I think I am making foraging too easy for my birds.

[WallyLoopey]

I make my birds forage outside the cage as well...on the top of their cages and playstands.

[wonderb]

Olive won't bother if its too hard to get to. I guess it ruins the fun for her, so I usually put the toy where it is easily accessible. Right now she's had the same cardboard box on the bottom of her cage for 4 days and hasn't bothered with it, but I know if I hung it on the side near a perch it would be gone by now. Every bird is different though, so it is worth experimenting!

Sheldon has one foraging toy, and now he knows how to use it perfectly! Kind of makes me mad because they aren't cheap, and it only takes so long for him to figure it out. I need to find inexpensive ways to forage

I started a thread on cheap and easy foraging toys: Post your DIY foraging ideas (pics)

I agree with you, foraging toys are EXPENSIVE, especially if your bird either doesn't "get it" or is quickly bored with it.

[aru]

Like, wrap the entire skewer in a piece of paper or napkin, or cover it with a brown lunch bag, which they would have to tear apart first.

I second this, however... to up the ante I eventually wrapped things up in one or more layers of coffee filter paper. That stuff's much more challenging, but also lasts a little bit longer. My lovebird used to get one every day and when I pulled out the supplies she would eye me and then clamber all around her cage. And when I'd wedge the wrapped treat between the bars? My fingers would get nipped; Beep's way of saying "That's MINE! No touching!"

[Irishj9]

The more work the better. I hang their treats on the ( 6 ft tall) playtree. But only in awkward places, where they have to hang upside down bending backwards to get a hold of it LOL

JP

[Stormcloud]

I actually think you're going pretty well with the foraging toys. Just remember, if they're new to them, then they're new to you as well. My theory is that it depends on the intelligence of the individual bird and it's owner. With things like this, run with your gut instinct as 95% of the time you'll be right. I even put my birds food and water at the bottom of the cage to insure they exercise to get it. Good question as usual.