Behavioural Flashcards
Behavioural
In the wild, birds spend all day foraging for food & water, searching for nesting material, building nests, and attracting a mate - instinctive activities.
In captivity, these behavioral needs must be filled through inventive play, and a variety of toys.
Without these sources of entertainment, the bird will become bored and mentally unhealthy, which can lead to physical problems such as feather picking, screaming, etc.
Toys
Birds need at least 3 toys in their cage, and these toys should be rotated on a weekly basis.
Toys typically mimic the natural activities of the species in the wild. Guests should be advised that toys will be destroyed, and that that is the purpose of having toys, like how dogs will destroy their toys.
There are 6 types of toys that, when included as part of the bird’s toy box, will ensure diverse variety.
Destruction Toys
These toys are made to be destroyed. They are generally made of cork, leather, paper, straw or cotton.
Destruction toys are great for all birds, but may be especially important for cavity breeders who create their own nesting sites.
Sound Toys
Sound toys help to fulfill a bird’s need to
communicate with their flock.
Short open liberty bells, long cylindrical bells or even hard toys placed near the cage bars can serve as noise toys.
These toys are often quite tough and hold up to rough play.
Instinct Toys
These toys are designed to stimulate the bird’s mind and keep them busy with instinctual behaviours.
• Pacifiers (pictured) encourage preening.
Pro tip: back comb the strands so the bird can focus on making each piece lay flat once again.
• Nesting material attaches to the side of
the cage so the bird practices collecting materials to build a nest. This is great for finches, though it may encourage egg laying.
Foot Toys
Small toys that are designed to be picked up with one foot and chewed on.
These toys help birds develop dexterity, balance and strength in their feet, which is required for perching agility.
Durable Toys
Durable toys are long lasting and easy to clean.
These toys are great for large birds with large beaks that tend to destroy other types of toys.
• Acrylic is a common material, as it is durable enough to withstand the beaks of large parrots. It is recommended that the acrylic be at least 3/16” thick to ensure that the bird will not break it.
• Most swing options would be classified as “durable.” For a community cage of finches, hanging a bird ladder from the ceiling provides a swing for multiple birds.
• Wheels make entertaining durable toys for small companion birds.
Foraging Toys
Foraging toys are a great way to provide stimulation for your bird.
These toys simulate the bird’s natural environment and force them to think critically in order to get to the treats.
• Puzzle toys require the bird to solve how to access the food source
• Products, like cardboard scratchers in the cat section, can be used to hide food morsels for the bird to discover
controversy of mirrors
Can become obsessed with the mirror friend if the mirror is always in the cage and bond closer to it than you and when this happens bird may act aggressively towards you if you touch or move the mirror.
But as a toy if you spend a lot of time elsewhere is good for social stimulation but should be treated as a coffee date and not a long term relationship. Therefore it’s removed every time you return home and the social need is then filled by you.
Inventive Play Foraging
When a bird is young, foraging skills are key in the weaning process.
Advanced foraging also provides occupational therapy for the remainder of the bird’s life, providing them with a mentally stimulating activity.
Foraging is not necessarily an intuitive behaviour for birds, and as such, it is recommended that a mentor assists them in the development of these lifelong skills.
For most of the birds we carry, such as finches and budgies, they have learned to forage from their parents.
For parrots, this is something that we (their human mentor) have to teach!
Intro foraging skills
Never do training when bird is hungry regardless of stage. B/c can’t focus on anything.
Food is not a reward
Model does not give bird the food they find. They cannot learn independence that way
Sharing food with your mouth can also lead to undesirable behaviour from your companion, who may perceive this sharing as a mating (pair-bonding) behaviour.
Preparing to Teach
Caretakers should ensure that the bird is fully prepared for all foraging sessions. This means the bird:
• should be in a comfortable environment that has minimal
distractions
• should be dry from bathing
• should not be hungry. When the bird is hungry, their brains do not process the lessons well and the activity can quickly become frustrating for both bird and owner.
Teaching
In the initial lessons, the mentor will have to participate in the foraging process.
The mentor will show the bird the location of the food, demonstrate how to remove it, and eat it to show the bird that it’s safe to do so.
It is important that the caretaker does not share the food they find with the bird, as it does not provide the proper behaviour modelling or mentorship.
It won’t create independence for the bird, can lead to undesirable behaviour, and the sharing may be perceived by the bird as mating behaviour.
It is critically important that the food does not come from the caretaker’s mouth as it is unhygienic and can make the bird sick.
Advanced Foraging
As the bird gains skills, the caretaker can create more advanced challenges.
• Use smaller food pieces
• Push the pieces further into the toy
• Make a foraging bowl
