7 Easy Ways to Create Foraging for
Aracaris and Toucanets
Foraging is super important for all kinds of birds, not just toucans. In the wild toucans, parrots, and other birds spend most of their day foraging for food.
Providing foraging opportunities to companion birds is essential for enrichment and stimulation. If you are new to foraging then these ideas are super easy and super fast to use. To learn how to encourage foraging in your bird, check out my post on: “What Everyone Ought to Know About Beginning Foraging for Toucans”
Every day I leave for work I make sure to give my Curl Crested Aracari, Bella, a foraging activity. This gives her something to do while I’m at work and it also pairs me leaving with a positive experience.
The ideas provided below I love because they are super easy to get ready and require easy-to-use items. Some of these you may already have at home and others you may need to purchase. However, once the purchase is made they will provide endless hours of foraging for your toucan.
Please note these ideas were thought of with the smaller toucans (toucanets and aracaris) in mind. While some may be appropriate for the larger toucans, supervision would definitely be required. I have heard of some of the larger toucans swallowing paper, so I would not recommend many of these activities for the larger toucans.
As with any new toy or activity, all activities mentioned here, for all species, should be closely monitored and supervised.
Easy Foraging Idea #1: Finger Traps
Finger traps are my go-to when I need a quick foraging idea. You can buy them on Amazon or at party supply stores.
Stick some blueberries inside or other fruit your toucan loves and you are done! They make a fun foot toy too!
For added complexity or fun you can add some paper shred on either end.
Easy Foraging Idea #2: NutCase Bird Toy
I find a lot of my toys in the dog section, believe it or not! This toy has perfect holes for holding blueberries! Again, just like with the fingertraps you can add paper shred to make it more complex.
I have also found a dog football version of this toy that you can use as well. The only difference is it doesn’t have the chain and quick link at the top. So, this version could be used for ground foraging on the bottom of the cage.
Easy Foraging Idea #3: Fruit Skewers
Fruit skewers can provide a fun variety of fruit for your toucan. Simply cut up the fruit you wish to provide and spear it onto the fruit skewer. It doesn’t get any simpler!
For increasing complexity with this foraging activity, you can simply move the fruit skewer to different places in the cage that make it more difficult to get to. Getting your toucan to stretch, reach, and hang are great ways to create natural foraging activities and provide great exercise.
Easy Foraging Idea #4: Cardboard Egg Cartons
I love turning everyday materials into foraging activities. I always save my cardboard egg cartons to turn into fun foraging activities. Egg cartons provide lots of places to hide treats.
Place fruit where the eggs would normally go and then cover to hide them. You can cover with paper shred, foot toys, paper cupcake liners, coconut fiber, and much more. Your imagination is the limit as long as it is a safe material to use.
To add complexity to this activity you can cover the treats with another egg carton so the holes match up and the treats are harder to get or simply close the top like in the picture above.
Easy Foraging Idea #5: Paper towel rolls
Just like the egg cartons, this is another cheap and quick foraging idea. You can use a whole paper towel roll or cut it in half, whatever you like.
The paper towel roll serves as a great vessel for putting other things in. Basically, you will put the treats inside and then fill it with other safe materials.
Some suggestions for things to add would be paper shred, coconut fiber, scrunched-up coffee filters, cupcake liners, and fingertraps.
To add complexity to this foraging activity you can push the sides of the paper towel holder together to make it more difficult to get their beaks in.
Easy Foraging Idea #6: Treat Bombs
I love the way they sound! Scary right? Well actually these are so easy and simple you won’t believe it!
What on earth is a treat bomb you ask? It is a treat wrapped up in a cupcake liner! That’s it, mystery solved!
Take a cupcake liner, put a treat inside, and twist the top. These are great to give as is and make a great foot toy. The only downfall to these is they can fall between the grates of your enclosure but otherwise they are super fun and easy!
Another twist on this is to make a bigger version using a coffee filter. I usually fold the coffee filter a couple of times, then put the treat inside, and then twist the top.
While they are great on their own, either of these large or small treat bombs will add complexity to any foraging activity. Stuff treat bombs inside a paper towel holder, egg carton, foraging cup, or foraging toy to make it more complex.
Easy Foraging Idea #7: Cover that bowl!
Grab a paper bag, cut a circle, and then tie the circle over your toucan’s food dish! There you go, another easy foraging activity.
You can use paper rope, raffia, cotton rope, or other bird-safe ropes to tie the paper on. I usually use raffia because I have it on hand. Many bird toy stores will sell different types of safe ropes to use.
My Curl went crazy for this one, she really enjoyed ripping the paper up and using her beak to gain access.
As for increasing the complexity of this one you can use treat bombs underneath the cover. You could also possibly add an extra layer over the bowl, just keep in mind you may need to trim the side so get the bowl to fit back into the holder.
An active mind is a healthy mind!
Foraging not only makes great mental stimulation but can provide great exercise too. Providing foraging activities is an essential part of enrichment for any bird, and toucans are no different.
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