Is it ok to put a mirror in the cage?

livinonaprayer · Post by **livinonaprayer** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 12:11 pm

My Zebra pair is in the courting stage. They appear to be very close. I put a mirror in the cage and the female seems to spend a lot of time in front of it. Is there a chance that this will interfere with their relationship with each other?

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 8:15 pm

I would take the mirror out. Finches do not need mirros since they are usually kept in pairs. Sometimes mirrors will interfere with the bonding.

livinonaprayer · Post by **livinonaprayer** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:45 pm

dfcauley wrote:I would take the mirror out. Finches do not need mirros since they are usually kept in pairs. Sometimes mirrors will interfere with the bonding.

Thanks. I'll take it out. I had a feeling that might happen. She picks up a piece of nesting and tries to give it to the bird in the mirror; and then just jumps all over the cage with the piece in her beak. Good advice.

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:38 pm

Your more than welcome.
Have you ever breed zebras before? If not you better get ready for a bunch of babies, because I had to adopt mine out they had soooo many. Good luck!

lyderbug · Post by **lyderbug** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:02 pm

If they are not breeding...and they have bonded....both factors must be in place..then you can add a mirror. They dont need it, and it shouldn't take away from the birds' relationships, but my finches very much enjoy their mirror. I had the mirror in the cage when they were breeding and they were fine.

If they're bonded and not breeding I wouldn't worry about leaving it in the cage.

Not trying to step on your toes dfcauley...just wanted to throw in my experience with a mirror.

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:07 pm

lyderbug wrote:If they are not breeding...and they have bonded....both factors must be in place..then you can add a mirror. They dont need it, and it shouldn't take away from the birds' relationships, but my finches very much enjoy their mirror. I had the mirror in the cage when they were breeding and they were fine.

If they're bonded and not breeding I wouldn't worry about leaving it in the cage.

Not trying to step on your toes dfcauley...just wanted to throw in my experience with a mirror.

lyderbug · Post by **lyderbug** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:57 pm

Post by **Sally** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 12:18 am

Everyone's experience is different. When my male Green Singer was alone in a cage, I hung a swing with a small mirror, thinking he might enjoy it. He never went near it, wouldn't even use the swing. I took it out and put a regular swing in the cage, and he immediately jumped up on it, so I figure it was the mirror that was off-putting.

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Tue Apr 01, 2008 7:08 am

okay I think I spoke too soon.
This morning when I turned on the lights in my aviary I noticed that my star finches were sitting together on a perch and were both facing the window as though they were looking outside.
I have a film on the window to keep out so much sun so it will not get too hot and what I didn't notice was that when it is dark outside and the lights are on there is a reflection in the window. The two of them were sitting there looking at the other two birds. so cute!

livinonaprayer · Post by **livinonaprayer** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 9:39 pm

I made the original 'mirror' post and was glad to hear your experiences with the mirror thing.
The mirror we put in the cage hasn't bothered these guys and their courting. They'll sometimes peck at it and even try to put a piece of nesting up to it. The ol' give it to the other bird in the mirror trick.
But after all my concerns...there's babies on the way!

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 8:09 am

There isn't much that can stop a zebra from raising a family....

livinonaprayer · Post by **livinonaprayer** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 1:57 pm

dfcauley wrote:There isn't much that can stop a zebra from raising a family....

That's funny. Promiscuous little devils huh?

FINCHforum

Is it ok to put a mirror in the cage?

Is it ok to put a mirror in the cage?

No problem. Just my experience also! :)