Suggestions for "upgrade" from almonds

[Owlet]

Hi, so I've been trying to get Lincoln into chewing harder things and I've had very very little luck with plain woods as he has no "reward" of from chewing them. He's been getting shelled almonds for a few months now (only 1-2 a day) and he's getting really good at opening them, even ones that he would previously not even bother trying to open. But I'm not sure where to go from here. I'm not familiar with any other shelled nut that is harder than an almond but wouldn't be THAT hard like a walnut. I've tried tying together pieces of wood to "cup" a treat but he just chews off the string (its jute so safe.) I am not really good at working with wire either. Any suggestions?

 

[Macawdamia Nut]

I know my way around nuts with a macaw, but I admit I am a bit stumped. In order of difficulty in cracking the shell, I would rank it this way:

Pistachios
Almonds
Walnuts (US type)
Hazelnuts
Pecans
Walnuts (French type)
Macadamias
Brazil nuts (I can barely even crack them with a heavy duty nutcracker!)

Maybe you can partially crack a walnut for your bird? He can finish the job.

 

[kme3388]

I know my way around nuts with a macaw, but I admit I am a bit stumped. In order of difficulty in cracking the shell, I would rank it this way:

Pistachios
Almonds
Walnuts (US type)
Hazelnuts
Pecans
Walnuts (French type)
Macadamias
Brazil nuts (I can barely even crack them with a heavy duty nutcracker!)

Maybe you can partially crack a walnut for your bird? He can finish the job.

I have an Ekkie with a soft beak. He can’t get though almonds even. My macaw can break through Brazil nuts in seconds. I have complete opposite issues with my parrots. I need to find something more challenging for my macaw, and a happy starting place with my Ekkie.

I hope someone has some feedback that can help as I run into the same issue as the above poster

 

[Thechoplady]

I dont know if this would help or not but i taught my ekkie how to break through walnuts by slightly cracking them first for her. Now she will work on a walnut for quite awhile until she can break it by herself.

 

[wrench13]

I like the idea of giving half a walnut, in shell. But I've seen some nasty innards on store bought bags of whole ones. I'll have to give the 1/2 shell idea a try - Salty loves his walnuts.

 

[Talaya]

I give half a walnut in its shell once a month or so, but if I can crack it so just a little bit falls off, I will give him it all, he has been known to grind the walnut shell down to dust numerous times.
As for woods, pine is a very good softer wood. Mine seems to fascinated with pencils especially if I’ve been using them. (So pencil shaped)

You could also possibly get some bamboo, let him see you fill it with pine nuts or almonds then give him the piece. Bamboo is quite hard but if he has seen you put his favourite treat in it this might be quite enticing. I just use bamboo that has come off another toy.

Another option is a hol-EE ball for parrots..you stuff these with veggies and let them rip them out, I use carrots, celery, parsnips, the top of the squash etc.. plus one shelled almond.. you could put some nut shells, wood and beads in too. I find the orange rugby ball shaped one is best for my eclectus.