A Mirrors Really Bad For Them?

I bought Bruno a three pack of toys earlier this week and one toy was a ladder with a mirror on it. I then read on a Cockatiel site that mirrors are bad for the bird and can make a bird more cage aggressive ect.

I don't know why but I thought that only applied to Cockatiels so I decided to put said toy in Skittles cage. Needless to say it didn't last 24 hours. Skittles would literally sit on the ladder with his cheek pressed against the glass chattering away. I get that he is a Lovebird missing his previous mate but it was beyond obsessed with the "birdy in the mirror" that he wasn't eating or drinking ect. So I of course removed the mirror.

Now I am wondering....Since Bruno is 13 weeks old, do you think I would have territorial/hormonal cage aggression issues that would make it harder to tame him? I had originally put the mirror/ladder in his cage and it completely ignored it (like all his other toys). So I took it out of his cage sanitized it completely and gave it to Skittles. The toy is now sitting on a shelf completely sanitized again. I am just unsure of what to do with it?

Since Bruno is so little interested in toys I would love to put it in cage and see if he at least likes climbing on it. But again I don't want to add it to the cage if it will cause problems.

I guess in the end it doesn't matter. I can get him a regular ladder at petco for 2.99. And I was already planning on getting him some natural perches.

I am just curious. What is everyone's experience with mirrors in their birds cage?

I do not like mirrors.

The Problems with Mirrors


Bruno is too young for the mirror to really effect him, but that could quickly change as he grows and matures. I've had people come back to me and say "You were right". It may not be an issue now, but it could be in several months to a year. I don't recommend mirrors for single birds, and I don't recommend mirrors for multiple birds. (aka I don't recommend them at all!) Most birds often don't know that they are looking at a reflection of themselves. I've seen one female cockatiel that was a great bird and she had a mirror! Remove that mirror and she became upset and distraught. Owners figured that she had no problem having a mirror. Me on the other hand? I saw a bird who couldn't live without having a mirror.

I've also seen one cockatiel so bonded to his mirror, the only reason he left it was to eat and drink. Otherwise, his entire time was spent next to his mirror. He was kept in a closet for who knows how long, never cleaned or payed attention to. His mirror was so dusty that it no longer provided a reflection. It didn't matter, that cockatiel sat by the mirror all the time. The cockatiel felt greasy and was very dusty as well. He didn't live very long with the people who got him and they felt as as if they gave him a better home. All they did was remove him from the darkness. No changes in diet, no bathing, nothing to otherwise improve his life.




It may be ok if birds occasionally see themselves, but I do not agree with mirrors at all within cages or easy access to them.

My Zon ,Too and Macaws have mirrors by them [They love it ]. I see the Too showing off in it .The Macaws talk to their reflection . I had taken the one down By my Zon [and he really missed it.} He kept banging the wall with his beak till I put it back. I was putting mine up to reflect light for them [the ones that are not as close to a window]. I don't know if it makes a difference in [the species]. But I like having them.

so whats the final verdict?? i have a lovebird just 3 days ago. hes really friendly and sits on my hand, and eats from me and all, but i was just wondering if hes getting lonley thanks!!

I don't know what the verdict is, but just adding that Pritti does okay with mirrors (he'll look for a little while, tap with beak, etc., but then move on to the next thing of interest for the moment. He's got them in or on top of all his cages.

I don't think bird mirrors are healthy, and I wouldn't have one the cage with one of my babies, but I haven't had a problem with them before I knew better.

To put it in perspective, Congo African greys can tell the difference between reflection and another bird – not all the smaller bird species can, and that's where it becomes problematic.

A mirror a bird comes in contact with casually while moving around the house that just happens to be hanging there shouldn't be a problem, but one in the cage, where the bird spends most of its time – if you count the night hours, is like asking for trouble.

now this is wierd. i got bamboo( my lovie) a week ago and my mom was not really happy about it. she said i wuz supposed to keep them in a pair. i told her bamboo wud bond with me, but that is gonna take time. she says i should at least put a mirror till bamboo can come out of his cage. im not really sure. what do you think i should do??

I think it depends on the bird... My daughters lovebird would go crazy if there was a mirror (another bird) in the cage with her... but my IRN Pippin has a mirror in his cage and is fine with it... occasionally looks into the mirror and grumbles, sometimes "talks" to it... isn't obsessive about it, nor does he seem stressed by it.

whoa,this is risky!

It probably depends on the bird, Tahiti has a large mirror in his cage. He sometimes looks into it, licks it and then walks away. He's not as attached as some birds are to their mirrors.

yeah... should i try with bamboo??