Foraging and the Pet Parrot

Parrots in the wild can spend up to 4-6 hours per day looking for and eating food, also called foraging.  This is not only a skill for survival but also for socialization and stimulation.    Most pet parrots have an abundance of food available whenever it decides that it is hungry or would like to have a snack.  Since we cater to their every need they lose one of the most important daily activities.
Parrots are highly intelligent animals.  A bowl of food placed in the cage is not a very stimulating activity for a caged parrot, they can eat their fill in 20 minutes.  If they spend any amount of time alone in their cage they need to be stimulated by toys or activities that will cure their boredom.  There are only a few core activities that a bird has to do for itself throughout the day. These activities include eating, grooming, socializing, and sleeping.   You can make eating more of an activity and more stimulating by encouraging your parrot to forage by offering food in interesting ways.  It would be impossible to mimic foraging in the wild but there are many ways that you can hide food to encourage your bird to  “forage”.  The difference between wild parrots and their captive counterparts is apparent since there are not very many fat, bored, feather-picked parrots in the wild.

There are many different ways to hide food to simulate foraging.  It could be a very easy exercise for the beginner bird to the most complex for the very intelligent african grey or macaw.  First find the most favorite food that the parrot would enjoy working for.  This could be something special like a nut, dried fruit, or Nutriberri.

The next step is to hide the treat in something that would be easy to tear apart and get into.  A sunflower seed in a crumpled up piece of paper is an easy first foraging exercise.  You can also be creative and use paper cups, snow cone holders, or cornhusks that are used for tamales.  Please be careful choosing materials since some items may be harmful to your bird.

There are also puzzle toys that are designed to encourage foraging.  You can find them at your local pet store or you can get them on-line.  The skill level of each bird will be varied so start easy and be patient.  Your bird will be excited for the food treats and the stimulation.  Check out www.birdsjustwannahavefun.comfor ideas and toys.

Another great way to encourage foraging is to have a “foraging tree”.  This is a free standing play stand with many different limbs and at least 5 food bowls,.  You can use any bowl at any time that may have a treat hiding in it within a crumpled up piece of paper or cover up the food bowl with a paper towel or paper tied with string or masking tape.  You can also hang food on long pieces of leather that your bird will have to use their beak and feet to pull up the piece of food.  Be creative!

The idea of foraging is not new to wild birds but will be to your feathered friend and the flock that loves him/her.  They need to be challenged and stimulated since they are highly intelligent thinkers that would enjoy a food treat even when there is a little work involved.