Will Work For Food
By Tracy Schwarztrauber
In the wild, boredom is never a problem with birds. Much of their time is spent looking for food. In captivity, we make it very easy for our birds to find food, creating a problem, especially for the larger parrots that are extremely intelligent and need mental stimulation to keep from getting bored. When birds become bored, it has an impact on their behavior, sometimes causing them to scream & gnaw anything they can reach, and even chew or pluck their feathers out. It can come to a point where a bird, especially a larger parrot, will go insane from the boredom and do the same behavior over and over for hours at a time like circling around the cage or head twisting.
Toys will help alleviate this problem, but different types of toys and ways for the birds to get their favorite foods will also be very helpful at keeping a parrot occupied. There are many different toys that can be used as treat or even food dispensers. Many of the toys available that food can be placed in are made of colorful plastic that is easy to clean. Some toys are made so the bird must really work to get at the food item, usually something they really like. Some toys are made with a treat already inside, such as a wood nut cage. The birds must chew the wood to get to the nuts inside. A nut wrapped in rawhide laces & hung on the outside of the cage with one piece of rope going into the cage for the bird to pull the nut into the cage with is a way to keep a bird busy for a little while. Dry treats wrapped in paper & stuffed into a treat cage will also make them work. A toy box made out of a cereal box, shoe box or a cracker box stuffed with nuts, cuttlebones, millet sprays, plastic rings & wood blocks, is a sure way to keep your little friend busy. Punch holes & hang it on the side of the cage with leather strips. Do not use a box big enough for your bird to fit into. There are treat cages, kabobs, and hide-a-treat cups available for all size birds from cockatiels to macaws. Keeping your bird mentally & physically active will help to keep him very happy & maybe even quiet for a while.
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