I put a mirror in the cage with my Budgie, to cut down on his lonliness. (I"m away from home a lot, lately) Since I've put the mirror in, he's become very aggressive towards me, even biting me when I come near the cage or enter it. Can birds develop too strong of an attachment to their mirrors? Should I remove the mirror when I am home so that my bird and I can re-bond? Any advice you can offer will be greatly appreciated.
2007-02-23 16:42:41 · 4 answers · asked by C. J. 5 in Pets ➔ Birds
Will he become depressed and pull feathers if I remove it?
2007-02-23 17:01:53 · update #1
yes they can ,, it makes them feel they have a companion so they dont need us ,, also on many birds with mirror delays talking and also bonding with its owner. take the mirror out
2007-02-23 16:58:13 · answer #1 · answered by mala 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I got a mirror also for my Orange Winged Amazon parrot, that I hung on the outside of his cage. He likes to look into it, and poke at it, as if he sees another parrot (perhaps not realizing it's his own image!) He has a lot of fun with it.
I don't really know why for sure your Budgie is acting that way, other than maybe he is relating to the mirror as a toy that he has become possessive of.
I would somehow find it hard to believe that he has bonded with the image in the mirror, since that's all that it is, an image...of himself!
You may want to remove the mirror just to see if he still acts the same way towards you, with the mirror gone. Then you could rule out whether it really is the mirror causing this lack of continued bonding between you two. He may be biting you because he is upset that you leave him alone so much you mentioned. When I had to board my parrot last year because I was flying back east, he bit me really good when I went to pick him up from the bird store where I boarded him. But then, he got over it, and was very glad to be back home with me.
It's good if you can spend as much time as you can with your bird when you are home. Hold him a lot and talk sweetly to him. He might just be mad at you for leaving him alone so much.
Birds that pluck all their feathers out do that because they are lonely and bored. Spending that quality time with him is very important. Take him in the room with you when you are watching t.v. or on the computer. They are very social creatures and just want to be where the "action is!"
Birds bond generally with either one human or another bird. I can't see him bonding with the mirror.
He just needs your affection and attention. Don't give up on him.
Birds are wonderful , and make great loyal pets. Enjoy him!
2007-02-24 01:07:01 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The reason he does this is because he wants to mate...get a female and put a nesting box in the cage. After they have babies and they are at least a month old start to handle the babies and talk to them. The father will become jealous and want to be with you again.
I know from experience because this happened to me. Your original friend has become aggressive because he wants to be a father. He will come around again when he sees you with his babies.
In the parakeet world, the father is the more protective one once the babies grow up.
The same thing happened to me.
2007-02-24 01:11:54 · answer #3 · answered by Patrick K 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Remove the mirror - leave a radio or tv on when you're at work to entertain your budgie!
2007-02-24 04:37:52 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋