Wingy Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 I read about this on foragingforparrots.com http://foragingforparrots.com/ideas/wiffle-ball-foragers/ and Jake is having a great time. I took his wiffle ball and stuffed it with a sugar snap pea that poked out a bit, a sugar snap pea completely inside, a fat cinnamon stick, a dried pepper out of his food bag, and a in shell pistachio also out of his food bag. I really had to work to get the cinnamon stick and pistachio through the holes. I showed it to him and placed it on his cage top. The easy stuff grabbed Jakes attention and he made short work of it but now he has spent the last 30 minutes working on trying to get that pistachio and the last sugar snap pea pod (he hasn't gotten it yet but he isn't giving up). It is fascinating to watch him think and work the problem out. The package of wiffle balls only cost me a few dollars and most of the goodies to stuff it are part of his normal food. ***The article mentions hanging with a shoe lace but I really don't care for them. IMHO nails can get caught to easily. If your going to hang this use a piece of bird safe rawhide or a kabob. My guy is loving this as a foot toy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Thanks for that great idea, will have to give it a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingy Posted May 4, 2013 Author Share Posted May 4, 2013 (edited) We are now going on close to an hour that Jake has been working the wiffle ball. He has gotten bites of the pistachio and the sugar snap pea pod but has not managed to get it all. Ok he just got mad and threw it on the floor. I think next time I will add a few of the large pellets that he doesn't usually eat along with the other yummies. They will make a nice noise in the ball and maybe he will even eat a little. Edited to add: Jake is now in his favorite sleeping corner, chattering quietly to himself and settling in for a nap. He didn't throw a tantrum and toss everything so I think he just tossed the ball because he was done and not out of frustration. Edited May 4, 2013 by Wingy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 Great idea! I have one I bought that is simlar. It is one that rolls about freely. Timber gets frustrated with it in a very short time. There is a similar one that hangs in his cage (with a little bell on the bottom) that he loves. I am going to try letting some stuff stick out of the rolling one like you mentioned though. That might encourage him to keep working at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingy Posted May 4, 2013 Author Share Posted May 4, 2013 What if you were to include a nutriberry or 2 along with some other goodies? If Timber doesn't like it rolling you could attach a quick link, plastic baby link or even a leather lace with beads through the holes. This will keep it from rolling. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 I haven't attached it because he already has one hanging which he uses all the time. I was hoping to give him something a little more challenging, hence the rolling around. The other problem is, the ball is pretty big. He is a small TAG, and the ball is probably larger than he needs. I'll pick up some wiffle balls and try that, they may be a better size for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingy Posted May 4, 2013 Author Share Posted May 4, 2013 Jake is smaller than Timber and I am using a baseball sized wiffle ball. I have never seen one larger than baseball size. Do you have one bigger? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 The one I have is from Dr. Foster & smith. It is a hard plastic for many reuses. It has slots cut for him to pull things out of. Yes, it is probably like softball size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingy Posted May 4, 2013 Author Share Posted May 4, 2013 Thanks. I will have to look for it. Jake has a really big ball but it is that hard plastic so he can only play with it on the floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted May 4, 2013 Share Posted May 4, 2013 This is really wonderful, thank you, all our fids love there wiffle ball, Maggie's doing it today......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingy Posted May 4, 2013 Author Share Posted May 4, 2013 There is now more to the story of the foraging wiffle ball. I did push some large pieces of pellet into the ball and placed it back on the cage top. Jake went to it to investigate and took a nibble. I turned my back to do something and when I turned around about 10 or 15 minutes later the ball was missing. I looked inside the cage, inside all the toy containers both on and in the cage, around the cage, under the cage and finally started looking behind furnature that is near by. Jake said to me "whatcha doin?" I said I am looking for your ball. He answered me with a "what?". In all seriousness and with a bit of frustration I said "Jake, where is your ball? Where did it go?" Do you know he ran up to his water bowl, pulled up his ball and then let it go back in the water. That water bowl is at the top perch on his play top, which is much taller than I am so I never would have seen it until I went to change out the water at dinner time. Here is where it gets more weird. I fished out the ball and handed it to him and do you know what that little monkey did. He shook it until every last pellet came out and only then did he go after that pistachio and remaining portion of pea. Coincidence? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 LOL Probably not! Smart little buggers they are... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingy Posted May 5, 2013 Author Share Posted May 5, 2013 The who idea that he purposely walked his ball up 2 ladders to put it in water, had a conversation with me and showed me where the ball was and then shook out the pellets. That shows planning, and actions in a series to solve a complex problem that is unfamiliar. I knew he was intelligent and understood some simple language but I do believe he may understand much more than I though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted May 5, 2013 Share Posted May 5, 2013 Very wise................................................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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