Cool off your curious birds with this simple frozen treat!
1. Chop your bird’s favorite fruits or vegetables into small 1/2 inch pieces.
2. Distribute fruit and vegetable pieces evenly into an ice tray. Fill almost full, but do not pack them in.
3. Gently fill the ice cube tray with water or 100% juice. Do not overflow.
4. Place tray into the freezer for 2-3 hours, or until cubes are frozen solid.
5. Place cubes in a dish and let your bird pick up, play, and crunch the frozen snacks!
Pumpkins are abound this time of year, and it is a great chance to expose your parrot to something new! Whether you are making a pie, carving jack-o-lanterns, or buying for fun, let your parrot play too. Pumpkins are actually a type of squash, and are a great source of vitamin A (great for eclectus and amazons), beta-carotene, and fiber.
To use a whole pumpkin, wash it thoroughly first, and then cut off the top or in half. For curious birds, leave it whole but carve out a few shapes to peak your bird’s curiosity. Use a toy skewer to hang it, or just place in the cage and let them have fun. This is healthy foraging object for large or destructive birds; some will be satisfied ripping it apart and others will love trying to get the pumpkin seeds hidden inside.
If you have leftover pumpkin scraps from cooking or jack-o-lanterns, you can feed it raw, boiled, steamed, or baked- and don’t forget to save the seeds as well. Pumpkin cooking and preparing times will vary by method and the size of the pumpkin or chunk sizes.
The pumpkin seeds can be eaten raw from the pumpkin, or you can prepare and dry them to save for later. Preheat the oven to 275 F. Remove the seeds from the pumpkin, place them into a strainer and wash several times while mixing to remove any slimy bits. Spread them out onto a layer of paper towels to dry them. Cover a cookie sheet with foil and spread the seeds out. Place them in the oven for about 30 minutes, using a spatula to flip/stir the seeds about halfway through cooking. Store in a zip-lock or airtight container.
Remember to not use cut pumpkins that have been sitting out, these can become moldy. Also, do not use pumpkins that have had candles inside, the smoke residue is harmful.
Any bird lover can tell you that parrots are smart, some say they can have the intelligence of a 2 year old. Help exercise your bird’s mind by creating foraging opportunities for them. When parrots are given a full bowl of seeds or pellets daily, they don’t have to “work” and can become bored or lazy. This can lead to free time for screaming, feather picking, food throwing, or other undesirable behaviors. In the wild, parrots can spend between 4 – 8 hours a day foraging. This includes looking and climbing for food, ripping up plants, bark, and grasses for grains and seeds, tearing into a ripe fruit or a nut, and more!
There are many ways to provide enrichment; one of the simplest is offering fresh food. Not only is it good for them, but a wide variety will allow them to experience many different tastes and textures. If your bird is already fed fresh foods, offer it different ways. Chunks of food can be slid onto a stainless steel hanging skewer, where they will have to figure out how to access it as well as eat from it.
For parrots that need something more stimulating, there are many toys that encourage puzzle solving and item manipulation.
Many foraging toys and activities can be made at home. If you have an extra hang-on bowl, place a treat inside and position it in a different area of the cage everyday so your bird must find it. Food and treats can also be wrapped in packets of paper or paper cups to allow for more food finding opportunities.
There are many more foraging toys available; we can help you pick out an appropriate one for your bird. If you have pictures of your bird enjoying a foraging toy, or any foraging ideas that your bird loves, send us an e-mail.
