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Mirror toys are often first on a bird owner’s list of must-haves. There are, however, differing opinions on the benefits of budgie mirrors if you are keeping a single bird. While they will give him obvious pleasure, stimulation and social interaction (i.e. your budgie will think his reflection is another bird), it might be a worst-of-both-worlds scenario. If you’re keeping a single bird in order to tame him and provide all the social interaction he needs, the mirror-friend will slow down the taming/talking progress. When it comes to a choice between your company and the handsome looking bird in the mirror, you might find yourself rejected.
The Geo Bird Mirror fits perfectly to the popular Geo Bird Cage, giving your bird a shiny surface to engage with.
Are Budgie Mirrors Bad?
Until the 1990s, mirrors were one of the ‘essential’ items for any budgie cage. Nowadays, you will often read how mirrors are psychologically damaging for birds. In some countries – Germany, for example, where the budgie is a hugely popular cage bird – mirrors are actively discouraged. The issue pivots on a leap of faith – the conviction that a lone bird will attempt to socialise with the unresponsive ‘friend’ in the mirror until the lack of feedback drives him mad.
In truth, this exaggerates the budgie’s intelligence. Amazing creatures though they are, budgies are not able to work out that the reflection is anything other than a second budgie. So, mirrors are not bad; but if you do intend putting them in the cage to provide artificial company for a singleton budgie, consider getting a second bird instead. It will make taming/learning to talk trickier; but so will the mirror. Once there is more than one budgie in the cage, a mirror is no longer an issue, and you can install as many as you wish.
Comments
Jen, 22 June 2021
I had a second budgie with my Female budgie Rider but he died within a month... then I got another one for her but he died too again within a month... no idea how but now I'm afraid of getting another one because I'm kind of suspecting Rider had something to do with it.. I got Rider a mirror but now all she does is stare at herself all day... should I get rid of the mirror?
June, 26 April 2019
I bought this mirror from a local pet shop at the time did not have access to the internet, but I highly recommend. My budget LOVES this mirror and her lively antics is poor fun to watch.