Pets responding to image in a mirror

[Catherine]

Animals and mirrors are always good for a laugh. Some of their reactions are very funny.

http://news.google.ca/news/url?sr=1&ct2=...t=2&at=dt0

I think some of them are convinced they are seeing another animal and some are not so sure.
I wonder if they would figure it out in time.

[LPC]

Puce barked at her reflection the mirror when she first came to live with us; she had previously lived outside on a farm, so had never seen a mirror. However, she quickly learned that it was not a real dog, as it didn't bark back!

Forgy looked at his reflection briefly in a mirror when he arrived from the shelter, but quickly figured out that it was not another dog. As for cats, none of them I have had since I was a child have ever shown any interest in mirrors.

I don't know how other animals react in the long term, except that pet birds often like to talk to a reflection in a mirror. How about reptiles?

[Tobi]

Misty growled and barked at her reflection the first time she saw it. It took her by surprise! Then she sniffed round the back of the mirror. And from that moment on, showed no interest at all in her reflection, besides giving it a sideways glance the second time I put a mirror on the floor. I was never sure what she made of it...."I am such a cool dog that I know exactly what it is, but don't care.".....or "Okay I've seen that now. I know it's some illusion you are creating, but it's boring."

Sally-cat isn't interested at all. The first time I held a mirror up for her she did take a long look, however, but didn't hiss or anything. Now, she either knows it's her own reflection, or she thinks it's some trick I'm playing, but she certainly doesn't think it's another cat.

But some animals really do respond to their own reflections!

At the farm, up the hill from me, I saw a Goose staring at itself in a huge Victorian dressing-table mirror. I saw that numerous times. Eventually I saw the farmer's wife and asked her what was going on with the Goose and the mirror.
She told me his mate had passed away last year (aged 42!) And he went into a great decline. He didn't care about anything.
Then one day her husband saw him fascinated with his reflection in the patio windows.
So she put the old mirror out. And he spent time looking at himself. Then he really bucked up, and ate better and was much happier.
She is sure it's because he thinks it's another Goose. So he doesn't feel the loss of his mate so acutely, and isn't lonely any more.

[Catherine]

That is sweet about the goose.
Misty and Puce were both too smart to fall for a mirror. Sally cat being a typical cat is going to act aloof so you will never be sure what she thinks.
Forgy is obviously too clever to fall for a mirror even once.

Reptiles? Most lizards will react with their reflection in the glass. A mirror would drive them  wild.
Bearded dragons are the worst. The males are forever thinking they see another dragon and reacting to it.

Snakes wouldn't see a mirror. The glass is cold so they would not react at all. They respond to heat and scent. If I have food scent on my hand I will get bitten. The snake will let go right away when it realizes I am not food.  Snakes see heat so a heat source will attract a snake where an image will not. I was holding a green tree python, Mr. Green, a very gentle creature. We had a small lit candle on the table and he "saw" it as small and hot and therefore probably food. He struck at it as if he could eat it. Fortunately the flame went out, but he got hot wax all over his face and in his mouth. WE were able to clean him up and he was fine, but he was confused. He was sure he "saw" food.

I don't  know if a turtle would react to a mirror.

I am pretty sure a dwarf hamster would be too near sighted to see the mirror itself let alone an image.