nom nom nom — our foraging stuff
Breakfast is served: our morning foraging tray
Those little brown paper things contain seeds, sprouts, pellets, and are stuffed inside things everywhere. Sometimes they’re also put inside little plastic zip bags with beads & small toys.
I try to put small quantities (1/2 tsp or so) in each pack, so there are enough of them to spread out well and keep them busy for a long time. Afterwards, a lot of the goodies, as well as the paper, beads, etc., have fallen on the cage floor and they go down there to rummage the scraps. I also hide some things inside their buckets of toys so they don’t find them until later.
Some long lasting things help keep things available during the day too, like carrots, and branches of parsley or kale stuck in their hanging toys.
Sometimes they are still going back to rummage through stuff in the evening after I’m home.
Yep, it takes 20-30 min to get all this ready in the morning (or night before), but they enjoy it so much it’s a battle to keep them out of their cage once it’s set up. I bring the same things to work with me when they come along, and I can’t tell you how much calmer they are during the day. It’s well worth the time!
An excellent DVD on foraging for pet birds: Cative Foraging for Parrots
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March 27th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
That looks very fun for your girl. After giving her all that, she is still eager to do training? I guess her treats are better than veggies. One of Manzi’s favorite things is steamed veggies. Also, who are “they?”
March 27th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
Hi Adele!
I wondered if having this stretched out through much of the day would affect training, and surprisingly it doesn’t. I guess since they are having to work for it, it’s not quite the same as having a bowl of food just sitting there.
This probably looks like more than it is too, but it’s their normal breakfast ration (“they” being Carly and Piper). It’s just divided up into many small bits. If I’m going to fly her in the afternoon I wait until afterward to put all this in. (They normally get it sometime between 10am-noon.)
And yes, what they get for treats is more favored than this. I don’t put any nuts in the foraging, and if I’m planning to use sprouts for training (one of their favorites) I don’t put them in either. They also like their chopped veggie mix, but that’s always a dinner thing (after training).
March 27th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Hi Raz,
That is awesome and a lot of work but I’m sure your Greys love it. Having to work for their food keeps them busy and happy. I’ve read your posts here and on GoodBirdGroup. Lots of good information. I’m looking into adding a Grey to my flock and love what I read here. Thanks! Alex