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If “normal” social interaction
with their adoptive family/flock is limited, as is often the case when
their human companions are away earning a living, the other maintenance
behavioral groups (foraging and feather care) must be increased to fill
the deficit. If the total foraging activity of a pet parrot consists
only of eating out of a dish, feeding activities may not occupy much
more than 20 - 30 minutes a day. Depending on the species of parrot,
their wild counterparts often will devote 6 -18 hours a day foraging.
Merely by increasing the daily foraging activities of a pet parrot, the
daily lifestyle can be enhanced in an ornithologically sound manner.
This in turn may be very beneficial as a part of behavioral modification
treatments for abnormal behaviors in the other maintenance categories of
feather care and social interaction. Abnormal feather care often
includes “feather picking” or other feather damaging behaviors, and
abnormal social interaction problems may include screaming and other
abnormal vocalization, and pair bonding behaviors that result in
reproductive drive associated issues.
Enhancing Foraging Behaviors. Try
some of these creative enhancement techniques, if they are applicable
for your bird:
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Foraging perch: A piece of non-treated wood (e.g., pine lumber)
drilled with holes into it in which nuts, seeds, or other treats fit
tightly. The reward should be visible but not accessible without
chewing down through the wood. This perch material can be used with
your training perch, when the bird is outside of the cage with you.
The wood can also be used as a perch in the cage, or even hung in
the cage to increase the challenge.
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Wrapping food bowls: Wrap the food bowls with newspaper or cardboard
so that your bird has to spend time chewing in to get at the
food. You may have to teach your bird the first time by punching a
starter hole, or simulating the foraging activity yourself,
acquiring your bird’s favorite food item, and not sharing it with
the bird after you find it.
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Wrapping food items: You can individually wrap nuts, seeds, or other
rewards in small pieces of paper, corn husks or other materials.
Wrapped with a twisted end, the treat becomes an ice cream cone that
requires some chewing to get at the tasty surprise inside. Not all
wrappings need to contain a reward, either.
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Mixing food with inedible items: Pellets or seeds can be mixed in
with wood buttons or ther items so that the bird has to dig through
to find its food. Some parrot species can be particularly stimulated
into new foraging behaviors by having a “sandbox” provided, in which
some desired food items or treats can be found.
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Puzzle toys: There are a variety of toys available that require
birds to unscrew parts or manipulate components to get at their
reward.
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Trick training: By asking your bird to perform a desired behavior
for a treat or reward, you are, in essence, providing a modified
foraging activity for your bird. In addition, you are also having a
lot of fun, and are adding in social interaction with and for your
bird
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