mirrors

[jennyb]

Hi, this may seem like a silly question but someone told me that having a mirror in a parrots cage may stop them learning to talk. I would like to give Vera a mirror but if it is going to stop her learning to talk i dont want to risk it.

[Guest Monique]

That's poppycock you are fine to add a mirror. I have read that sometimes a bird will get aggressive with that as a toy and it may need to be removed. That is no reason not to try if you want Vera to have a mirror, though! .

[raehamilton]

I'm a new CAG owner and I've been told not to put a mirror in my Angie's cage if I want her to get attached to me. I've been told some times they'd rather spend time with the mirror than with anyone else. I wouldn't know since I am new, just sharing what I've been told by many CAG owners and breeders of over 20 years.

[Streetwise]

Can anyone answer this. What the truth about mirrors. In the room where Rambo lives, there is a big mirror on the wall. He can see him self. Anyone good bad makes no difference ??????

[Dave007]

Basically, your bird will either

1---start to show off, fluffing feathers, strutting back and forth because he thinks it's another bird.

2---become very frightened or aggressive of the image in the mirror and will squawk. Usually, the bird will stay away from the mirror. If it's impossible to have the bird not see himself, then the mirror must be moved or the cage moved.

3---will pay no attention to the image and simply go about it's business as usual.

It all has to do with the bird.

Stopping them from talking? I doubt it. People who have multiple birds near each other in the same room have some talkers in the bunch and other birds don't hinder them from chattering

Not attaching to a person? There's no answer to that but if that starts to happen, simply remove the mirror. It's really not a big problem.

[Cheshire Cat]

I showed my bird a mirror and she was very cautious of it so I personally haven't put one in her cage as I don't want to upset her. But it's down to the personality of the bird.

[Jayd]

If I may, every time we put a mirror in the cage, [with in time limits], she would lay a egg.

[danmcq]

Dayo see's himself in the large bathroom mirrors all the time while perched on our shoulders as we do whatever needed. He looks, and seems disinterested all the time.

 

Sometimes, I will point at his and or my reflection in the mirror and say Dayo, then point at my reflection and say Daddy. He will look at each as pointed out, then act disinterested once again.

 

I also have a mirror in Jake my conures cage. He seems disinterested as well. However, I do know each bird is different. I have seen some carry on mating rituals while making sweet sounds to the other birdy in the mirror.

[Birdnut]

I think mirrors are more of an issue with some birds than others. I don't have any in the birds' cages, but they have seen them in the environment. Most of the birds don't pay much attention to them. The main issue seems to be with the lovebird. I have seen her displaying before a mirror and was told we shouldn't have a mirror in her cage. We have also had egg laying problems with her.

 

My main concern with the other birds is that mirrors not be present that they might fly into and injure themselves.

[Streetwise]

Thanks for the replys. I'm not going to put one in his cage. The big mirror in the room where he lives seems to be ok. He seems to pay no attention to it.

 

All seems to be well with Rambo. Settling in well.

[Elvenking]

Basically, your bird will either

1---start to show off, fluffing feathers, strutting back and forth because he thinks it's another bird.

2---become very frightened or aggressive of the image in the mirror and will squawk. Usually, the bird will stay away from the mirror. If it's impossible to have the bird not see himself, then the mirror must be moved or the cage moved.

3---will pay no attention to the image and simply go about it's business as usual.

It all has to do with the bird.

Stopping them from talking? I doubt it. People who have multiple birds near each other in the same room have some talkers in the bunch and other birds don't hinder them from chattering

Not attaching to a person? There's no answer to that but if that starts to happen, simply remove the mirror. It's really not a big problem.

 

Issac does #3. He could care less. I guess he has it figured out that it's him and there is no fooling him. A good noteable point is to say that the first mirror he had seen is the one in my bathroom. And its big enough to show him that we can all see ourselvs in it. I suppose if its smaller, they may just think its a portal into little world where this other bird is...I dunno. But I think that the bigger the mirror..the more obvious that it is that it's just a reflection.

Edited August 7, 2010 by Elvenking

[Streetwise]

Well I spoke too soon. After elvis visited Saturday night Rambo as started flying to the mirror. He's only interested in the mirror. He will even fly from the living room through the kitchen to get to the play room where his cage is and the big mirror on the wall. He sits on the tv and taps the mirror. (That's pretty impressive for a young bird but not good for our relationship). Anyway there mirrors gone. Left a big gap on my wall. Will I be able to put this back ????

[Dave007]

Hard to say. Maybe right now, your bird may be just acting curious. As he gets older he may become aggressive with it, or hang out with it or hemay lose interest but it's something that you need to keep an eye on. If he's banging his beak on it lightly, as time goes on he may just increase the power of the banging into the mirror and cause beak injuries or nare injuries.