parrot recreation : playgrounds, puzzles, diversions

Parrot Recreation

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PlaygroundsPuzzles

Diversions

Today’s agenda

•Introductions• What is one thing you

hope to learn today?•A day in the life of a wild parrot•Our roles in caring for our parrots•Activities Plans•Evaluation criteria for playgrounds and enrichment items•Playground showcase•Planning Playgrounds based on Activities Plans•Wrap-Up

A Day in the Life of a Wild Parrot(When not reproducing/caring for young)

We cannot recreate a parrot’s natural environment in its entirety, but we look to it for inspiration and possible insight.

They awake from their roosts with the sun’s predawn ultraviolet rays .

Depending on a bird’s species, continent and the time of the year, roosting for the night may have occurred in large, interspecies groups, or in small homogenous flocks of 1 – 4 birds.

*Some smaller parrot species, like the Brotogeris parakeets, are most active between 1:00p.m. – 3:00p.m.

Many parrot species* are most active between the hours of 6:30a.m. – 9:30a.m. During this time, they forage for food, fly, walk…

Parrots usually spend the hottest part of the day resting, grooming, and socializing.

After the hottest part of the day, parrots have another burst of activity (foraging, flying, etc.) in the later part of the afternoon.

The birds return again to their evening roosts around sunset.

There are threats to a parrot’s day to day survival in the wild. Because birds are prey animals, they are hard wired to be aware of their surrounding and potential danger throughout the day.

Parrots have evolved into great problem solvers. Foraging for food 70% of their waking hours and always being alert to potential predators have made them highly intelligent animals.

Birds’ Senses

•Vision - Very important sense for birds•acuity 2 – 8 times greater than mammals•Clear lens permits them to see ultraviolet light (mammals have a yellow tinted lens that filters out these rays)•Have tetrachromatic or pentatchromatic color vision, while humans have trichromatic color vision

•Hearing & Vocalization - Also very important•Bird calls are complex auditory signals•Able to differentiate between types of contact calls and calls of different individuals•Non-predatory birds not believed to be good at localizing sound

Birds’ Senses (Continued)

•Taste & Smell•Parrots have between 300-400 taste buds (humans have about 9,000)•Response to different flavors varies•Not much research has been done regarding smell, but it is believed it is used to locate food, navigate, return to nesting sites, reproduction, parenting and selecting nest material

•Touch•Receptors for touch, heat and pain in skin and beak (including feet)•Some receptors are vibration sensitive

“Sensory Capacities of Parrots.” Manual of Parrot Behavior. Blackwell Publishing, 2006.

What does this mean for us?

In our homes, parrots need places to:•Sleep & rest•Forage/eat & drink•Exercise•Groom (preen, bathe) •Socialize•Escape to when feeling threatened.

Additionally, parrots also need places that provide:

•Variety •Intellectual & visual stimulation•A safe (as possible) environment

Our Roles

We wear many hats simultaneously:

•Zookeeper•Nutritionist•Interior Designer/Decorator•Activities Director•Safety inspector•Trainer/coach•Funding agent

What is an Activities Plan?

An Activities Plan is a set of ideas and goals for providing a physically and intellectually engaging environment based on an analysis of current activities and surroundings.

An Activities Plan has several components. •ASSESS: An assessment of a bird’s activities•EVALUATE: Evaluation of the amount of time spent doing activities•CREATE GOALS: Creation of goals concerning a bird’s activity level•ASSESS: An assessment of a bird’s environment•EVALUATE: Evaluation of a bird’s environment, current activity level and activity goals considered.•CREATE GOALS: Creation of goals concerning a bird’s environment, based on current activity level and goals

You may base your bird’s playground on an Activities Plan.

All birds are individuals and activity levels and activities will vary.

This bird spends about:12 hours sleeping at night2 hours foraging2 hours grooming 4 hours resting4 hours socializing/playing

Note: There is no equation for an “ideal day” for all birds. It may vary by specific birds’ needs, abilities, and

personality.

Creating an Activities Plan

Based on the assessment, evaluate & set goals

•If activity levels are ideal, brainstorm variations in stimuli to maintain the same level of activity. Or, increase opportunities for those activities you would like to see increased. •Consider whether the current opportunities and environment appeal to your bird’s senses. (Different color scheme? Better lighting? Add music? Change music?)•Implement changes with your bird’s comfort level with change in mind. (Change is good, but must be implemented more slowly for some.)•You may wish to keep a notebook or electronic file with ideas for activities, enrichment items, or other stimuli to draw on.

What is a Parrot Playground?

PLANNING PLAY AREAS & ENRICHMENT ITEMSTWELVE EVAULUATION QUESTIONS

1.SAFETY: Is it safe for my bird?2.INTELLECTUAL: Is it intellectually engaging?3.SENSORY: Might it appeal to their senses?4.FORAGING: Are there foraging opportunities?5.CHEWING: Are there materials to chew/shred?6.EXERCISE: Does it encourage movement?7.INTERACTIVITY: Can they manipulate items? Are there areas to socialize?

Additional criteria for play areas:8. VARIETY: Is there variety?9. PROTECTION: Are there multiple routes of escape in all areas?10. PRIVACY: Is there a place to retreat from threats or others? A place reserved for sleeping?11. MAINTENANCE: Will I be able to maintain this?

We can encourage desired activities by providing sufficient opportunities for them.

SAFETY: Is it safe for my bird?•Nothing is 100% safe for every bird•Know your bird. Not just what they use, but how they use it. Monitor any new, creative uses for items.•Check all items they have access to regularly for safety, including rope strands, ceiling hooks, wing nuts on perches, latches, etc.

SENSORY: Might it appeal to their senses?

•We can guess, based on what our birds seem drawn to•Important to include new textures, colors, etc. •Color test may be done. Preferred colors may change.

What kinds of things might be visually interesting to your birds?

Do your birds enjoy music? What kind?

Sensory Stimuli

Field trips! Depending on your bird’s level of socialization:

•To other rooms•To the backyard•Around the block•To the bank/drive-through•To the farmer’s market

You and your bird can work your way up to more exciting field trips.

INTELLECTUAL: Is it intellectually engaging?

•Have some items that present a challenge.•Have others that are below their abilities, too. (Variety may prevent frustration.)•Training •Games

What items can you think of that would be intellectually engaging?

Intellectual stimulation - Puzzles

Intellectual Stimulation

Read To Your Bird

Insert their name into stories and songs

Intellectual Stimulation

Training

•Added benefit of helping you and your bird to communicate•Could be as little as 10 minutes a day

What might you start with?•Targeting (go to a designated place)•Step Up – onto your hand, onto a stick•Tricks (wave, put an item in a bowl)•Recall (for flighted)•Songs

Intellectual Stimulation

Games

•Vocalization games•Peek-a-bird •Hide and seek type games (Note: Your bird should be the “seeker.”)

You and your bird may come up with games you both enjoy collectively!

What games do you already play with your birds?

•Important to have variety in levels of difficulty.

•May be one of the most important types of “intellectual” opportunities since wild birds spend up to 70% of their waking hours foraging.•Great challenge for companion humans to come up with new, creative foraging opportunities.

FORAGING: Are there foraging opportunities?

A “must see” for all companion humans!

Importance of foraging for birds has been better brought to light throughout the pet care industry after the release of Dr. Echols’ Captive Foraging.

If your bird spends a lot of waking hours in a cage, consider viewing his/her cage as an “enclosed foraging tree”.

•Start slow. Add foraging options gradually.•Goal: Minimum of six bowls or accessible foraging toys and additional ones that are more challenging.•Allow your bird a “foraging free” sleep area/zone/cage. Wild birds do not naturally forage where they sleep.

Bowls , plates, tubs, trays & buckets all make great foraging toys.

My favorite easy, inexpensive foraging toys:

•3 oz bath size Dixie cups•Unbleached coffee filters•Unbleached paper towels•Eco Fiber, shredded paper or another “safe” bedding like Aspen shavings•Predrilled toy parts

This rope perch that is wrapped in leather has leather strands hanging off it.

Threading a coffee filter through the opening in some plastic chain forms another simple foraging toy.

Stainless steel skewers are versatile toys. Food may easily be speared or hidden within a speared object.

Condiment cups may be made into foraging toys as well.

Once they are accustomed to having to work to retrieve food from foraging toys, make them work to get to the foraging toys as well.

CHEWING: Are there materials to chew/shred?•Parrots need things to destroy.•Natural instinct to chew/shred is physically and mentally beneficial.

What kinds of things are good for birds to have to shred/chew?

EXERCISE: Does It Encourage Movement?

•Does the item itself move? Does it promote balance and stability?•Does it allow birds to easily access other items by flying, stretching, or climbing to them? •Does it permit cardiovascular activity?

What items encourage movement?

Most “hanging” enrichment items encourage movement and balance:

Swings

Bungies/Boings

“Atoms/Orbits”

Climbing nets

Hanging gyms

Hanging Toys

Benefits of climbing nets•May be used to connect different areas/play areas, in addition to being a play area in itself. Provides choice.•Choice it can provide is especially wonderful for birds with clipped wings•Encourages movement

Note: Just as with all rope toys, strands should be trimmed regularly.

Sometimes exercise toys will be simple items we never would have guessed would be used in such a way!

Other places to move:

The floor (when safe, of course!)

Playstands/Trees/Perches

Tabletops

Shelves

INTERACTIVITY: Can birds manipulate the items? Is there a place for them to socialize?Interact with toys, interact with others.

•Enrichment items may “do” something. (Have moveable parts, buttons, etc.)•Games•Training

What items or opportunities for interacting does your bird have?

Other Important Criteria in a Bird’s World

VARIETY: Is there Variety… In Everything?

•“Birds need to go places.” Pam Clark•Safe place for birds in every room possible. •Variety provides choice, in toys, perches, food, locations and other stimuli.•Change is good (keeping your bird’s comfort level with change in mind).

Take a stroll together!

Camping with birds!

PROTECTION: Are there multiple escape routes?•Very important for areas shared with other birds/animals•Also important for a bird’s mental health concerning perceived threats (even if they cannot harm your bird.) Should be able to “escape” from seeing animals outside the window.•No one should be cornered or trapped.•Minimum of two entrances/exits. More is necessary if there are more than two companion animals.

PRIVACY: Is there a place to hide from threats or others? A place reserved for sleeping?•Birds are social animals, but still may need some time/space away from others.•Because birds do not naturally forage where they sleep, a separate space reserved exclusively for sleeping is ideal.•Private/sleep locations still need multiple escape routes or to be blocked off from others.

MAINTENANCE: Is the Playground Sustainable?•Routine cleaning•Regular safety checks (threads, nuts, bolts, hooks, etc.)•Replacement of destroyed parts•Rotating new materials, toys, perches into the area.

Find ways to make caring for your birds easier on you!

•Serving tray to make carrying food and supplies easier•Foraging toys might be kept near the kitchen/bird food •Keep extra toys accessible in case you need to switch out one that is soiled/starting to look unsafe•Extra set(s) of dishes, bowls, bottles or foraging toys on hand•“Easy” foods may be kept for those mornings you are running late or need to go to the grocery store•Newspaper or chair mats might make floor clean up easier•Keep cleaning supplies inaccessible to birds but close to areas where they spend a lot of time

What tips do you have to share?

Playground Showcase

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Photos & play gym by Donna Dicksson.Posted from Flickr with permission.

Creating an Activities Plan

Plan your “ideal” bird area. You may focus on one room/area or several. Make sure elements from all criteria are present and sufficient to accommodate the targeted activity levels.

What items would be rotated or periodically embellished?

What elements might appeal to birds’ senses?

What games or puzzles will be incorporated? Include any ideas for foraging opportunities.

How will it be checked for safety and maintained?

In groups, share your assessment from earlier and overview with others.

Creating an Activities Plan

Sharing the highlights!

What ideas were discussed in your groups were inspiring?What ideas might be implemented today when you go home?

What ideas might be implemented in the near future?What creative games or puzzles were discussed? Foraging opportunities?

Where might you go for inspiration?

The people around you!

Educational workshops (like the ones put on by Phoenix Landing)

Kris Porter wrote most of The Parrot Enrichment Activity Book, version 2.0, and compiled all of it. Many great ideas for enrichment, foraging, training and much more - all available for free!http://www.phoenixlanding.org/PEAB_V2.pdf

Various print books, including:Parrot Toys and Play Areas by Carol D'Arezzo and Lauren Shannon-Nunn.

Online - Web sites, Yahoo! Groups, Forums & more

Remember to scrutinize all ideas provided in this class, in books, online, etc. with your bird’s safety in mind. Nothing is 100% safe for every bird.

Special thanks to:

Phoenix Landing supporters who contributed pictures:Ann BrooksJane KrovetzKim in SCLaura FordRodney & Tamara Money

ThePerch.net members who contributed pictures and videos:Birdlover (Jill)BirdTrouble (Jamie)Breelynne (Lynn)Gbird (Gayla)Gen120 (Victoria)JamieO (Jamie O.)KristyLove4Birds (Megan)Montage (Christine)ShaderaShantaSuncoast (Ginger)

Flickr users who agreed to let me use their pictures:Adrian RoyleCee (Carolyn)JQuest1 (Ryan Archer)OllieGirl (Donna Dicksson)