. 
Mirrors _can_ become harmful to your birds health but not always. I have major territorial/hormonal problems with my kakariki which unfortunately becomes extremely aggravated with the presence of mirrors or reflective surfaces. I've had to get static cling material to permanently cover up mirrors in order to calm his behaviour and even still it's difficult at times. He is constantly trying to court his reflection and recently has been regurgitating excessively which could be harmful to his physical health.

On the other hand I used to have an extremely shy timid budgie that i was trying to transition onto a more varied diet. He was allowed to have a little mirror on my bird behavioural specialists recommendation in order to help him come out of his shell a little and become more inquisitive - and it worked. When he saw the budgie in the mirror eating crumble he began to enjoy it.

I just had a huge problem keeping Noah out of Oisin's cage and away from the mirror - I had a fold up mirror that I could angle out of view from Noah but that Oisin could chat to.

I don't recommend mirrors however unless your other budgie is causing chaos and is aggressive and territorial it shouldn't be too much of a worry. It really depends on each individual bird.


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## Therm (Aug 2, 2015)

Are you planning on having the two birds in the same cage at some point, providing they get along? 

I had a problem with Jimmy and his obsession with mirrors. When I took it away, he sat on the floor of his cage which prompted me to get him a cage mate. My budgies have access to mirrors. I think there's two between three cages, and I only allow it because none of them are obsessed with them as they all have other birds to talk too. 

So if the two budgies are going to eventually be together, even if not in the same cage, but the same room, it might be that the mirrors lose their appeal if there's another bird to talk to instead.


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## aluz (Jul 24, 2011)

I've had budgies as pets for 25+ years and have been breeding them for about 20 years. 
I have more of a radical approach on mirrors when it comes to giving full access on a cage. And this is not just for budgies, but also for other species of pet birds.
Solo budgies can especially become obsessed by a mirror toy and not only their mental but also their physical health can be seriously affected by it. 
The budgie can develop issues with over regurgitation onto the mirror (leading to severe weight loss), territorial and aggressive behaviour can also be exhibited when the owner tries to interact more closely with the budgie (the bond between owner and pet will also suffer changes). 
Solo female budgies can also develop an unhealthy relationship with their reflections on the mirror and in extreme cases it can even trigger breeding behaviour and consequent egg laying (there was even a case here not too long ago).

While it's not as common, there can still be issues in bonding and fights between two or more budgies over the little bird on the mirror, and to me it's just not worth the risk, especially when there are other types of toys that they can safely play with.
All of my budgies currently have mates and still none of them have mirrors on their cages. The same rule applies to my two pairs of lovebirds and my two solo lovebirds. Full access to mirrors on a cage is a no-no in my flock, always have and always will be.


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## JWKnight (May 24, 2014)

I had a mirror in with my first budgie and she went from being really sweet to biting me, I took away the mirror and she immediately went back to being sweet. Mirrors won't harm them but will make them anti sociable. However another budgie is a thousand times better than a mirror if they are just lonely.


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## Therm (Aug 2, 2015)

I have banished mine from the cage and taken any from the budgie toy drawer and binned them. 










Jesse, I think aluz's post should help your mother to understand.


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## PoseidonBird (Dec 15, 2015)

well it got to the point when i tried to give her some advice from what you guys said my mom yelled at me and basically chewed me out because i took all of his mirrors and hes been squawking and whistling and pacing since i did it. He wants attention and because i have school and another bird i give him as much attention as i physically can but she NEVER pays attention to him except for like once every 3 days and she doesn't even hold him. Im sorry it got to this point but she had the nerve to tell me how i never pay attention to my bird so i told her you know what if your going to fight me, i love my bird but if i have no say in whats mine you can freaking have him. I put one mirror back in his cage and now my first bird ever belongs to my mom. I still have my other parakeet but it hurts me that i have to give up my pet because my mom doesn't like what he's doing. i would bring him up in my room too but my other bird is on quarantine still and im not risking my birds. She won't wait for my other bird to be off of quarantine because "he's too loud and that'll take to long" in her words. I love him but he's not my responsibility anymore especially since i wasn't aloud to let him be my responsibility anyways. I can hear him right now and his mirror isn't helping his attitude and noise at all. Once again i want you all to know that i love my bird to death but i just cant handle this stress anymore..... i hope you all understand and thank you guys for all of your help. I really appreciate it.


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

Jesse,

I'm sorry to hear your mother isn't aware of what you told her. Once she calms down, I would tell her to please join Talk Budgies to learn about her "new" budgie and she can see the senior breeders and professional budgie owners that can give her the same advice.

Unfortunately, if she's not willing to do what's best for _the bird_, such as daily interaction, a healthy diet, etc., then it's very unlikely he will be happy, especially since now with the mirror in there he will continue to be aggressive, as well as have little to no human interaction, it sounds like. No wonder he's so obsessed with his mirrors-- he's bored and lonely. 
If she had patience and time to talk to him and let him out of his cage he wouldn't even be so depressed without a mirror (or with one, for that matter).

Please tell her to join--poor bird, it may be his saving grace.

At the very least you know what to do for your birds, even if she doesn't.

I hope she realises the _best way_ to care for your bird--I know you've done your best to make her understand :thumbsup:


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## PoseidonBird (Dec 15, 2015)

Thank you so much. The only thing is he's at least still kinda trained enough that we have his cage door open all day and he even fly's and dive bombs you to get your attention so he does get out of his cage but she completely ignores him. She sometimes talks over him when she gets annoyed enough because hes being loud. I told her we should give him to my grandma who even though she is too old to interact with him physically but she at least has another healthy bird who they love to sit by each others cages and chirp and talk all day long. My grandma likes to watch him when i go on break and my moms not home so the birds are well enough acquainted. My grandma even loves parakeets but my mom still won't listen. She'd rather me buy a new, possibly sick parakeet from a pet store for my grandma then give her a partially trained one who is basically a cry for help. I love my bird and it truely breaks me to see him have to suffer like this. Anyways i will try and see if i could get her to join this forum to hopefully educate her but i doubt that will happen. here is a little budgie who looks like the one i just gave up to my mom :'( :budgie::budgie::budgie:


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## Budget baby (Jan 1, 2013)

Jesse I am so sorry things have got to this stage. Perhaps you can suggest your mum and yourself both read together the stickies that we have here on TB. That way you both will be doing something together and hopefully she will take in some of the information as well.


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## PoseidonBird (Dec 15, 2015)

Thank you i will try that also and hopefully she will want to.


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