BIRD on the ROCKS

Using Toys to Encourage Your Bird's Foraging Activity

2009-08-30T20:10:00.004-05:00

What is foraging?
Foraging is the act of searching for and finding food. In the wild, birds spend a good part of their day foraging. They use a number of skills for finding food that engages them both physically and mentally. For many pet birds, however, foraging behavior rarely occurs because food is made readily available to them at all times. An activity that would normally occupy their time for several hours per day has been decreased to 20-30 minutes.
Why is foraging important for pet birds?
In the wild, foraging for food is part of a bird's daily routine and occupies a large portion of his time - in many cases over half of his waking hours. Wild birds spend most of their time in 4 activities: foraging, social interaction, feather care, and sleeping. If foraging activity is not encouraged in pet birds, they have many more hours per day with nothing to fill their time. In many cases, social interaction is also limited. So now we have a bird with only two other options - feather care and sleeping. Many times a bird will use the time on their feathers, and feather picking can result. This lack of foraging activity can affect a bird's physical and emotional well being causing boredom, behavioral problems (such as feather picking), and a lack of natural curiosity.
What are the benefits of foraging?
The obvious benefit to foraging is that your bird is kept busy and this helps to alleviate boredom and behavioral problems. Foraging challenges your bird by forcing him to look for his food instead of having it just put in front of him. Empty hours in the day will be filled with activity. He will have more physical exercise as he uses his beak and feet to remove what is hiding his food. He will need to use his problem-solving skills as wild birds do.
How can I provide foraging activities for my bird?
If foraging is new to your bird, you may have to start slowly making the food items easy to access at first, and then working towards more complicated and challenging methods that will keep him stimulated. In the beginning, let your bird see you hide his food or treats; he'll be curious as to what you're doing and will want to investigate.
What types of foraging methods are available for birds?

Wrapping: Place the food inside something safe for the bird, such as a coffee filter or large lettuce leaf, and close the ends together by twisting them or fastening them with masking tape or a small piece of 100% cotton rope. When using rope, make sure it is not frayed so your bird doesn't get his foot caught in it. Larger birds can handle the wrapped item with their feet; for smaller birds you can attach it to their cage and they can work on it while it is hanging.
Hiding: Place a small amount of food in the bird's food dish and bury it with polished stones, wood, beads, or shredded paper. Make sure items you are using to bury the food are too large for your bird to eat.
Covering: Place a paper towel or coffee filter over the food dish so the bird has to move it to get to his food. If this is new to your bird, you may need to pierce a hole in the paper so your bird can see there is food in the dish. When this gets easy for him, you can tape the paper to the dish with masking tape to increase the difficulty for him.
Offering the food outside of the food dish: Take a small piece of millet, fresh fruit, or vegetable and weave it between the cage bars. Birds that may not normally eat fresh fruits and vegetables are more likely to try it when it is hanging from the cage than when it is sitting in their food dish. Use food in its natural state, such as corn on the cob, carrots with tops, etc. Cut food into sticks so the bird needs to manipulate the food to eat it.
Using commercial toys: Foraging toys are readily available for you to purchase at pet stores and on-line. Some examples are: 
Piñatas: You can fill a piñatas with your bird's favorite foods, hang it from your bird's cage, and let your bird tear and peck at the outside of the piñata until she reaches the treats inside.
Puzzle Boxes: These toys are usually made of acrylic and have openings that you can fill with your bird's favorite foods or treats. Some of these toys have openings that your bird needs to reach into to get the food out. Other puzzle boxes will require your bird to move panels or manipulate the toy in certain ways before the food is made available to them.
Kabobs: This is an easy and quick way to hang enticing fresh fruits and vegetables in your bird's cage. Simply stack the food on the skewer and hang from his cage, and it is ready to go. This encourages picky birds to sample fresh fruits and vegetables if they don't normally eat it from their dish. Make sure you buy skewers that are approved for birds so they cannot harm themselves on sharp ends.
As you can see there are a lot of different ways to encourage foraging with your bird and it does not have to cost you a lot of money. If this is new to your bird, start with simple techniques and move onto more complicated methods as your bird gets more curious. Have fun thinking of new ways for your bird to forage and be creative. 
Veterinary Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc. 
Holly Nash, DVM, MS   
     
 
John Koss - President and Owner - Bird on the Rocks

Nutritious Bird Treats & Bird Snacks

2009-08-19T20:12:00.012-05:00

Avian Nutrition is vital! Bird on the Rocks offers nutritious and delicious prepared food and snacks for your feathered friends. Combining Birdie Grains, Birdscotti provides your birds with a varied and nutritionally superior diet. Bird on the Rocks offers convenient one-stop shopping for your birds and we deliver to your front door!

Click here to order Birdie Grains!

Birdie Grains are nutritious mix of organic whole grains, veggies and fruits that you just steep and serve or serve dry! Steeping Birdie Grains creates a more interesting taste and texture for your birds. No more wasted product due to overcooking. All the wholesome goodness of the organic ingredients are available for your pet because you have not cooked them out and sent them down the drain. Made fresh every time, simply add a very small amount of boiling water! Prepare only what your birds will eat now. No more cooking, packaging and freezing, then thawing before you can serve.

Click here to order Birdscotti!

Birdscotti is a nutritious snack food for exotic birds. Only the highest quality certified organic ingredients are used in making Birdscotti. Sulphur-free dried fruits, sun-dried and dehydrated vegetables, whole grains, nuts, eggs and healthy ancient spelt flours. Birdscotti was created as a healthy alternative to commercial treats that are often laden with unhealthy fats, empty calories and chemicals! The crunchy biscuits are combined with tender fruit, veggies, soft and hard grains or heavenly nuts to create a nutritious and mentally stimulating food choice. The Variety Pack contains 4 flavors of Birdscotti biscuits. Selection is based on seasonal availability of ingredients. Flavors include: Mango Madness, Very Veggie, Tropical Medley, Orchard Delight, Nutty for Nuts and Whole Grain Goodness. Treats your birds will love and you'll feel good about serving!

John Koss - President and Owner - Bird on the Rocks

Climbing Net Play Gyms (The most NATURAL exercise a parrot can get!)

2009-08-14T10:26:00.009-05:00

BIRD on the ROCKS Climbing Net Playgyms are all natural and hand crafted in the USA. Our climbing net playgyms are of the finest quality and your bird will love to play on them. They come ready to hang with chew blocks and plastic foot toys. We use a top and bottom manzanita perch on each net and stainless steel hardware with nickle plated chain.

Bird on the Rocks offers 3 sizes of nets.

Small for parrotlet and your small parrots
Medium for conure to african grey size parrots
Large for your macaw size birds.

Don't deny your parrot the most natural exercise it will ever get. Check out all the parrot perks:

Keep your bird from getting bored while it gets exercise at the same time!
You will enjoy watching your parrots antics on it as much as your feathered friend will enjoy playing on it.
We produce one of the finest climbing net play gyms you will ever find.
We take our time wrapping rope and tying knots to our exact standards.
Made from the finest materials, no chemicals or oils are on or in the Sisal rope we use.
Our Manzanita top bar will ensure you have a durable perch for your parrot to rest on from all their hard play.
Top and bottom perches for hanging them in many positions.
Nets include: stainless steel hooks on both ends, nickel plated chain to hang it from and plenty of chew blocks on the net to keep your bird busy!

To check out and order a Climbing Nets today, click here!

John Koss - President and Owner - Bird on the Rocks

Shelf Perches - Preventing Debris in Your Bird's Food and Water Bowls

2009-08-11T10:44:00.007-05:00

BIRD on the ROCKS Flagstone Perches make wonderful shelves for preventing debris from entering your birds food and water bowls.

Simply mount them far enough above the bowls to allow for easy feeding and drinking but not enough room for the bird to perch on the bowl or anywhere between the bowl and the flagstone perch. Your parrot or bird will often take food to the flagstone perches and rest and eat on them. So with the simple addition of these perches you get an additional bonus of extending the water and food life in your parrots or birds cage.

When ordering please make a note in the comments section at checkout about the size of the bowls so we can make sure to get you a perch that will completely cover the bowls. Click Here to order!

John Koss - President and Owner - Bird on the Rocks

Cage Top Flagstone Perch

2009-08-07T12:26:00.005-05:00

The Cage Top Flagstone Perch is one of the most used perches on a birds' cage. Especially when you add one of Bird on the Rocks custom toy hangers and cage-side clamps (see example above).
Birds love to play on top of their cages!

When you add one of these cage top perches to their cage they will be on it all the time, naturally grooming their nails without you ever touching them! Then by adding a toyhanger and one of their favorite toys you have an unbeatable combination.
Visit our website to see the Combo Cage Top Perch and Toy Hanger Special. Combo Accessory Package - click here!

John Koss - President and Owner - Bird on the Rocks

Benefits of a BIRD on the ROCKS Flagstone Perch

2009-08-06T09:44:00.011-05:00

Flagstone Perches are a wonderful addition to the perches in your bird's cage.

Do you have to constantly grind your birds nails or beak?
Does your bird fight the nail/beak trimming?
Does your bird hold it's breath if you try to trim it's nails/beak?

If you are facing any of these problems while trimming your birds nails or would prefer an "All Natural" bird nail trimming, then the Bird on the Rocks Flagstone Perch is the answer to your troubles. Flagstone Perches are an excellent pedicure perch. They keep your birds nails and beak trim while giving your aviary or cage an all natural look!

Is there something in your birds cage right now that gives them the opportunity to just sit and rest their feet muscles?

If not, then you should be ordering one or more of these right now - click here to purchase a Flagstone Perch! If they have to constantly clench their feet muscles to stay upright, you need to get them a Bird on the Rocks Flagstone Perch. Give them some well deserved rest! Place the Perch in the proper location in their cage and you will find them sleeping on it every night, all night! Add a couple to the outside and one on the top of the cage and you will see them playing on them all the time (meanwhile, wearing their sharp nails down). They also make a great shelf for serving treats to your FIDS! We have researched what would be best for your birds feet, nails and beaks. These perches are gentle on their feet yet will keep their nails and beak trimmed down. The typical "round cement pedicure perch" can give a bird sores on the bottom of their feet. They can also build up callouses on the pads of their feet by perching on round cement perches. Our "All Natural" Flagstone Perch is gentle on the pads of a birds feet yet at the same time gives them a natural pedicure. Flagstone Perches offer a flat gentle place of rest for your Feathered Friend that they typically do not get in a cage enviroment.

Is your bird handicapped or missing toes?
Does your bird have arthritis?

Handicapped birds find these perches comforting and use them as their favorite perch. They can easily rest on them without fear of falling off. Arthritic birds love these perches. They can stretch their feet out and rest easily on them. Birds that are missing toes find these perches easy to perch on also.

For the all natural, nail and beak trimming perch, visit http://www.birdontherocks.com/ today. You're Feathered Friend will be thankful to finally have a rest!

John Koss - President and Owner - Bird on the Rocks

Exotic Bird Perches, Parrot Perches and Tree Stands

2009-08-04T17:48:00.006-05:00

Bird on the Rocks has one of the most unique collections of bird perches at the best prices available. We strive to provide visitors with the greatest shopping experience on the Web!

We feature our custom crafted Flagstone Perches and Manzanita Perches made especially for exotic birds and parrots of all sizes, from Finches and Budgies to Hyacinth Macaws. We also offer a great line of parrot chew toys, climbing net play gyms, leather toys, cage accessories and even perches for your exotic mammals like Chinchillas!

We look forward to building a relationship with you and are always willing to accomodate any custom requests. Please contact us today if there is anything at all we can help you with.

Find our great products at www.birdontherocks.com!