Mirror Obsession has Gotten to Breaking Point. Please Help.

[tylemaker]

Hi AvianAvenue,

Hoping for some help with our feathered friend.

Backstory:
My wife and I adopted a 6 year old male Cockatiel named Maru about half a year ago. In his old home, Maru was in the cage 99% of the time, on a seed-only diet, and had 24/7 access to a mirror in his cage. He was also somewhat scared of hands, and was generally not overly friendly. The family rehomed because they didn't have time for him anymore.

Since adopting Maru, my wife and I have worked very hard to improve his diet, sleep, and life, he now steps up, does some flight training, whistles "Happy and know it" and "September" and generally loves us. Maru is a solo tiel, but I work from home 95% of the time so he is rarely left alone.

Reflection Obsession:
Because Maru was living with a mirror in his cage for many years before we got him, we think he bonded to his reflection. When we got him we immediately removed his mirror, which stressed him out at first but he seemed to settle fairly quickly. Generally , if we can keep him from his reflection, he is a very good, friendly, happy bird.

Unfortunately, this has proven more and more difficult.

First, he would try flying to mirrors (bathroom mirrors etc) so we covered them up.

Then he noticed he could see his reflection in the TV screen, so we covered the TV up or kept him off of it.

Next he noticed he could see his reflection in the window by his playgym and would start singing to himself in it. So any time he was out there we pulled the blinds down.

Then it was the microwave and the metal cabinet handles. So we cover those.

Like I said above, if we kept him away from his reflection, he is a very happy, friendly bird. If he thinks he can see himself, he becomes obsessed, and will spend hours trying to fly to his reflection, sing to his reflection, and aggressively attack anyone that comes near. He won't even eat or drink, all he wants is his reflection.

Shadow Obsession:
The problem got to a breaking point in the last 1-2 weeks as Maru has discovered his shadow. in absence of his reflection, Maru has become obsessed with his shadow. And it's A LOT harder to prevent shadows than reflections. The last several days he has spent all of his 12 waking hours:

1. Perching on door frames so he can try see his shadow in the wall and sing to it (even if there's no shadow to see)
2. Flying from perch to perch so he can see his shadow on the wall as he flies
3. If he's not actively seeing his shadow he's looking at the wall trying to find it. Nothing snaps him out of this, he won't take treats, he won't eat, he won't sing, all he does is look for his shadow.

He has gotten very aggressive, if he's perched by a wall where he thinks he can see a shadow he will viciously attack anyone that comes near. He has bitten my wife and broken skin twice in the last few days, and normally he loves her and won't leave her shoulder.

Here is a picture of him perched on a doorway trying to see his shadow, he has spent most of the last few days doing this.


Solutions:
We have talked to 3 different avian vets and bird specialists and researched as much as possible. The options suggested include:

1. More darkness/sleep to reduce hormones (He already gets ~12 hours a night and we're trying to get that to 13-14)
2. Less darkness/sleep, to give him more active/awake time.
3. Getting a second bird (we are considering this, but the worry is it either won't help, or they won't get along)
4. More foraging and mental stimulation (we already give him lots of foraging and have been working on him with toys and tricks, but the last few days he won't eat, drink, or play, as he spends all day looking for his shadow)
5. Rearranging his cage (we did that a few days ago, it hasn't helped yet)
6. Increasing his cage time (he currently spends all day outside his cage, only reluctantly going in to sleep)
7. Giving him limited mirror access, or access to a small mirror on his play-gym.

So I am asking this subreddit for help, what suggestions do people have? This has gotten very bad and we want him to be happy, we also don't want him to be so aggressive. Should we give him limited mirror access? Should we get a second bird? If so, what if that doesn't help? Has anyone had success with such behaviors?

Here is a picture of Maru happily singing when he is not in his reflection-obsessed-trance:


Thank you!

 

[Emma&pico]

And welcome

@sunnysmom maybe able to help

@Xoetix I know duck as a passion for feet any advise

@Rebel I know you deal with female hormones any advise

 

[Shezbug]

I personally would consider getting another bird if he is that desperate to make contact with a friend.

 

[~Drini~]

I agree. I am a big supporter of all birds getting the opportunity to develop relationships with others of their kind. Get another boy and let them sing their hearts out serenading each other.

 

[Birdie Mama]

That’s also what I would do. Just don’t forget to quarantine them.

 

[tylemaker]

Thanks for the input. We will try a few things first but will look into getting a second tiel. We are worried it won't help, and Maru will will be reflection obsessed, or that he won't get along with the new tiel, but it might also help.

 

[Birdie Mama]

Have you tried playing cockatiel video s to see how he might react to another bird? It might show if he would be aggressive. Or happy to see a buddy.

 

[MommyBird]

Some rescues will let you have a try to see if two birds will get along with each other.
If you are interested in adopting maybe we can suggest a rescue near you.

 

[Rebel]

And welcome

@sunnysmom maybe able to help

@Xoetix I know duck as a passion for feet any advise

@Rebel I know you deal with female hormones any advise

My situation is a little bit different. Shes quite the hermit, she doesnt care at all to come out. Her thing is rubbing herself on things. Ive rearranged her cage many times. She quite creative at coming up with ways to get it done. She would be good at twister. Its gross. I would rather have a mirror bird.

 

[Mizzely]

If a second bird isn't possible, I would probably let him have some access to a mirror in an area where people don't have to be so he doesn't feel the need to bite. As long as he is still eating, drinking, etc.

My Jardine's every year tries to nest in pillows and under the couch. I cannot stop this behavior but I can redirect it. I give him a box in his cage that he can tear a nest into, and he's happy as a clam (and safe from being squished).

 

[Emma&pico]

I am a big supporter in birds having their own species I think it gives them so much that we cant but also I think it depends on the bird and you should only get a second if you want a second one don’t get a bird for a bird it doesn’t always work out and it’s not always going to fix problems you have it can
Worse case you can end up with two hormonal birds that don’t get on
They could tolerate each other but not help your bird you have now
Or best case scenario they get on like an house on fire

I do think if they tolerate each other even this does enrich there lives having someone to chat to that speaks there language etc

but you have to want another too be prepared to have two separate cages maybe even out of cage time (this isn’t easy especially as your baby used to being out all time )

sometimes we have to just let them be as long as it isn’t affecting there health as in not eating or drinking

pico had a rope knot perch he was obsessed with but he mated with it constantly no eating feeding it wouldn’t come out anymore I removed it and he just found something else he had his cat ball bell but this didn’t affect him way the knot rope did so I just left him to it he was very protective over it and this still continued even though he had indie I got indie to be friends with pico he wasn’t interested they did get closer over the year I think pico enjoyed having indie but I also think he would have been totally fine on his own

what I am trying to say is if you don’t want another you just have to try find a solution that helps you all I know that may not be easy

 

[Xoetix]

I would recommend going through a rescue that will let you foster to adopt, so that way you can have a “trial run” with the second bird

 

[sunnysmom]

My cockatiel Scooter came to me as a foster and then I adopted him. I picked him up the day he was surrendered, and he was in his original cage. He had 6 mirrors in this tiny cage. 6. I was told he had lived alone in a back room for 7 years without being let out of his cage and basically ignored. The reason for the back story is because I am generally anti-mirror but I thought how can I take away all his "friends" when they're all he's known. So, I initially left 2 mirrors in his cage and then when I switched him to a bigger cage, let him keep one. It hasn't been an issue. He'll sit by it at times. But not all the time. He still acts like a normal bird. When he's hormonal, he will do a fake lunge if I get too close to the mirror but only when he's hormonal. The rescue then placed a "permanent" foster with me. One they weren't going to adopt out because of his age- who even though he was staying with me anyway, I did actually adopt. Scooter doesn't have a lot of interest in him- and vice versa. They're company for each other definitely. And they do flock things together like eat at the same time, nap at the same time. But I wouldn't say that having Rosie, the other tiel, made Scooter a happier bird. He's happy just being Scooter.

So, I think I would still tell you what I usually tell people- only get a second bird if YOU want a second bird. I would definitely go into the second bird ownership assuming that they will never want to share a cage. If they do, great. But I don't think you can plan on that happening. So, that's two cages to clean, have space for, etc. I actually would probably try giving the mirror back and see what happens. If he becomes obsessed and aggressive over it, then you can reevaluate. I enjoy having two cockatiels. So, I am not trying to talk you out of it but just sharing my story.