Making life interesting outside of toys

[Freedomoflight]

Trying to figure out ways to spice up the fids lives a little bit.
Someone suggested putting pospicle sticks over the food dish, so they have to chew through the sticks to get to the food- excellent idea, but I cant figure out how to secure the sticks?

Any other ideas? What do you do?
Here are some ideas that came up:

Simple things, like fastening popsickle sticks over the food bowls so they have to forrage for their breakfast, and chew through the sticks to get to their meal will keep them occupied for awhile. Be sure to fasten the sticks with room between them and rattle the food around before you give it to him so the bird can see that there is actually food inside. (He may just end up thinking you forgot to feed him.)

Phone books or old paperbacks hung in the cage for shredding purposes...

Wiffle balls on bird safe ropes. Sometimes with stuff inside them.

My birds love putting together the actual toddler puzzles with the little shapes...

The shell game, with an almond. My birds can do this one for hours.

Trick training is about as interactive as it gets...

And I have a home made rope toy, where you basically just braid about 8 strands of three to four feet (folded in half and braided it measures about 18 inches to two feet) of sissal rope around a metal ring.

Then, you cut and tie hundreds of untreated bird safe leather strips (about 8 inches long each) to the strands of the rope. Then you tie foot toys, chew toys, and food treats to the leather strips in knots of various complexities. (It's a foraging toy. Like going through the bushes looking for berries.)

The bird has to untie the knots to get the toys/treats. And you can reconfigure it over and over again in about a thousand different ways using just about anything, including spare parts from other broken toys... Each time you tie it up it's a familiar concept, but a brand new toy to play with!

Me: I just made a foraging type toy. An old mismatched (clean!) sock stuffed with peanuts. Tie at the top and put in fids cage. They have to chew through the sock to get the treat inside... they love it!

[Xavier]

Me: I just made a foraging type toy. An old mismatched (clean!) sock stuffed with peanuts. Tie at the top and put in fids cage. They have to chew through the sock to get the treat inside... they love it!

...boy do I know that one. I used to pick up Aree with my foot when she flew on the floor, that is, before she found out about the "treat" inside the sock... Ouch!

[The Outlaw]

Foraging for food is fun for birds. You can take a roasting pan and place lots of clean river rocks in the bottom. Sprinkle bird seed and nuts all around to openings between the rocks and let your bird hunt for dinner.

Of course most birds love to unravel adding machine tape. Just secure a roll to the side of your cage using 3 large fender washers, a long carriage bolt and matching nut. Slip on washer on the bolt, then the roll of tape and a second washer. Place the threads of the bolt through the cage bars and add the third washer and the nut. Tighten the nut enough to keep the rolls from free spinning. You'll find the entire roll pretty much unraveled by the end of the day.

[Freedomoflight]

I have the adding machine paper- I got 24 rolls for 7 dollars at costco. My guys love it so far. They are taking their time chewing on it :)

[willowbirdy218]

This is a great thread!! Excellent ideas! I definitely want to try the pan filled with treats and rocks (although I will probably use shredded paper)--I think Willow would have fun with that!

I also saw that 24 pack of adding machine paper for $7 recently and can't wait to go back to get some!

[felisdomesticus]

I've read about ekkie owners wrapping a bit of dry mix or nuts or whatever it bits of twisted wax/parchment paper. They remove all fresh foods during the day and don't have a bowl of dry mix out--so the bird have to forage for treats and food throughout the day.

[RickNCheri]

How do you best handle the 'Freak out' issues. I know I made my jessica a bundle of popcicle sticks wrapped with white twine and she wouldn't go anywhere near it. She loves individule sticks.... I should try the sticks over the dish....