Foraging Toys

Alcatraz loves his various chew toys, but has never shown much interest in other toys. I've decided to start working on foraging toys because I think he needs a little more stimulation. Luckily my first try seems to have been successful... even if it took a few hints.

I would guess that most of you have tried this one before, but I'll share it just in case. I lightly steamed an artichoke then allowed it to cool. Then I stuffed it with treats. Alcatraz didn't seem to know what to do with the artichoke and initially thought it was a new, oddly shaped perch. So I took his largest treat (an unshelled peanut) and he watched me stuff it under a leaf on the Artichoke. While it was one of the single nut peanuts, it still stuck out rather ridiculously on the artichoke. After Alcatraz "discovered" the peanut, he took a better look at the artichoke and quickly began finding dried fruit and other treats. He now seems to be a very happy bird.

What are your favorite foraging toys?

I haven't thouht of using an artichoke before....this sounds like a great idea! I think my favorite easy toy is using Chinese finger traps and stuffing an almond or peanut.
Clean, dry corn husks (usually in the Mexican food section at the grocery) work well for wrapping food/toys. Sometimes I will string them along the cage.
You might try using one of these to increase the level of difficulty of artichoke foraging once Alcatraz gets used to it. Or simply let him watch you cover the artichoke with a paper towel so he can "find" it.
I never tire of watching Montu try to figure something out, and I'm definitely going to try the artichoke

Thanks!

Great idea, genevieve. The only thing I have to say about it is that you really shouldn't give Alcatraz peanuts. It has a fungus derived from the ground that is very harmful to birds, and causes a few potentially fatal diseases. I still love the idea anyway!

I like to handmake the foraging toys myself, sometimes you can rip apart thir old store-bought toys and use the parts to make something great. I took some large beads that had very large holes all over them, and stuffed the holes with seeds and veggies. The boys loved throwing the beads, and watching the food fall out. And after all the food was thrown out of the beads, they picked it up off the floor and ate it. LOL

Max eats more pellets out of his foraging toy than out of his bowl. I haven't tried making my own yet, he has a little acrylic box with a cardboard box inside that he rips to pieces.

I have noticed I can put some food in a bowl and at the same time put the same food in a foraging toy and you can guess which one won out. The birds love it when the food is more difficult to get to for sure.

parrotqueen said:

Great idea, genevieve. The only thing I have to say about it is that you really shouldn't give Alcatraz peanuts. It has a fungus derived from the ground that is very harmful to birds, and causes a few potentially fatal diseases.

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"Not to cause any confusion about peanuts and nuts"

Depends what peanuts you are feeding the bird.
Salted ones are extremely bad.

Great nutritional nuts for birds are :

Almonds - Macadamias - Cashew - Walnuts
Raw peanuts - Brazil - Pecan

Make sure the nuts are not salted.

The peanuts aren't salted... they are part of a parrot seed mix that I use sparingly for treats (the staple of his diet is pellets). Fresh veggies/fruit have been a challenge with Alcatraz. I give him a variety everyday, but typically all he'll eat are fresh peas. I was excited to see that he actually picked at the artichoke a little...

I think I'll try some of the commercial foraging toys... it sounds like they are working well for other forum members! Thanks!

The peanuts that come in a bird seed mix and the worst offenders to carrying a fungus in the shell. Better to feed human grade peanuts if you must feed them at all.

Spiritbird said:

The peanuts that come in a bird seed mix and the worst offenders to carrying a fungus in the shell. Better to feed human grade peanuts if you must feed them at all.

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I feed Mishka Avi.Plus Delights. (Pellets)
A complete nutritional diet with proteins, vitamins, minerals, vitamins and trace elements.
I remove all the peanuts.
Also remove all the small pieces of dried fruit (they are treated with sulphurdioxide)