DIY Foraging Toys for Parrots: How to Make a Foraging Bucket and Pizza Box Toy

 

As parrot owners, we know that keeping our pet birds happy and healthy involves more than just a nutritious diet and a safe environment. Parrots are intelligent creatures that thrive on mental stimulation, and one of the best ways to engage their instincts is through foraging. In the wild, parrots spend a significant amount of their day searching for food, using their beaks and claws to explore their surroundings. Foraging bird toys are designed to tap into this natural behavior, providing hours of entertainment and enrichment for your bird.

Lucy is a Hahn’s macaw foraging in her pizza box.

In this article, we’ll guide you through creating two simple, yet highly effective DIY foraging toys: a Foraging Bucket and a Pizza Box Foraging Toy. These bird toys are not only fun for your parrot, but they’re also a great way to bond with your bird while promoting their mental and physical health.

Benefits of Foraging Toys for Parrots

Sydny loves his foraging box

Before we dive into the DIY projects, let’s look at some of the benefits foraging bird toys offer:

• Mental Stimulation: Foraging toys challenge your parrot’s mind by encouraging them to think, explore, and solve problems. This mental engagement is crucial for preventing boredom and destructive behaviors, such as feather plucking.

• Physical Activity: Parrots need exercise to stay healthy, and foraging toys encourage them to move, climb, and stretch. This is particularly important for birds that spend a lot of time in their cages.

• Emotional Well-being: Foraging helps reduce stress by giving your bird a fun and rewarding task. It satisfies their need to work for food, keeping them calm and happy.

• Dietary Enhancement: By hiding healthy treats inside foraging bird toys, you can turn mealtime into an engaging activity, encouraging them to eat more slowly and mindfully.

DIY Foraging Bucket Toy

Buzzet enjoying a stainless steel bucket.

A foraging bucket is a fun and easy-to-make toy that your parrot will love to explore. Here’s how you can make one at home:

Materials Needed:

• A bucket (Stainless steel or Heavy Duty plastic bucket)
• Shredded paper or crinkle paper (bird-safe)
• A selection of treats ( seeds, nuts, or pellets)
• Small foot toys, wooden beads/blocks, and safe natural bird parts.

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Bucket: Choose a basket that’s safe for your parrot. Line the bottom of the basket with shredded or crinkle paper.

2. Hide the Treasures: Hide treats and small foot toys (such as wooden beads, natural bird toy parts) within the shredder paper. You want to make it challenging enough for your bird to forage, but not too difficult.

3. Add Layers: To make it more engaging, add several layers of filler material, spreading out the treats and toys so that your bird will need to dig around to find everything.

4. Hang or Place the Basket: Hang the basket from the cage bars or perch, or simply place it on the floor of the cage.

Pro Tips:

• Rotate the items you hide inside to keep your bird interested. Try different combinations of toys and treats, and mix up the difficulty by adding more filler.
• You can also use buckets of different shapes and sizes to keep your bird guessing.

DIY Pizza Box Foraging Toy

The Pizza Box Foraging Toy is another fantastic way to engage your parrot’s natural instincts. It’s easy to make and can be customized to suit your bird’s skill level.

Materials Needed:

• A clean, unused pizza box (or plain cardboard box)
• Shredded paper and toy parts
• Healthy treats and small food items (e.g., Nuts, seeds, pellets)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Pizza Box: Make sure the pizza box is clean and safe for your bird. Lay it flat and line it with shredded paper and toy parts.

2. Hide the Treats: Place small treats, such as seeds, pellets, or nuts, within the layers of shredded paper. Spread them out to encourage your bird to explore.

3. Close the Box: Close the pizza box. For an easy challenge, you can poke small holes in the box so your parrot gets a glimpse of the treats inside.

Pro Tips:

• Use boxes of different shapes and thicknesses to change the difficulty level.
• Make sure the cardboard is free of harmful coatings or dyes, and always supervise your parrot when they’re playing with a new toy.

Why Foraging Bird Toys Are a Must for Every Parrot

Pari enjoying her foraging bucket.

Foraging bird toys are more than just a fun way to keep your parrot busy – they’re essential for their overall well-being. In the wild, birds spend most of their day working for food, but in captivity, food is often readily available. Foraging toys help mimic this natural behavior, keeping your bird’s mind and body active.

By introducing foraging toys into your parrot’s daily routine, you can prevent boredom, reduce destructive habits, and encourage healthy behaviors. Plus, foraging bird toys are a great way to bond with your bird, as you can get creative with the designs and adjust them to suit your bird’s preferences.

The Ultimate Foraging Fun

Incorporate grass, safe weeds, and a few garden plant stalks that your parrots will love digging through. Use egg cartons filled with hidden seeds to promote foraging, and toss in some broken or half-used toys. This setup is a great way to replicate the natural foraging behaviors of parrots, who enjoy digging and using their feet to explore, just like they do in the wild.

Conclusion

Sammy loving his DIY foraging box

Crafting your own foraging toys, like the Foraging Bucket and Pizza Box Bird Toy, is a fun and rewarding way to enrich your parrot’s life. Not only will these toys keep your bird entertained for hours, but they’ll also promote physical activity, mental stimulation, and emotional well-being.

Looking for more foraging ideas or ready-made toys? Check out our collection of bird toys at pdsparrotshop.com, where you’ll find a variety of foraging options tailored to your parrot’s needs. Let’s get crafting and see your bird’s happiness take flight!

 

 

More Articles About DIY Bird Toys

Parrot Foraging Behavior: A Comprehensive Guide

DIY Bird Toys: Fun and Enriching Toys for your Parrot

DIY Homemade Bird Toys Ideas

  

Author: Monika Sangar
Co-founder of Prego Dalliance Sanctuary, Artisan of PDS Parrot Shop