Does Your 'Too Like Mirrors?

[Astrid660]

Trooper loves them. I like to take her on my hand into the bathroom and she looks at herself in the mirror, then does an extreme happy dance and then when she stops dancing, I go "wow that was a happy dance! everyone says you're such a pretty, big white bird when they see you" (I stay as calm as possible though, overexciting trooper can be dangerous. ) and then cue another excited happy dance. It's adorable. I just wonder if it is good for them to see themselves in the mirror about once a day ? I just fear that maybe she will get sad that there isn't a real cockatoo friend for her.

Your experiences with mirrors and cockatoos ?

[Lilian]

Hello Astrid,

our Cockatoohens and our Cockatiel (male) likes to look in the mirror, where the cock is really thinking, as was another Cockatiel. Therefore, we show him the mirror and no longer avoid it, because he has a partner.

The cockatoos are only interested in the mirror. I do not believe it for a real Cockatoo hold.

Why does your Cockatoo no partner?

[maggy]

Dusty sees the other corella in the mirror...I sing "How much is that cockie in the mirroe....." and she bashes the heck out of that "other" cockie girl. By the way she hates other cockatoos, we had a rescue one once and she hated him too. Nasty girl mine! No actually I think she just possesive of her Mum.

[Triflow]

Cali is funny at the mirror. She does her own version of the happy dance, bobbing her head and flapping her wings. We sat a large mirror on the floor for her tonight and she kept running from side to side past it, and stopping to try to touch the other 'Too. It was very funny!

[ChristyB]

Oh my gosh, we've only had Diamond about 7 weeks now. If there is a place for her to find her reflection, it will happen! I have a vase that has the smallest shiny part to it, she found it, she is just too cute! Instead of being Diamond Girl, she is now Diamond Diva!

[jaded1313]

Zoey (M2) doesn't really go after the mirror- but the window! That's another story! When it gets dark and you can see your reflection in it, we play the "birdie in window" game. I bring her up to the window and she does her big display (I'm the bigger birdie!) then I pull her away...then we do it again. She likes being the boss lol. I've even caught her a few times (if she gets out of her cage) she'll be on the windowsill pacing and pecking at her reflection and giving that other bird outside what for!

[Congobongo]

I read somewhere not to put a mirror in the cage because they could become so enamored with the bird in the mirror they would ignore you.

Mine don't seem to make much of a fuss about seeing themselves in the mirror.

I guess this is all a confession that we take our birds into the bathroom when we need to relieve and that is when the mirror comes into play? LOL

[jaded1313]

I think that advise is more for budgies than for cockatoos.