Easy day-to-day enrichment

[Khizz]

I just thought it would be nice if people shared their ideas and tips for fast and easy things you do for your birds. There's a lot out there for creating foraging opportunities, or making shreddable toys, but sometimes I just don't have the materials or the time to spend making such things!

So here's a handful of mine:

• Weave branches/stalks through the bars (these are from peppermint)

• Torn up paper balls
• Scatter random things on their platform perch
• Move them to a different room for a change of scenery (I call this a "birdy holiday" and it's usually when I'm doing a Skype lesson funnily enough )

These are good for smaller parrots

 

[Zara]

Move them to a different room for a change of scenery (I call this a "birdy holiday" and it's usually when I'm doing a Skype lesson funnily enough )

 

[Mizzely]

I have plastic foraging toys all over the cage and play area, and spread out Ripley's food between those instead of in a bowl. He spends about 4 hours a day just getting to his food!

 

[Shezbug]

I’m considering releasing Burt into my mother’s room for some enrichment. Lmao it will keep them both busy.

I use food boxes to shove treats, toys or broken toy parts and shredded paper into then put them on top of Burt’s cage while he is in there. He loves foraging through the bars if his cage so he has a heap of crap on top of his cage to break, work to the edges to drop, or rip through the bars. This keeps him rather occupied and happy while in the cage.
When he’s out he is more than happy either emptying my underwear drawers or opening them to rearrange them so he can sit in them and put holes in my stuff.
He also has a heap of foraging toys that I fill with crumpled or shredded paper and toy or food treats.
Cardboard weaved through the bars of his cage is always a winner. A plastic bottle filled with water on top or on the skirt of his cage will keep him busy for hours.... trying to manipulate the bottle to break the top and spill all the water.

 

[Gribouille]

For small birds: Egg crates filled with beads, plastic caps, rings, balls, etc... My birds like that and spend some time in there but I think it has become too simple, now they just use that for eating seeds, I think I need to find something a bit more exciting soon.

 

[Skye]

Thank you for creating this thread! My budgers are picky with their "enrichment." Both didn't even try to check out the new toys I hung up, yet not long ago I saw one of them busy with a paperclip I randomly attached to the bars.

 

[finchly]

For small birds: Egg crates filled with beads, plastic caps, rings, balls, etc... My birds like that and spend some time in there but I think it has become too simple, now they just use that for eating seeds, I think I need to find something a bit more exciting soon.

Wrap the items in tissue papers to make it a little more challenging?

Thank you for creating this thread! My budgers are picky with their "enrichment." Both didn't even try to check out the new toys I hung up, yet not long ago I saw one of them busy with a paperclip I randomly attached to the bars.

Figures!

 

[Khizz]

Thank you for creating this thread! My budgers are picky with their "enrichment." Both didn't even try to check out the new toys I hung up, yet not long ago I saw one of them busy with a paperclip I randomly attached to the bars.

I find they often prefer "human" stuff! Or things with odd shapes, like some of Mabel's foot toys:



I frequently weave things through the bars, like stalks or branches. They really like bark and things they can shred. Especially fun and tasty is something like a sprig of rosemary which they can eat and play with.

Mine aren't big foragers though. They like to investigate new things but they don't like to make the effort for their food I get that!

 

[Skye]

I find they often prefer "human" stuff! Or things with odd shapes, like some of Mabel's foot toys:

View attachment 333234

I frequently weave things through the bars, like stalks or branches. They really like bark and things they can shred. Especially fun and tasty is something like a sprig of rosemary which they can eat and play with.

Mine aren't big foragers though. They like to investigate new things but they don't like to make the effort for their food I get that!

Exactly, they seem to like the most random stuff! My past budgerigar loved hair brushes, the bristles were so interesting to him, especially the sound that they would make. I didn't let him play with mine because each bristle was coated with this rubbery stuff meant to protect the scalp, and with his beak it came off easily, but he was fascinated. But anyways, I should invest in buying some more unusual toys or bird-friendly supplies, maybe that would be up to their taste.

Weaving things through the bars sounds too simply not to try! It's also a good way to add a healthy treat.

By the way, I love your platform perch with the variety of toys.

 

[Gribouille]

Wrap the items in tissue papers to make it a little more challenging?

Could be an idea! I'm not sure the budgies would get it though, if they don't see the seeds I'm afraid they'd just get scared. Took them 2-3 hours to go back to their cage the first time I had the egg crate inside..
Well who knows, I'm sure Nova would be thrilled once she gets the point. Shredding is so much fun to her!! I can already see Merlin, mildly shocked as he watches her from a distance while she goes amok...

 

[Zara]

I really am impressed by the small amount of poop on the platform.
I turned Adelie and Sydneys box around so they can´t get in it, just sit on it like a platform, and they always poop on it! If they pooped on it less, I would get some of these corner perches 100%!

 

[Gribouille]

I really am impressed by the small amount of poop on the platform.
I turned Adelie and Sydneys box around so they can´t get in it, just sit on it like a platform, and they always poop on it! If they pooped on it less, I would get some of these corner perches 100%!

Might help to tape a newspaper layer on the top? Easier to clean..

 

[Gribouille]

I find they often prefer "human" stuff! Or things with odd shapes, like some of Mabel's foot toys:

I don't know if it's only mine or a small birds thing but foot toys aren't really working for them. It is actually quite the challenge to find stimulating toys for small birds.

 

[Zara]

Might help to tape a newspaper layer on the top? Easier to clean..

You do realise I have Roseicollis, Adelie is female and Sydney is a Pro at nesting.... The paper would last all of 10 seconds

 

[finchly]

I don't know if it's only mine or a small birds thing but foot toys aren't really working for them. It is actually quite the challenge to find stimulating toys for small birds.

Yes it is! I'll get a photo for you of what I've been putting in my cages. A small basket that hangs on the side with some bits of balsa and a few other toys. They chew up the basket. LOL And they chew the wood, and toss the rest of the toys around the cage. But it keeps them busy!

 

[Kiwi & Co.]

I don't know if it's only mine or a small birds thing but foot toys aren't really working for them. It is actually quite the challenge to find stimulating toys for small birds.

It might just be your birds

Kiwi loves these little stars!

 

[Kiwi & Co.]

They both like newspaper:

 

[Gribouille]

You do realise I have Roseicollis, Adelie is female and Sydney is a Pro at nesting.... The paper would last all of 10 seconds

Yeah, I thought about that, but I thought if it was taped maybe... Obviously not
OK so maybe with some plastic/Plexiglas on top then. Easier to clean than plywood.

 

[Gribouille]

It might just be your birds

Nonono, I saw him, using his beak, not his foot! Pichu loves that too, but he'll use caps or his ball, any other thing we have is too big

They both like newspaper:

he is trying to get the crosswords!!

 

[Gribouille]

So.. Here we go! Let's see how long it takes for them to get it. Pichu's on the table, (Merlin and) Nova's in the cage