Foraging question

[GretaClara]

Hi there, I have two female cockatiels, they just turned two. I’m looking for a way to encourage foraging. They are on pellets, seed and veggies. I thought mixing their food in with some pebbles or even commercial aquarium gravel like you would put in a fishbowl into a shallow bowl so they would have to dig through the non-food stuff to find the food. But neither one of them sounds particularly safe. Any ideas? They love it when I cover the food in their bowl with shredded kale, but of course it’s a huge waste because they only eat a tiny bit but they love digging around and looking for the pellets and seed! They are out of their cages for about six hours, but they spend most of the time sitting on me. They definitely need some enrichment, which is why I’m looking for a way to encourage foraging

 

[SillyGoose]

Your tiels are adorable ! They are obviously so well loved. i have 2 sure fire ways to get my tiels to forage. 1. Fake grass mat - https://www.amazon.com/MAYSHINE-Art...ocphy=9190240&hvtargid=pla-1018538382404&th=1 (Link to Mat ! ) I sprinkle foraging seeds/millet/pellets onto the mat and they go crazy for it. ( Make sure to cut the ma into smaller pieces so they aren't afraid of it )

2. Baking trays ( made with bird safe material ) I add cut up pieces of paper and crinkled card board and add different foraging materials. ( you can see an example of this on my profile picture behind the conure If you look to the right you will see my tiel in a foraging tray

when you have a cockatiel that only wants to sit on YOU and wont play with enriching toys you will need to teach them to station - Instructions on stationing - Teach Your Parrot to Station.pdf

When i first learned about stationing and started implementing it with my cockatiels within a WEEK started to forage an for the first time since cohabitating with them i could enjoy cockatiel free computer time LOL

you will also most likley need to teach them to PLAY with their toys after stationing - I did that by target training and then slowly target training to get them to bite toys instructions attached - Teaching Your Parrot to Target.pdf

Here is more info on small bird enrichment Small Bird Enrichment Strategies (1).pdf

Good Luck !! Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[Respect]

Yeah I wouldn’t go for aquarium gravel either. If they like it when you cover the food with shredded kale, maybe they would like having to dig through crinkle paper? You can find bulk unscented crinkle paper in lots of different colors online — here’s one example from a place I’ve purchased from

BULK Crinkle Paper - 1 LB

This is what we use on our own toys! Untreated, with no "vanilla scent" like what you find in retail stores around the holidays. This stuff is great for poking into vine shapes, tucking into foraging toys and much, much more to keep your feathered family members busy for HOURS.1 PoundRecommended...

abirdtoy.com

 

[Shezbug]

Gravel will be too small but some larger stones or even marbles would be perfectly fine.
You can get wooden beads also that work ok for foraging in bowls.
Paper stars work also and are so easy to make- you can even add some treats to the inside of the stars.