Enrichment is an animal husbandry principle that seeks to enhance the quality of life of domestic animals by allowing them to safely use their remaining natural instincts, enhance their environment & increase their wellbeing. Enrichment actually positively alters our Bird’s brain structure, helping them be more stimulated, content & better behaved. Sadly, many Birds never get to enjoy its life enhancing benefits though, far too many owners give up on enrichment. Our Birds, particularly those who are older or previously neglected, may take a while to warm to enrichment, but we should never give up.
Perhaps most upsetting of all, many owners mistake positive signs of early exploration of enrichment as negative responses. This leads them to give up just as their Bird is warming to enrichment, just as their world is opening it gets closed off again. In this article, we will talk about 3 signs that mean your Bird may actually be beginning to explore.
- THEY DESTROYED THEIR PLASTIC FORAGING TOYS- There are many re-usable foraging toys on the market that are made of plastic. Many Parrots starting out with enrichment will have a surge in their instinct to chew as their body starts to recognize that some needs are finally being met. Sadly, these re-usable toys are not chewable & are often a very expensive purchase that then gets chewed to pieces (which poses a health risk to the Bird). These owners then become disheartened & give up on enrichment. This destruction is actually a sign that the Bird is incredibly suited to enrichment & are at their most receptive, they are just not being given the right thing. These Birds are better suited to foraging & enrichment activities that channel their chewing, shredding & stripping instincts (safe destructible activities) instead.
- THEY THROW THEIR FRUIT & VEG AROUND- Dietary enrichment means that we need to provide a variety of fresh, healthy foods to our Birds in interesting & engaging ways. Many Birds, when beginning to try fresh food, will start to pick it up & throw it all over the floor. Their owners then get angry at the mess & either punish the Bird or stop giving fresh food, both of which are bad choices for their mental & physical health. Birds are very intelligent & often explore new food items through play. When they pick up & throw the food, they are getting a feel for its texture, size, shape & even having a little taste, throwing it helps them see how the food falls which helps them to build a further mental image of the food. Every one of my angels who did this went on to try & love the food they threw everywhere! It’s a very important phase for many Birds & helps them to mentally prepare for all this new sensory input in a fun & non- daunting way. Like all phases, it will pass.
- THEY SHRED THEIR PLANTS- There are many safe plants, browse etc. that can be offered to our Birds as dietary & environmental enrichment. Cress plants are among the most adored in my flock. When giving cress (or other) plants, we expect our Birds to eat them- particularly if we have spent money on them! However, this is not always going to happen. Some Birds will shred & strip the plants apart; this is a completely natural & valid way of enjoying these enrichment activities. This action fulfils many natural instincts & provides a wealth of sensory & cognitive input. If Birds shred their cress plant, owners often give up & refuse to let their Bird ever have access to this activity again, one owner told me how it ‘is a waste of good food!’, but it’s not a waste. Your Bird is warming to the thrilling new world of enrichment & is exploring all the items on offer in their own way. There is no rule as to how they should interact with it, the whole point is that the items are there for however the Bird’s body needs to experience them. Please, don’t steal it away when their joy is blossoming.
As owners we often build an image in our minds of how we expect something to be & our Birds are punished for not living our expectations. When we embrace the world of foraging & enrichment, we need to move away from expectation. No 2 Birds will ever approach activities in the same way or go through identical steps to warm to new items. We need to focus on our Birds at an individual level & learn what each Bird needs from us. As long as it’s safe, it’s up to the Bird how they interact with the enrichment we provide, not us. We can’t simply claim it’s a waste or give up when they are just starting to blossom. They are doing what their body needs & that is valid. They aren’t wasting anything.
There is no set timeframe, no hard & fast rules, it’s about what your Bird needs & how your Bird sees the world. Every Bird needs & can benefit from enrichment, but how they do it is as individual as a fingerprint. If you see these signs in your Bird & want to give up, step back & let them flourish in their own space, in their own time. Joy doesn’t have a deadline.