Enrichment

[krups1110]

Last night I was awoken at 3:30am to the chirping of my little fuzzball. I got up and turned on the light to make sure a cat hadn't gotten into the room and that everything was alright. It was clear that she wanted to come out, but since I was tired and my brother was asleep in the same room, I only took her out for a few minutes and then had to bribe with a nut to go back in. I had been home basically all day and she had been out almost all of it and a bit at night, too. My concern is that she doesn't have enough to keep her busy during the hours that I can't have her out. She has a stealth wheel, which she does use and a few others that she doesn't really. Can you guys list some toys or enrichment ideas that your flyers have really taken to? HWat do you use to keep them occupied at night? Thanks for any suggestions!

[Lora]

Mr. Bojangles gets his dinner buffet around 9P so that keeps him busy throughout the night. He also has 2 pieces of sisal rope hanging in his cage that he loves to swing on and 3 little stuffed animals he wrestles with. His new favorite is a bright orange stuffed lion I found with really long legs he can climb. It hangs from the top of the cage. Yesterday I caught him with both arms wrapped around the lion's legs & he was trying with all he had to pull the whole thing into his pouch, lol. Hanging wood bird toys are also great. He has several of those. Some with bells, some without. I rotate them to prevent boredom. He also likes just a plain cardboard box turned upside down with a door cut in it. One more place to stash his goodies! Hope this helps.

[Cathy C.]

My favorite boredom buster for Pootie is to provide some new boxes, and then give her a bag or 2 of cotton balls. I always 'make' the new boxes in her room, letting her 'help' me. One time I brought home a little plastic (solid) ball from Petco that has something inside it. She was picking it up and shaking it, trying to figure out the noise it made. Something new to eat, a favorite treat. Sometimes little Pootie will chirp during the day time like that and I wonder if she's hearing something outside as I live in a rural area with lots of gray squirrels, flying squirrels, and countless other critters regularly cruising around. I currently have a large tree limb out on my porch which I will stand in a pot of cement to put in her room. Then she can 'help' me decorate the tree with new nest boxes, or shave off a flat area for her to sit comfortably, whatever else I can think of doing to it. I'm sure once I observe her playing on it she'll give me some ideas and inspirations.

[Deb]

Big hits at our house are the new potted trees or shrubs I put in usually when we will be away for a few days. A small potted apple or pear tree or a blueberry bush are favorites. Just hose them off outside and put the pot in. The plant and the pot of dirt will get plenty of abuse!
Also popular is a pan of sand and a pie plate of dry oatmeal with lots of mealworms to hunt for.
Another fun thing to tear up is a whole ear of corn with the shucks still on.
Keeps the furballs busy and provides you with new, interesting things to listen too all night

[krups1110]

Thanks for all the suggestions. The top of the cage is wood so its not as easy to hang stuff, but I do have a few branches that I can probably hang things from. I'll add some string, stuffed animals, and more bird toys. Boxes, live plants, mealworm sandboxes, and unshucked ears of corn are also great idea sthat I never thought of. I will try them all. Thanks a bunch! If you have any other ideas, let me know!

[RaVeRiNaBuBbLe]

You may also be able to catch the tail end of the 50% christmas sales at the pet stores....yeah its mostly red and green toys, but I highly doubt your flyer will mind. We got a bunch and I just cycle them. It keeps him guessing and exploring. I also like the sandbox idea.....I'll have to try that

[Judy C.]

Just screw some cup hooks or small eye bolts into the ceiling of her cage to hang things from. Or you can put a wooden dowel up at the top of the cage and hang stuff from that. Or run some rope from side to side in a kind of zig-zag way, and tie knots in it every foot or so. That will give her a 'highway' to run on, as well as a place to hang stuff.

Judy

[Naya]

Homie's methods of having fun include taunting the dog while we sleep, taunting the gliders through their cage when she's out, and climbing on whatever's climbable. Hehe if your room is flyer-proofed, hang thing from your chairs/ceiling/window curtain/ect. OOOORRRR get her one of those balls with bells in them. I hear them flyers have a grand old time taking those balls up to high places and "dropping" them.

[Deb]

Oh, I bet they would have fun with those plastic bell balls! Maybe I'll wash the cat spit off one of Holly's and give it to the flyers

[Naya]

Just make sure there isnt any catnip on it! I heard theyre hazardous

[gwsgrand]

Our flyers have run of the house most of the nights and we have a blanket over one door. A sweatshirt hanging on another door across the hall that they fly back and forth on. We also have all kinds of places for them to nest in with cotton in most. Some are empty so they can store their goodies in. We place hole pecans and walnuts in different areas for them to find.

[Joan]

Just make sure there isnt any catnip on it! I heard theyre hazardous

I've given mine a live catnip plant ... they just ignored it. I was wanting to see a high flyer.

[Naya]

Lol Joan why not just try giving them something that's acorn scented? They wont get high but they'll be just as crazy.

[krups1110]

Thanks for all the suggestions! There are definately a bunch of new ideas that I need to try!