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Well, Piper has a weird balsa habit.

painesgrey

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So, here's my predicament:

Piper looooooves shredding. Balsa, pine, pinatas, yucca kabobs - doesn't matter, she'll ceaselessly chew until it's gone.

I ordered bulk balsa some time ago and finally got around to cutting it into 1/2" and 1/4" squares to string up or put on kabobs, or just give as an individual "treat". She'll go through at least one a day.

My problem is that she'll chew until it's off the kabob, then take it to her food dish and chew aaalllll the pieces into her food bowl, filling it and completely covering all the food in her bowl.

Is she creating a unique foraging opportunity for herself, or should I worry that she's then going to start screaming because she thinks her food bowl is empty?

Also: why do birds have to be so weird?

Picture of offending bird, for shaming purposes:

 

Mizzely

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Oh man... Have you tried to give her a dummy bowl to see what she does?
 

painesgrey

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Oh man... Have you tried to give her a dummy bowl to see what she does?
I could certainly try. I have to use small, covered bowls (like what you see for parakeets) with her because otherwise she gets nesty and kicks all her food out. The bowl has to be small enough that she can't climb in.

Perhaps I just need to provide two bowls of food, half a portion each?

This girl is trouble, let me tell you.
 

SeñorBirb

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That's hilarious. She looks very mischievous!
 

Mizzely

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Birds are so frustrating sometimes lol. I would do an empty first and see what she does with it first, then if the food is really part of the equation you can add it to the mix. Ideally she would chew into the empty bowl so you have less waste and worry... But she sounds like it won't be that easy ;)
 

painesgrey

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Birds are so frustrating sometimes lol. I would do an empty first and see what she does with it first, then if the food is really part of the equation you can add it to the mix. Ideally she would chew into the empty bowl so you have less waste and worry... But she sounds like it won't be that easy ;)
Added a "dummy bowl" which is in place of her old food bowl. She carries her balsa block to it, shoves it in the bowl, and chips away at it. If she doesn't have any balsa in there, she throws her plastic ball in the bowl and shakes it so it makes a horrendous rattling sound. I'm used to her doing this when she's low on food, but now she does it when she's low on food AND has no balsa in her bowl.

I can't win for losing.
 

Mizzely

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Omg :lol: I'm sorry!
 
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