get Indian ringneck a friend? too addicted to his reflection

[layla1122]

hey everyone! I need help please, due to strict lockdowns in Australia vets around me aren't taking in any consultations so I thought id ask here. my Indian ringneck for the past couple of months has been obsessed with his reflection, he will find it anywhere, tv, phone, table, vase,mirror,window and he figured out the bathroom has a mirror and the shower top metal strip has his reflection too, he plays peekabo with his reflection, kisses it and yells at it. his cage is in a large balcony that we spend most of our time in, and we open his cage from the morning and don't close it till night time for him to sleep. he usually would play with us or with his toys but now as soon as we open the door he fly's straight to the bathroom and spends hours in there, I try to get him busy with foraging toys but he plays abit then just flys to his nearest reflection, Ive tried to cover everything but he always finds a reflection because we have big glass doors.what are some suggestions please what should I do, he doesn't have any mirrors in his cage btw. he's usually always playing with me but now when there's a reflection he won't leave it and ignores me, should I get him a friend? I try to put him back in his cage to chill out abit and play with his toys but he will just scream for 5 minutes and more straight , he's really used to being outside the cage all day.
thanks so much

 

[Skarila]

Hello there! Pretty sad that the vets wouldn't even give some help via phone...

So, I had exactly the same issue but with a rescued cockatiel we found in our garden. Exactly as you described with your IRN, Archie the cockatiel was obsessed with any reflection or even his own shadow. In your case getting a 2nd IRN would be good, you can get another male, they usually get along. However you should keep in mind that there is always a chance that they might not like eachother so be prepared that you might have to let them out at separate times. Do not house them together, nevertheless the new bird should be in a quarantine for at least a month.

I highly suggest same species, I had to rehome my IRN because he was obsessed with me in a very unhealthy way- was very hard. In his new home he became best buds with an old Alexandrine, later with another IRN boy when the Alexandrine passed away from the old age. He was never interested in the ladies at all.

As for the cockatiel who was obsessed with his shadow and reflections - we found him a loving home who had another cockatiel with similar behaviour and was also a rescue, and the two boys became BFFs. They did not care about any other species around.

If the birds bond, make sure you will be ok with them spending time with each other instead of you. It's really a high chance that could happen.

 

[wrench13]

So very right! Adding a new parrot usually goes one of 3 ways. 1. They get along great and include humans in the new mix 2. they get along great but now exclude any humans from the mix and 3) They HATE each other, and now you have to keep them separate, with separate out of cage time etc etc. You throw the dice and get one of these 3. Personally I think, with your birds current behavior, that you will wind up with # 2 above, but you really can't tell before hand.