Foraging ideas for Lovies and Budgies?

[PenClem]

I've been watching YouTube videos on ways to create foraging toys for small birds. There are a few solid ideas, but I'd love to hear what you do for your Lovies to encourage them to forage.

Ideas I have so far:

1. put treats in paper cups and mash them closed. Then place in bowl where food is usually obtained and/or hang from untreated leather strings in or outside of their cages.

2. buy plastic and/or stainless steel toys specifically made for foraging (for small birds) online. This is certainly the easiest option, but not quite as fun as watching them tear into something hand-made.

3. put a paper plate upside-down over a right-side-up paper plate. Cut holes in the top plate and allow them to chew through the holes to get to the treats. I'll have to tie the plates together with leather string.

4. put untreated wooden beads in their food bowls along with their pellets and cover the food with the beads so that they rummage through them to eat.

I've realized how much work I need to do with my girls to ensure their happiness. Every day I feel I learn something new that is relevant to their health and welfare.

Since I cannot cuddle my girls (or my Budgies), I must be content with watching them enjoy life in their dedicated room of my house. They come out everyday for 10-15 minutes at a time while I clean and feed them. They fly around the room while out. They get a healthy diet even though they turn their beaks up at chop. And they have a rotation of new and used toys in their flight cages that occupy a majority of their time. I think they're happy, but I know I lack experience in creating obstacles/puzzles for foraging so that's why I've come to you to ask for more ideas. Please share!

 

[Laurasea]

Great ideas! I cut brown paper bags in long fringe like grass skirts. Hang from the ceiling like a forest of fringe, with perches in the fringe. Lots of fun for budgies on up to the big guys, and easy and cheap!

 

[PenClem]

Great ideas! I cut brown paper bags in long fringe like grass skirts. Hang from the ceiling like a forest of fringe, with perches in the fringe. Lots of fun for budgies on up to the big guys, and easy and cheap!

I love that idea! I'm going to give it a try!

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[CharlieChick]

Even I make some of toy ideas you have... and I must say, my lovebirds love the toys I make them. More than any store-bought one because I don't have a good selection of toys here.

What I make-

1) Bird box forager: This is my favorite one, you need to make two paper boxes, all DIY (without using glue or staple) and punch holes on the side (using a hole punch). Then you have to pin a hole on the bottom using safety pin, or any needle in that matter. Thread 1 box, then put crinkled paper, some beads, half popsicles, cardboard pieces and of course treats!. Then you can thread the other box, the box would be closed now. Again, stuff some treats into the holes (like wheat berries so it's easier for birds to get them). As a matter of fact, you DO NOT need to put the other box, you can do a single one, but for more advanced birds... put the other box on top.

Foraging Bowl- My bird's favorite!, take a shallow bowl, height shouldn't be more than 10 cm, put some crinkled paper, foot toys and seeds. Birds will have to move all the crinkle paper (and foot toys too if you put them) to get all the seeds that are on the bottom of the bowl.

Finger Trap Thingy- Take some finger traps and stuff millet inside them, a small piece so that birds have to destroy the entire thing in able to get to the 3 cm millet piece.

Those were all the ideas I had.