Enrichment ideas?

[Birdlovesme]

Hey!
I had a quick question regarding our cockatiel, Honey. (2years)
I was wondering what I could do that counts as "play" or enrichment for her.
She's not one to play with toys, and usually, we don't close her cage door so she can go in and out as she pleases.
We make sure she's safe, and stays on top of cage, but I feel bad she doesn't play with toys and either sleeps or walks around most of the day. We take her out a lot to hang out)
Any help is useful!
Ps: We let her out because if we don't, she freaks out, and climbs all over the cage.

 

[Sarahmoluccan]

What kind of toys have you tried? When I had my cockatiel I didn't how about softer woods like balsa. He liked toys but I'm sure he'd loved to get his beak on some balsa. You can some through our vendors here if you haven't try it

 

[Lady Jane]

Instead of putting her veggies in a bowl decorate the cage with them. Hanging veggies and cooked corn on cob on a skewer is a good way to have her work for food. If we chop the veggies and put in a bowl they don't have to forage and the veggies will all taste the same. Hang greens in cage from a clip. Put some mystery items in a small hanging bucket.

 

[Birdlovesme]

Oh great ideas!
From what I know, her previous owner never had her eat veggies,pellets,etc, for 2 years.But Honey will try anything she sees me eat, so I'm working on it.
I've tried balsa, she's scared of it though..

 

[rocky'smom]

these have intrigued my two. Bebe still isn't sure what that thing is, but it has food in it, I'll give it a go. Sweet Pea was into from day 1. she has one in her cage to hold her little toys.

 

[rocky'smom]

I would little green salad for her and bigger one for you. put hers in a little bamboo bowl. try a little topper of something she really likes on the salad.

 

[Birdlovesme]

Do you have any good salad recipes that's ok for me and the bird ?

 

[rocky'smom]

spinach, leaf lettuces, shredded carrots & cucumbers, maybe some finely chopped greens beans, fresh peas for the bird. you mat have some dressing, none for the bird. but you can put topper of raw sunflower seeds for bird.

 

[Birdlovesme]

Okay thank you!
Weirdly, Honey will only crack open a sunflower seed, and then drop it.
I'll use millet

 

[sunnysmom]

You can buy foraging toys too where you can hide treats in them.

 

[Pockets]

I don't have a cockatiel, but for our Bourke's Parakeet we like to take millet and tuck bits of it inside "finger trap" toys to encourage a mix of foraging, shredding, and the treat!