Forage
- noun: the act of searching for food and provisions
- noun: animal food for browsing or grazing
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verb: wander and feed
- verb: collect or look around for (food)
In the wild parrots spend most of their time (approximately 70% of it) foraging, or looking, for food. Not to mention when given the option of eating their food out of a dish or working for their food, studies have shown that parrots prefer to work for their food. Now you can imagine when handed their food on a daily basis how a parrot has to figure out what to do with itself for the other 23 hours of its day.
Most find creative outlets in screaming, mimicking high pitched sounds, biting, etc. Others find more acceptable outlets like talking, whistling, playing and destroying toys and interacting positively with their human companions. Most find refuge in a little of both!
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Offering your bird foraging opportunities is the one of the most effective and life enriching ways to keep your parrot healthy both mentally and physically. Not only does the act of searching and finding their food keep them active physically but it also keeps them using their mental capabilities as well which is just as important as their physical well-being.
Most of us assume offering foraging opportunities for our parrot is crazy time consuming but it isn't. Not only are there a variety of toys on the market today to fill and place in the cage for your bird, but there are also simple things you can do in your daily parrot-care routine.
Let's get you started:
- 8 Ideas to get you started with foraging
- 5 Ways to use food as foragers
- Ground foraging ideas for parrots
- Beginner foraging ideas & how to
- What other parrot owners are doing for foraging
- Foraging parrots videos
Toy
As you can see, the point of providing toys to your bird is for them to engage with them; to play; to destroy; to interact with them. If your bird is not doing so, the toy becomes quite pointless and action on your part needs to be taken to either alter the toy to become more interesting to your bird or provide a different type of toy that better suits your bird's curiosity.
Toy engagement is a great way to stop unwanted vocal behaviors by offering what is referred to as an "incompatible behavior" which is a behavior a bird performs that makes it impossible to perform the unwanted behavior. (In other words, when a bird's mouth is full of wood it's tearing apart, it can't very well scream at the same time.)
Here are some resources for you to provide the right types of toys for your bird for the ultimate results:
17 comments
I was told with every order I get a small toy. I can not find how to do this on your web page. Could you explain? This offer ends March 31, 2024.
Do you sell those little cages that you suggested for foraging or putting left over pieces of toys inside? If not where can I find them?
Want to pick your own toys from our exclusive BirdTricks line? Check out our new website with all of our current designs! www.birdtrickstoys.com
Great toys! My Panama Amazon LOVES all the twisted reed/grass type toys and can easily play happily for 30 minutes at a time. It’s so fun to watch him “shop” his box for what he wants to play with, muttering “hmmm” as he ponders his selections.
I read that we can pick the toys for the box for tiny birds…how would we do that? Thank you
Want a custom box of toys for my macaw. Do I just try to explain what I want in the custom box or try to send pictures?
We do have a custom toy box option! To place a custom toy box order, please email info@birdtricks.com to get started.
Do you have page where I can just pick and choose toys I want instead of mystery box. I know which kinds of toys my bird will most likely enjoy.
The flock has been so happy with their mystery boxes.
hello ! I was wondering if you could tell me where to get the foraging feeder from the first video… Katie says that one can easily get those on ebay, but I can’t find any like the one displayed on the video… I appreciate your help, thanks !
All of my birds absolutely love your toys! I own 8 Budgies, and one Orange Winged Amazon. I get the 8 tiny toy boxes, along with the medium 5 toy mystery foraging boxes. Every time I get a new order of them, they are always quality products and I never have any complaints. Neither do my birds. ;) I highly recommend them to all of my friends, along with anyone else looking for high quality safe toys for their feather babies. They deserve nothing the best!!
I have watched 3 videos so far , each filled with insight on caring and learning what to expect from them . i highly recommend viewing them
Hello I am just wondering if you sell any other toys other than the mystery boxes? I am doing up my cockatiel’s ( Sooki ) cage and was just thinking it seems odd. Also, I tried putting scrunched up paper on sooki’s food and the first time she took it off but the second time she wouldn’t come out of the cage or interact with me until I took it off! ( im not completely sure that’s the reason but I think it is) but I am confused why. Keep up with the amazing work you do.
Hi nice birds you have anyway do you have any single toys for sale. ? Thanks
I have a 9 month old male cockatiel! What is the best thing I can feed him ? Do you sell bird food for cockatiels ? Where can I buy it?
My husband sisters gave us her blue crown conure ( jo jo ) that she had for seven year and really has no experience with birds . Jo jo really took to my husband Chis . Every time that he would visit he would go up to Jojo‘s cage and Jojo would step up to him and cuddle with him no one else was able to do that with Jojo. So one day my husband decided he was taking Jojo to our house. I have been watching your videos and getting some tips because I need to take care Jojo when Chris isn’t home. So now I want to give him a better diet and have the proper toys for him. just a few weeks ago I wanted to get baby green cheek from pet co that was on sale . My guys name is philly he isn’t tamed. I’m trying to slowly get him used to us . I wanted to contact you so I can get information on your products that you sell. Thank you for your time sincerely Gloria .
Most informative! I am going to try this!
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