If you have watched your bird dig through paper, pull at a knot or work at a toy until a treat falls out, you have seen foraging. It is one of the most natural things a bird does. Foraging toys bring that behavior into the home and give small and medium birds, such as budgies, parrotlets, lovebirds, cockatiels and conures, a rewarding way to spend part of their day.
What is foraging?
Foraging is the work of finding food. Wild birds spend much of their day searching, peeling, digging and pulling things apart to get to something to eat. Pet birds usually have their food served in a dish, so that searching instinct has less to do. A foraging toy hides a treat or a piece of food inside paper, wood, palm, loofah or another material, so your bird has to work a little to reach it.
Why birds enjoy foraging toys
- It keeps them busy. Searching for a treat can hold a bird’s attention far longer than a treat in a dish.
- It gives them something to solve. Figuring out how to open, untie or shred a toy gives a bird a small challenge.
- It uses the beak and feet. Foraging involves chewing, pulling, holding and turning, which are all natural movements.
- It adds variety. Changing what you hide and where you hide it keeps the cage interesting.
Types of foraging toys
- Shred-to-find toys: treats tucked between layers of paper, palm leaf or loofah, which your bird pulls apart
- Wrapped or tied toys: paper or woven material wrapped around a treat, which your bird has to unwrap
- Container toys: woven baskets, balls or boxes made of vine, bamboo or palm, filled with paper and a few treats
- Wood toys with holes or slots: pieces with spaces where a treat can be wedged in
You can see our current options in our foraging toys and shredding toys categories.
How to introduce foraging to your bird
Many birds need to learn how foraging toys work. Start simple and make it easier than you think it needs to be.
- Let your bird see the treat. Place a favorite treat in plain view inside the toy, or only partly covered.
- Make it easy at first. Use a single loose layer of paper, or leave the treat poking out.
- Show your bird. Some birds learn by watching you crinkle paper or pull a treat out.
- Add difficulty slowly. Once your bird finds treats easily, add more paper, fold it more tightly or hide the treat deeper.
Keep early sessions short and supervised, and place the toy near a favorite perch so your bird feels comfortable approaching it.
Choosing foraging toys for small and medium birds
Budgies and parrotlets usually do well with light, easy-to-shred materials such as paper and palm. Lovebirds and cockatiels often enjoy layered toys they can pull apart. Conures tend to work quickly, so they may need sturdier containers or several layers to keep them busy. For all of these birds, check that openings are not large enough to trap a head or toe.
Foraging safety tips
- Use plain, uncoated paper and bird-safe materials. Avoid glossy paper, printed inks you are not sure about, tape and staples.
- Hide only small amounts of treats, and count them as part of your bird’s daily food.
- Remove leftover fresh food from foraging toys the same day so it does not spoil.
- Keep natural materials such as loofah, palm and paper dry, and replace them if they become damp or soiled.
- Watch for long frayed fibers and trim or replace as needed.
Our Bird Toy Safety & Care guide covers inspecting and cleaning toys in more detail.
Keep foraging interesting
Once your bird understands foraging, change things up. Use different treats, different materials and different spots in the cage. Refill the same toy in a new way, or rotate between two or three foraging toys over the week.
Give your bird something to search for
Foraging toys are a simple way to give your bird something to do between meals and play sessions. Start easy, go slowly and watch what your bird enjoys. You can find foraging, shredding, chew and interactive toys for small and medium birds in our shop.