How I keep my Parrots Entertained

Washed browse ready to go

Keeping parrots busy isn't a full time job. Investing some time into cutting branches and spending money on good quality foraging toys that will last can give exciting activities that keep birds busy for hours. I aim to get my parrots busy for 6+ hrs with activities while I am at University. The rest of their time is spent eating and out of their cage playing, napping, pruning and doing normal bird things. 

Generally now I have a few cages I tend to swap toys between the cages. Gradually I have built up a toy base which I have about five toys in each cage (three large two small). The toys are a mix of DIY toys and purchased toys from the pet store or online. I tend to rotate the toys every 1-2 days so that they don't get bored, and also so they don't destroy the toys too quickly. I have about four foraging toys- a nut toy, baffle cage, treasure chest, little drawers as well. For my parrots this is enough because they get a different one each day so they never get bored of them. Also I fill them with all kinds of goodies from fruit, to seeds and nuts even wood pieces. 

Little Conures loving their browse 

My male ekkie cage with little browse in it (he is not a real fan)

Berry chomping down her food. Lots of chew toys
for her as she's a hen who likes to shread things 

Everyday, or every second day depending on whether the trees look stripped or not I will provide natural browse. I tend to pick Australian natives and other safe plants like hibiscus or even certain ferns. I try to also get eucalytpus with seed pods and flowers. My birds love to pick off the new growths and rip the flower florets off so I am to pick plants with these. To pop them in the cage I have zip tied plumbers pipe around 4cm wide (wide enough the branches can fit but it can't be used as a nesting box or get caught in. The bottom has a cap and I can fill with water, but generally I don't because I just chuck them out the next morning anyway because they are stems with no leaves anyway the mess is all over the floor. 

If giving browse, it must be washed throughly and birds given browse must be kept wormed regularly or regular faecals conducted. Do not use any soiled branches. Cardboard boxes are awesome. Adding pebbles to pellets and seed mix all things I do regularly. Also I put plastic tub with scrunched newspaper with some almonds for my conures they hop in and flop around flicking the paper out everywhere or just sleeping upside in there.