Acceptable foraging bowl?

[Lullx]

Would something like this make an acceptable foraging dish for a larger parrot?
Or perhaps a few smaller ones.
Trying to think outside of the box with my flock.

This looks like something fun to stuff with their dry foods and shreddable bits. Hopefully big enough to keep my conures from cheating (Genevieve would definitely climb onto the top if it was small enough), but big enough for a Congo African Grey to use comfortably.
Am I way off base? I have no idea how big the holes are, but it looks like my little guys can easily fit their heads in, and a grey could fit their beak comfortably, right?

Also, where do you get your ceramic food bowls from? I'm trying to find some nice ones, but all I'm seeing are ones with cheesy dog or cat themed designs on them. I'd like something simple and fun to serve chop in! Genevieve pushes my glass bowls all over and tips them ):

Sorry if this comes out wonky or is oddly worded. I'm rather tired and am creating this thread on my phone.

 

[strudel]

I'd want to see how big those holes are. I'd be worried that somebody'd get their head stuck in there.

We have "$2 shops" that sell heavy china bowls without pet stuff on them. If you have shops like that, you could check them out. I just use the feeders in the cage, they are lockable, so they can't tip them out.

 

[Lullx]

I'll take a look around my city for those little shops. Never thought to look there! I know we have a couple.

I like to feed my flock outside of the cage. I move their feeding dishes around the room so they can experience a little variety in their schedule. My three monsters (the tiel and two conures) regularly eat together at the same time, so I'm trying to find a decently sized ceramic bowl for them to share, and then one for my grey to have to himself when he comes home in June.

I thought this looked fun, but I'm feeling wary of how safe this might be now.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Hi Britt! I wouldn't use the foraging thing idea for the same reason Strudel pointed out.

As for plain ceramic crocks, looky:
Super Pet Super Pet Stoneware Dish Dog Bowls & Dishes

Bird Feeders & Waterers: Ceramic Crocks for Birds at Drs. Foster and Smith

 

[Betrisher]

Yeah, I'd be worried a bird would get it's head and maybe a foot stuck in the hole.

I use wire hanging planters for my birds' rummage baskets. You can wind them with sisal rope for safety, but mine are just plain wire. I pile them full of shredded paper and all sorts of chewy stuff for the birds to find and chomp on. They LOVE rummaging!

There's a hanging basket in each cage (ie. one for the Beaks and one for Dominic) and there's another common one that hangs from the suspended playgym in our kitchen.

 

[Lullx]

Thanks for the input, everyone! Now that I'm awake and the brain fog is gone, I can see why this wouldn't be a great foraging bowl.

...I may still get it for my cat though. She eats her food too fast.

I was thinking of commissioning a set of stoneware bowls from a pottery thrower.
I'd love something like this, minus the little bar going through the middle.

I use wire hanging planters for my birds' rummage baskets. You can wind them with sisal rope for safety, but mine are just plain wire. I pile them full of shredded paper and all sorts of chewy stuff for the birds to find and chomp on. They LOVE rummaging!

What type of hanging planters do you use? I think that's a great idea!

 

[strudel]

...I may still get it for my cat though. She eats her food too fast.

I'd still be worried about a cat sticking their head in there and getting it stuck, or twisted. If you want to slow her eating down, just give her a spoonful at a time, or spread her meal out over the day. As long as she's not spewing it straight back up again, I wouldn't even worry about it.

 

[kalypso123]

My new dog Pandora eats very fast so we bought a thing thats in the shape of a bone(there are other shapes too)that sticks to the bottom of her food bowl. This slows down her eating and makes it a bit of a game too. In the begining she hated it and would pick up her bowl and dump out her food and eat off the ground but now she doesnt do this. Only if she would stop peeing everywhere. lol

 

[Betrisher]

I just use the el-cheapo wire planters designed to take a coconut/coir insert. Some come with plastic coating (birdies have chipped that away already) and others come with plain wire. They're very inexpensive. Just ask for a wire plant hanger at a nursery and they'll show you what they have. Or, try ebay to see what they look like. Search for 'wire plant hanger' or 'wire hanging basket'.

 

[Lullx]

Oh, right, those! Not sure why I was spacing out on that.
Thank you! I'll definitely look into implementing those for my flock

 

[strudel]

that sticks to the bottom of her food bowl.

They sell a bowl that has a design that is said to prevent wolfing down dogs' dinner. They seem to be for bigger dogs, I think. For a cat, if he's having tinned, you could just smash it down onto a plate, then he'd have to lick it up rather than just gulp down huge hunks. (ie serve it flat, not in a lump).