Parakeets love mirrors, plain and simple.  It gives them someone to talk to, someone that looks and sounds just like them.  In my honest opinion, I think it is unhealthy for parakeets to have mirrors in their home.  Once you put that mirror in, your budgie will become addicted to it and will never want to do anything else.  Yes, it seems like a nice thing to do- giving your budgie a “friend” but YOU are supposed to be your budgie’s friend.

If you ever want to have any connection with your parakeet, I recommend you do not put a mirror in his/her home.  First, it is kind of wrong to do it because it’s just a reflection and you are teasing your bird into thinking it is a real, living bird who will chirp back.  Second, you want your parakeet to bond with you.  He should want to play with you, talk with you, get on your finger, and be excited to see you.  Also, when parakeets become so obsessed with their mirror, they can become aggressive and territorial, and start biting you.

If you feel your budgie is very lonely, consider getting a second bird – especially if you gone most of the time.  You can also use the mirror as a way to bond more with your bird.  Instead of leaving the mirror in there all day, take it and make your parakeet come to you and then have him step up on your finger to reach it.  Let him play with it for a few minutes then put it away and continue to interact with your parakeet.

I tell you all this from personal experience.  I made the mistake of putting a mirror in Perri’s house and he became obsessed with it.  He would stay on the same perch and talk to himself all day, pecking at the mirror.  He never wanted to play with any of his other toys or with me, he started biting, he never came out and flew around, and he even began to eat less since he was spending so much time at the mirror.  I took the mirror out for an hour at first, then put it back, then took it out for a little longer and a little longer each day until he was comfortable not having it in there at all.

Perri still likes to get to mirrors if he has the opportunity.  As soon as he hears the bathroom door open, he comes flying in to get to the big mirror.  If I don’t close the door, he would stay in there all day!  Now, he isn’t that bad anymore, but will still try and fly in if the door is open for a long period of time.  I have the little mirror that used to be in his house hidden in a little cubbie hole in the bedside table.  Just before I started writing this post, I heard him playing with something and looked over to see what it was and sure enough, I don’t know how, but he found it!  I guess I should find a better hiding place…