Fat-free foraging. Give them toy-cocaine! ;)

MomtoPercy

New member
Nov 15, 2013
1,816
Media
1
1
South Africa
Parrots
Percy, a 5yo BFA & Jack, a 8yo Budgie
I struggle to provide healthy foraging opportunities of master Percy because he will only make an effort for 'naughty' foods like nuts and sunflower seeds. Oh, he will check all the hidey holes but if he discovers a broccoli spear he won't even look further ;)

I saw these types of toy online and was very lucky to discover some of the circly ones in a local shop. They were extremely expensive though. I incorporated them in big toys and he started attacking them with a vengance. I couldn't keep up!

Then I found a bag of mixed shapes at a discount plastic store and tried those - they are still a hit! If he sees me walking towards him with any one of these things in my hand he goes crazy LOL! This is why we've started calling these shapes 'cocaine' in my home ;)

So I've started hiding them in his foraging toys...voila! Success! This morning he saw me put one in a paper packet but didn't see what else I did. I was refreshing his in-cage toy bowls (he's got three different ones at various spots). I hid the paper packet at the bottom of the toy bowl that he visits least freaquently (I think because it is next to a rope perch and he doesn't seem to enjoy this perch).

Well, after I put the toy bowls in, he zoomed around the cage, tossing things here and there until he found that paper packet! He ripped into it and actually squeeled with delight at his own cleverness!

I know there are foods that fids will do anything for but do your fids have any 'toy-cocaine'? ;)

IMG-20140112-00702_zpsfd21c4c1.jpg
 

hacatta

New member
Dec 22, 2013
610
0
Parrots
i got 1 green cheek cinnamon,a rose crowned,a yellow sided and a hybride from the first 2

Kiva
Fury
Pixel
Hope
Anything with palm leaves here,not easy when you're country doesn't have palm trees.
Thankfully there are toys here with them.(with a not that nice price tag).
But it is so worth it.:D
 

strudel

New member
Sep 30, 2013
1,939
Media
5
1
My birds don't seem to play with their toys. Maybe they just aren't any good.....

My budgies did, one of my weiros "attacks" the tassel thing on one of their toys, but they don't seem to be interested in them. My galah doesn't seem to bother much with hers, either. She'll run for her treat "thingie" if I put something in there, but it's not much of a challenge. I wrap up things in paper, but she doesn't bother with them (I probably just give her too much directly for her to feel like she has to bother?)
 

hacatta

New member
Dec 22, 2013
610
0
Parrots
i got 1 green cheek cinnamon,a rose crowned,a yellow sided and a hybride from the first 2

Kiva
Fury
Pixel
Hope
I just discovered that just putting a piece of paper in the cage keeps them happily busy for an hour lol.
 

hacatta

New member
Dec 22, 2013
610
0
Parrots
i got 1 green cheek cinnamon,a rose crowned,a yellow sided and a hybride from the first 2

Kiva
Fury
Pixel
Hope
I know what you mean 1 couple of mine doesn't play with their toys either.
They just enjoy each others company.
While the other 2 are playing the whole day.
 

ConureCrazy

New member
Jun 13, 2012
1,937
Media
1
1
California
Parrots
Senegal: Oliver ~~
Yellow-Sided GCC's: Bella and Zora ~~
R.I.P Tweeters the Cockatiel<3
Those look fun! :D Zora will go nuts for the 1" spherical beads. She loves trying to crack then and throwing them on the floor. Oliver loves stiff cardboard. :)
 

Freespin

New member
Nov 28, 2013
705
1
Waikato New Zealand
Parrots
Male senegal - Stephen. Previously Barry - Male Barraband
Nelson - Male Eclectus
Haha what does he do with them once he has them? Barry loves branches with leaves still on them, he just loves pulling them off! I'm not sure with Nelson yet though he enjoys the new leather toy I got him =)
 
OP
MomtoPercy

MomtoPercy

New member
Nov 15, 2013
1,816
Media
1
1
South Africa
Parrots
Percy, a 5yo BFA & Jack, a 8yo Budgie
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #9
Haha what does he do with them once he has them? Barry loves branches with leaves still on them, he just loves pulling them off! I'm not sure with Nelson yet though he enjoys the new leather toy I got him =)

He chews them to pieces...but not just random old pieces! Oh no! My boy carefully (but verry determinedly) cuts of each 'circly bit) with his lower mandible, rolls it around in his mouth and then spits it out, never to be looked at again! I will post a pic of his results tomorrow (unfortunately his cage has already been cleaned for bed time so all the debris is in the garbage).
 

Most Reactions

Latest posts

Top