Do you have any enrichment ideas for aviary birds?

[Jane]

I was just hoping to pick everyone's brains for ways to enrich the lives of my avairy birds
I get fresh branches for them but they make very quick work of those then what do they do for the rest of the week?

[vankarhi]

I have swings in my aviary too. I have a huge branch made into a swing perch plus I have bought toy swings and put them in the aviary as well as massive branches with leaves etc. I am going to get them cement perches too and probably some other toys to put in their aviaries ........ when we are in Brisbane (so look out Courtney......we will be hitting Pet City on Sat arvy probably ;D )

[farseeker]

There's some toys (mostly in the US I think) that use coconuts for foraging and enrichment that are pretty awesome - preening and shredding potential and if you halve them and dry them out you could hide food in there as well.

You could also put in some trays with food scattered around, and partially covered with something safe (100% recycled paper kitty litter, large beads, clean rocks are some things I've heard of being used) for them to dig through. If they aren't keen to go on the ground perhaps you could get some plastic plant hangers or something, and hang them up?

If they're keen on shredding and not likely to freak out at something new, I've heard of people sawing telephone books in half and hanging them up to be shredded. You could also pick up cheap books from lifeline or something and do the same thing.

Hope some of this is useful, it's just what I've come up with off the top of my head.

[Jane]

Thanks Tracey & Farseeker.
I bought some of that yellow chain Karen showed us to make a perch and I can use some to make a swing or two with some branches
They would love shredding things I bet because they pull the leaves of the branches with great delight and just drop them of the ground.
Most of mine will be keen to go to ground, firstly their food and water is there to make sure they at least put some excercise into their days and also all the scarlets, turqs, bourkes and mulga are low dwelling parrots anyway. Even at night they perch low.
I might buy some coconuts tomorrow and that reminds me they loved pine cones to shred too

[farseeker]

Pine cones are great - I bought some for Jedi once from Pet City and she went nuts over it. I'm leery getting them from around here though cause I'm pretty sure a lot of the plants are sprayed.

You can hide treats in pine cones for them to find too.

[Jane]

I'll have to check if our horse paddock has any pine trees I only spray the fence lines once in a blue moon so its a great place for branches My parents might have some but I'm too scared to get anything from them as they are in a Tick hotspot.

[pinkdevil]

I use branches, and toys. For some reason the ringnecks love to pick up short sticks and carry them everywhere They don't really chew them, just carry them or hold onto them with one foot lol