Foraging ideas to get started again

So, you guys all know the deal (pretty much anyway). Just looking for ideas on how to get Aries started again. He'll pick through the foods he doesn't want in his crocks, but if you try to put anything else in there to have him have to pick past he makes a fuss and looks at you like you're crazy.

Ideas?

http://foragingforparrots.com/
http://captiveforaging.livejournal.com/

The EASIEST one from my experience is to put a shallow bowl in his cage with shredded paper and goodies. At first, only put a small amount of shredded material so the bird can easily see and pick at the treats. Overtime, increase the amount of shreddies so the bird would have to dig around harder!

This has been a hit w/ the conures at my house.

Cat ball filled w/ dried cherries, raisins, craisins


Goodies on toilet paper squares - craisin, bead, pellet, etc.


TP goodies tied w/ hemp twine


Dog bone, less than $1 at WalMart


All the goodies tied to bone. Twist tie at one end for attaching to cage.


The Duckmeister trying to get a dried cherry.

The one I've seen very successful and been meanign to try is goodies tied into a coffee filter square and distributed throughout the cage, stuff in between chains and ropes... the material is a bit tougher and gives them more to work on. I've heard corn husk can be used as well.

Put a layer of newspaper over the food bowl. Once he figures that out, add more and more layers.

patdbunny wrote:

This has been a hit w/ the conures at my house.

Cat ball filled w/ dried cherries, raisins, craisins
I've tried that w Bucky, he just pecks at it for half a second then moves on to something else. Haven't tried it with anyone else though... Something to think about w JJ.


Goodies on toilet paper squares - craisin, bead, pellet, etc.

Vikki wrote:

The one I've seen very successful and been meanign to try is goodies tied into a coffee filter square and distributed throughout the cage, stuff in between chains and ropes... the material is a bit tougher and gives them more to work on. I've heard corn husk can be used as well.

Sooo, how do you get the birds to start looking in there for food/treats? They're not like dogs who can smell them... In fact, my dog (Oscar The Schnozz) would be more likely to find stuff like that than my birds at this point. (I think).

Well, I think they don't know there's food in there. It's more about that it's a new toy and they just have to go bite it with their beaks to play with it. Then they feel there's something inside (I put various textured things in there - squishy raisins, crunch granola, hard plastic beads, etc.) and they tend to start chewing. I use the toilet paper because it's easy as I'm introducing it to babies. The cat ball stuffed w/ raisins, they can see there's something inside and when they lick it they can taste that it's food.

Sometimes you do have to just leave it in there for a long time until they get curious about it. My parrotlet takes a week or longer to explore something new.