Foraging & Shredding Bird Toys
| Foraging is "the searching for
food". In the wild your parrot would spend up to 75% of
their day searching for their own food. This requires
them to uncover, dig, pick along with whatever other
methods which are of value for them to accomplish their
mission. Within our homes this task has been removed from their daily life, but that does not mean they do not receive enjoyment from the search, so foraging toys are very important. It doesn't have to be for food, just treasures that they will find fun, entertaining and stimulating. |
| Click on any image below for a larger view and more options |
| Click on any image above for a larger view and more options |
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Wild parrots spend much of their time foraging for food. The intelligence and inquisitive nature of pet parrots, traits we find so endearing, developed in part out of foraging habits. Parrots need to forage and problem solve. This need is often unaddressed with pet birds. Making parrots forage for their treats isn’t cruel:
it’s a gift that gives them hours of entertainment.
Start slowly, however—pet parrots with little foraging
experience won’t know what to do if you suddenly start
hiding their daily meal. Boredom and Feather Plucking ParrotsWild parrots divide their day between grooming, foraging, sleeping and socializing (not unlike humans, when you get right down to the basics). By far the largest portion of a wild parrot’s waking hours is spent foraging. Now consider pet parrots. Often they’re the only pet bird in the house, so that rules out socializing with other parrots. They rely on their humans for social interaction, and we aren’t always available. Instead of foraging for food, pet parrots get meals hand delivered to them in bowls that are always in the same place. With socializing limited and foraging non-existent, this leaves pet parrots with grooming and sleeping. No wonder so many pet birds’ grooming develops into feather mutation. We are, quite literally, boring the feathers off them. |
