Forage toys for Budgies

[BudgieBudgie]

Being a fan of forage toys (for all animals), I was disappointed in my selection of forage toys for budgies. Plenty of ingenious forage toys (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/pet_supplies.cfm?c=5059+5648+16566) on the market for bigger parrots. But I was told that "budgies don't have the attention span", which is hogwash if you ask me. Any animal will benefit from the fun of foraging.

Here's what I came up with:

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii206/neilette/DSCN10071.jpg http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii206/neilette/DSCN10061.jpg

Stuffed Lattice Balls
Take 1 cheap hanging lattice ball arrangement.
Stuff in a few clusters of spray millet.
Hang from the ceiling or 'somewhere more challenging to reach'.
Enjoy!

I also have timothy hay to hide food in... Could maybe stuff into a toilet paper roll?

I heard about the cardboard destruct-o boxes that you hide treats in, but my budgies showed no interest.


What are your ideas?? :D

[Tiger]

We got a birdie kong last week but haven't worked out what to put in it yet. I did stuff some grevillea flowers into it but Buddy didn't seem very interested. Mind you, he tends to leave plants alone, in the cage. He's never in the cage much during the day, just drops in now and then for a quick drink and snack then he's off again.

The lattice balls - we got some really cheap, labelled as cat toys.

Something else to stuff in them - tissue paper?

[jakeandnikko]

GREAT idea i've tried tp rolls and tied together starws and miniature pop bottles and all this and nikko showed absolutely NO interest so i'm definetly gonna try this amzing idea

[Taz the devil]

Yeah that would work because they just love those toys!

[atvchick95]

I've been stuffing the cat balls with millet for a year now :D mine love them specially my Tiels

Nibbles (my one tiel) Will see its empty grab it Look at us - if we're not paying attention she'll let out a blood curling scream to get our attention, Look back at the ball , let go of it Grab it again look at it , look at us and Get very hostile (with her flock calling) until we fill it back up!

I keep telling her it would be easier if she'd be a female that learned to talk! and just say HEY YOU FILL MY BALL BACK UP NOW! But yeah that doesn't seem to be working LOL


I'll also hide things in dishes and put paper over top of it to make them dig for it or hide things under paper on the cage floor

the Grape Vine balls make great foraging balls as well, and their openings are a bit bigger so you can get pieces of Nutra berries in them :)

the grape vine balls are also called Munch balls and they look like this

http://www.busybeaks.com/78741_munch_ball.htm

they even make toys out of them by hanging Other things off of them like leather strips, pieces of wood etc.

[kangandkodos]

Budgiebudgie, this is the greatest idea. I had no idea how great until I tried it, and now Kang will not play with anything else. I'm going to have to limit his time with it so he doesn't become a pudgie budgie. Thanks for the suggestion!

[ronsig]

Look here for ideas. I hope this will be made a sticky:rolleyes:
http://talkbudgies.com/showthread.php?t=6717&highlight=forage

Sigrid

[BudgieBudgie]

Ooh I saw that thread, and I'm giving it a go. What a grand idea!

[skthurley]

Thanks for the bead idea. I will have to buy some and do something similar to this for Jack

I actually made a small foraging toy recently for Jack. I took 2 bottle caps and pierced a small hole through the middle of each. Then I took some bird safe string, braided it into a 6 inch piece. I then thread the braid through the holes of the bottle caps which were placed with the open ends facing each other. Jack then has to pry open the bottle caps to get inside. He loves climbing up and down this rope and reaching inside for his treats.

[oldbonboys]

Thanks for the bead idea. I will have to buy some and do something similar to this for Jack

I actually made a small foraging toy recently for Jack. I took 2 bottle caps and pierced a small hole through the middle of each. Then I took some bird safe string, braided it into a 6 inch piece. I then thread the braid through the holes of the bottle caps which were placed with the open ends facing each other. Jack then has to pry open the bottle caps to get inside. He loves climbing up and down this rope and reaching inside for his treats.

Would it be possible to see pictures of this, as I am a very visual person when it comes to constructing things. If I can see it, I can make it.

[keet_tweet4]

Thanks for sharing all of your ideas!

I've got some spare lattice ball toys that I am going to try the millet thing with. My budgies would probably get all infuriated over it, but still. :p

Get a toilet paper roll.
Stuff one end with balled-up newspaper.
Shove in some millet.
Jam the other end with more balled-up newspaper.

My birds love playing with that. Like my sennie.

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd224/KappaKakuro/Birds/Poicephalus%20Parrots/parrot.jpg

[Muzzi]

Good idea! I am in the process of making some toys and I should try this right.

Cheers!