Advice pls

[ods]

Hi,
Two years ago I bought a Cockatiel for my dad who'd just retired. The cockatiel was just a baby and my dad immediately took steps to hand rear him.... which he did very successfully....
Birdie (a male) will bang his toy bell on the cage as a sign to open the cage and basically, unless my parents go out, he spends most of the time around the living room. He has perches and toys all around. He loves being cuddled and nuzzles my dad. He adores me and begins his "special" whistles (sounding like a telephone) as soon as he sees me. He won't stop until I kiss him repeatedly on his beak..... all has been great.... until a couple of weeks ago....

So.... One of his toys around the living room is a mirror. He spends ages looking at himself and whistling and speaking to himself and this we know is normal. If anybody touches his mirror he'll come flying from wherever his is and begin attacking them quite fearlessly. Head down, wings open and hissing. He's always had a mirror but over the past two weeks he has become obsessed with it ! Furthermore....
he has decided that the back of the CD Rack is his new territory. If anybody attempts to take a CD or touches the CD rack... he'll come and try and chase you away by hissing and biting and attacking ! He spends ages just sitting behind it !!! If we tap on his mirror he comes running out !
This territorial behaviour came on suddenly and for no reason. At first we thought that perhaps he's a girl and maybe this is a nesting instinct....

I would appreciate any advice pls.... especially re the biting... he never bit before this.

When he is out of the room... he's back to his normal cuddly, playful self.

many thanks !

[Aly]

That sounds like typical male behavior and teenage hormones.. One of our members is currently working on that herself. It happens unfortunetly and it will phase out- it's just raging hormones. Try to move the cd rack somehow so it become unfamiliar to him a bit. From what you're describing it does sound like you have yourself a male. With males it's quite odd-one minute they seem so cuddly and sweet and the next they're having a fit..then right back to sweet again. Tell your dad not to move his hand away when he does that (hard to do when he's acctually charging at you but...) Mine is so sweet and then in a seconds notice he flips-I found it helpful not to move away and to acctually put my finger next to his beak *as if I'm saying here-you want to bite -go ahead. Someone told me about that trick and it works great with mine. It seems to confuse them. Otherwise, remove or move any areas that he's become territorial with and also remove that mirror toy he's got. It sounds like he's protecting the other tiel...in the mirror.

[ods]

thanks Babyluv12 !
I've just phoned my dad to inform him.... he was pleased that there is a rational explanation for Birdie's irrational behaviour !!!
We'll follow your advice accordingly.... although Dad is reluctant to remove the mirror for fear that Birdie will be heartbroken at having lost his "friend" :-) (albeit being his own image !)

Wishing you all the best in 2008... !

Odette
Malta
(Europe)

[Bea]

I would also remove the mirror and any of his other "mates" because it's sounds like that's what he's got into his head. I have a budgie that is in love with mirrors, so i only give him one occasionally as a treat. :) Maybe your dad could do the same once Birdie has settled down a bit. ;)

[xxxSpikexxx]

Here are some articles that might be able to help http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-behavior-and-training/default.aspx I would also take away the mirror.

[ods]

hmmmm......
wouldn't taking the mirror away from Birdie break his little heart ???? He is very attached to it and it keeps him amused when we are unable to play with him........

He's so cute.... he begins to chirp, whistle and dance around in front of it !!!!

What we're doing now is taking him out of the living room with us so he's away from the CD rack and mirror as much as possible.

[Bea]

It would be tough love, but it's better that we don't allow our birds to become over attached to objects like mirrors. Mirrors are in general bad toys for birds, as they see the reflection as another toy and it's psychologically worrying for their new friend not to respond to any preening, feeding and playing that they give it. They get so attached it causes aggression as you've discovered. As long as he has other toys and things to do, which it sounds like he does, he will get over the loss of his mirror. :) Give him lots of things to shred like folded up paper, or a paper bag stuffed with shredded paper (a favourite toy for my tiels). This will keep him busy and distracted. ;)

[Laura]

I agree with Bea, I have never given any of mine a mirror for fear they will become to attached, they love looking in mirrors but it can cause alot of problems for them Ollie gets the occasional look in the bathroom mirror but he doesn't seem interested there are alot of other great toys that will keep him entertained

[Aly]

Don't worry about breaking his heart. As Bea said, mirrors can become bad toys for them as much as they seem to enjoy it. My Ziggy loves his reflection but I limit his use now since I noticed he gets aggressive with it when it doesn't respond back. To him it's a competition of who can sing better and look bigger-when the "other bird" is just as good as him he starts trying to attack...himself. Longterm he can become protective of his own reflection as you described and will take it out on everyone else. Some good replacement toys would be shreddy things to keep him busy such as plain white paper..etc.

[Mossybird]

Mirrors are always a bad mistake with about every bird I have had. Cockatiels see them as another bird,and they become quite attached to their reflection. They get aggressive and territorial, hence the dive-bombing. The only way to stop this is to take away the mirror and replace it with some of his other favourite toys. Toys that have sparkly things on them are ok, but mirrors are a no no. Spend time with him and eventually he will forget about his mirror. Best of Luck!

[xxxSpikexxx]

I took Spike's mirrors off his new play gym. He was biting more than usuall.