Posted January 9, 200718 yr I am at my wits end Sure stainless steel looks nice - but when you have a budgie obsessed with his reflection, it can turn deadly. Bobby - the instant his cage door is open, he flies straight to the rubbish bin, and will spend hours talking to his reflection. So I cover the rubbish bins and he finds the saucepans, then the kettle, coffee maker, milkshaker, a spoon on the bench, right up to the little knob on our kitchen television that is slightly reflective. So he loves his reflection you might say - leave him be, and that is fine if you just want a budgie who won't interract with you at all anymore when he used to be your special little buddy, and what happens when it is time to go back in the cage - I get attacked. Yup, if I dare go near him while he is chatting to his reflection it's chomping time... he even drew blood on my husbands hard working tradesmans hands. So I let him out and completely cover my entire kitchen and any other possibly reflective surface with cloth, he actually jumped over some cloth to get in behind it (he know's his reflection is behind there) or I chase him around with the spray bottle trying to discourage him from that area. The only way I can catch him is to drop a container over him and carry him to his cage with something solid underneath... it is driving me crazy. my only truely tame budgie has turned against me. Edited January 9, 200718 yr by Riebie
January 9, 200718 yr I'd love to help you....but aside from making me laugh a lot, I don't have an answer for this one
January 9, 200718 yr Oh Riebe, I actually feel really sad for you. He is so vain... Hopefully you will find some way to win back his love.
January 9, 200718 yr Could you start wearing aluminium foil to distract him ? :(Laughing out loud): That is the funniest thing I have read for a while
January 10, 200718 yr I didn't realise it was so bad. Maybe let him out in a smaller room with all shiney stuff covered for a while until he .... possibly .... get's over himself. It must be hard with such an open plan house.
January 10, 200718 yr Author I thought of putting my girl in with him to see if it will ease his hormonal anxiety - but I don't want babies so not too sure about that.... I wonder if Sparkie would be able to tell the difference between Sunny & Sherbie Even I put the wrong one in each cage once hehehe
January 10, 200718 yr I thought of putting my girl in with him to see if it will ease his hormonal anxiety - but I don't want babies so not too sure about that.... I wonder if Sparkie would be able to tell the difference between Sunny & Sherbie Even I put the wrong one in each cage once hehehe Seriously Riebie. I am thinking distraction therapy, but have no real answers for you. Terri might have some ideas
January 10, 200718 yr Oh dear me... You could try walking around with a saucepan on your head (!)... No really, perhaps you could put a few mirrors in his cage (or does he have some)... Or hold up a mirror to him... My guess is that he thinks that these birds are girl birds and it's a type of courtship response... He's a funny little guy isn't he... If he's biting, as difficult and painful as it is, the best thing is NOT to react. Just pick him up (scream in your head, but don't say anything) and talk to him calmly each time... I've done this many times with birds that bite and believe it or not, all have stopped after a few days... They realise that biting isn't going to work and eventually lose interest. Then make sure that everyone does this - ie. no-one can break the cycle, otherwise it won't work... Although pain hurts and it's easier said than done. But guarantee it will get better after a few days if you can stand the pain... :ygbudgie:
January 10, 200718 yr Author Well I have put Sherbie in with Bobby and boy is he excited - instant flirting, chatting and trying to kiss her! little flirt - at least she has values, trying to push him away but he wont leave her alone... even when she was eating he had his head in the dish with her just trying to chat!!! :(Laughing out loud):
January 10, 200718 yr Well I have put Sherbie in with Bobby and boy is he excited - instant flirting, chatting and trying to kiss her! little flirt - at least she has values, trying to push him away but he wont leave her alone... even when she was eating he had his head in the dish with her just trying to chat!!! :hap: Who needs kids when you have budgies like this ?! :hap:
January 10, 200718 yr try the distraction therapy with him and use millet when he is hungry to get his attention, in other words take it from step 1 again. you show be able to get him back also when his hormones go down a bit it should be easier. sco-tie
January 10, 200718 yr Riebie, I'm so sorry ou have to go through that with little Bobby, but he sure is one very handsome fellow.. If I was him, I'd fall in love with myself.. sorry.. hehe He sure is funny though, trying to chat even when Sherbie is trying to eat.
January 10, 200718 yr That's how my Willie is. Maybe they should get together and stare at each other.
January 10, 200718 yr Author Riebie, I'm so sorry ou have to go through that with little Bobby, but he sure is one very handsome fellow.. If I was him, I'd fall in love with myself.. sorry.. heheHe sure is funny though, trying to chat even when Sherbie is trying to eat. :
January 11, 200718 yr Author Well I tried the ease the hormonal technique by adding a female - didn't work, as interested as he was when she first arrived he soon lost interest.... I tried the distraction technique with a mirror and some millet to try and lure him to me - the look on his face like why on earth would I want that pathetic little mirror when I have this MASSIVE bin... and forget about the millet, I love myself more.... Tomorrow I am going to get some curtain wire and erect a temporary curtain door to keep him in the loungeroom, where I have remove all reflective items apart from the doors on the cabinets!! Wish me luck!
January 12, 200718 yr Author We had a great night last!!! All budgies were out playing and Bobby was put into the boring spare room all by himself (Hubby did this while I was at work) When he came out he went straight to his rubbish bin of course, but kept coming in to say hello and back out again, each time he came in he stayed longer and longer, and I am trying to teach him to say "Hello Mummy" so he was a bit excited about that!! When it got dark we left the lights off in the kitchen and he stayed with me!!! We had heaps of chats then he would go off and play with his budgie friends and then come back! He bought 2 of them back once and I had 3 budgies crawling all over me! It was heaven!!! :(Laughing out loud): He only bit me once and that was when I went into the kitchen to get a drink and he found a saucepan, so I left him and turned the light off and he came back to ME soon enough Can't wait to see if he picked up "Hello Mummy" Edited January 12, 200718 yr by Riebie
January 13, 200718 yr Yay, you are starting to win over the annoying bird in the reflection, well done.
January 13, 200718 yr Author Yup if it is dark in the kitchen he won't go there then he wants me me all meeeee!!!! :(Laughing out loud): I am so happy - Bobby loves me again!
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