Excellent Vet Visit- need enrichment

So before i truly start this thread i just want to say, I am a horrible mom to Dusty... The poor boy hasnt been to a vet in three years for an exam. I clip his wings and nails on my own and he's been eating very well and such. I havent had the spare cash to afford a vet visit so i havent brought him.

Now, I am working two jobs at 7 days a week. I am very busy but still find time after work until bed to hang out with dusty. Working two jobs has given me the extra income to spend on a check up for Dusty.

Today i bought him to the vet. Dusty weighs 94grams. The last time he was in (three years ago) he was 92 grams. The vet says he is maintaining an excellent weight. His nails look awesome. (She said that many times when birds come in there nails are so badly over grown) She was very impressed with how Dusty will lay in a towel on my lap and allow me to clip his wings and nails with little to no restraint. I feed Dusty Fortified Pellets and Fruits and Veggies weekly (i dont always have veggies available)

Regardless of my few shortcoming in being an excellent mom for my bundle of joy, Dusty's vet visit ended successful.

Though i do have a question, Does anyone have any suggestions for cheap enrichment? I'm still not doing well financially so i can afford many toys for him (he has a bunch anyway that i rotate in his cage) I am looking for something that will get him to work a bit more during the day. You see, Dusty is starting to grow bored in the day, and over preening himself. I want to try to stop this and the vet suggested trying extra enrichment and foraging. Any suggestions?

Obviously you're a very good mum for Dusty to get such a good report . I am terrible with vet and dr visits for both human and animal.... and I used to be a vet nurse so I should know better.... i do however watch everyone very closely and will go if at the first sign of illness - with the animals anyway!!

As for foraging toys any of the brown-unwaxed cardboard packaging, I make little boxes and put things inside - I have toddler teething rings and wooden shapes in there, toilet/paper towel rolls. I bought some wooden shapes from our hardware store in the craft section painted them with food dye and hung them from sisal rope which went down well, both my girls shredded them and love swinging from the rope. Also tree branches with leaves attaches are a lot of fun.

I actually have something that I built that is pretty easy to fix up as well. I dont have a picture up, as it is still in the process of drying... but its a foraging tray/perch. I bought a flat 1'x2' piece of wood, glued 4 pieces of 1"x2" long wood on each side of the flat wood so that when you put treats and toys in, nothing falls out... then in the middle I glued a PVC pipe perch (just a long pipe and on both ends are the 90 degree elbows, and a twine kind of rope around the pipe so she doesnt slip) and made it low enough for my bird to reach and grab what she wanted... in the bottom I put pre-shredded paper (petsmart has bags), her favorite treats, and some foot toys for her to grab and play with. So far, it has been a cinch to make.

ClaudePi said:

in the bottom I put pre-shredded paper (petsmart has bags), her favorite treats, and some foot toys for her to grab and play with. So far, it has been a cinch to make.

Click to expand...

Hanging brown lunch bags with things inside would work too... the options are endless

I have little 'parcels' that I hang around the cage. They are newspaper filled with leaf lettuce or sprouted seeds. It is very funny to see the enlightenment on a budgies face when the seed spills out of the parcel.

Unbleached coffee filters "gathered" with cotton string filled with pellets/nuts/treats or just more paper. They're about a penny each and supremely shreddable.

For food artichokes are not too too expensive. You can buy and after washing fill the leaves with various small toys or berries or any thing that would fit.

You are doing a fantastic guardian, we all know that......
Whenever there was a problem or a query, you were quick to ask for help.

Great idea's from the above members..... such great inventions

Found a great link, easy and affordable to make, with fantastic pictures shown
Have fun making them, going to try a few out for myself LoL meant for Mishka !!!

How to make cheap and easy foraging toys at home. What’s happening at FBTB HQ.

Thanks everyone! What great ideas!


I have tried tying fruits and such in coffee filters...He is afraid of them!
I have tried a few times to cover his food dish with a coffee filter so he has to rip it open. I do poke some holes in it so he can see his food. My vet does it for her African Grays. They love it! Dusty... petrified. He will go to the corner of his cage and scream and scream.