Juicy. Crunchy. Pop in Your Mouth. Mini Sweet Peppers.

I am clinging onto summer. She can keep her happy little ass here a tad longer, like until spring. Am I right? I hate the cold. ANYWAYS. I originally got these amazing little sweet peppers to snack on with my toddler but, as toddlers do, he had other plans. (like not snacking on mini sweet peppers) Whatever. So, I had a bag of super cute little nuggets waiting to be demolished. 

Enrichment doesn't always have to be crazy intricate and sometimes changing up the everyday diet routine is the perfect way to shake up their day. Animals diets in the wild vary. Even the Koala, who's diet consists primarily of eucalyptus, alternates between 2-3 species of eucalyptus tree. The rule around here is EVERYTHING IN MODERATION. I don't have an issue with feeding out novel foods, but they are only treats. Make sure the animals in your care are fed a balanced diet specific to that particular individuals needs. DUH.

all you need are:

• mini sweet peppers

• wooden shish kabob sticks (soaked in water for a little pliability)

Because mini sweet peppers are relatively palatable, fat free, high in calcium AND a great source of fiber...Elli (the cutest nekkid cockatoo you ever did see) and the bunnies at Omas Haus both got a taste. 

Miss Ellie is fairly new to me and one of the biggest motivators for me to start blogging. I'll introduce the whole fam at another time, but for now Ill just say she's a bit shy of new enrichment. So, the goods getting delivered to her neck of the woods are pretty simplistic as she re-learns how to have some control over her environment. 

With animals who are not accustomed to regular enrichment, there is absolutely a learning curve to be had. With Ellie, I am starting with very obvious, simple, easily obtainable enrichment. Because she has only ever eaten out of a bowl in captivity(and I want very much to change that) I  introduce novel food items, like these mini sweet peppers, on a stick in the corner above her food bowl. pretty obvious. Even with introductions as simple as these, she isn't always receptive and that's OK! Change can be scary! 

The bunnies on the other hand. They're monsters. Typically, with these kids I can get super intricate. Like layers and layers of top secret codes, retina detection locks, finger print scanning, and kevlar protection can't hold these beasts back. But, for the sake of simple enrichment, they got pepper kabobs hung all around their pen to encourage foraging. 

BAM! simple enrichment right out of your kitchen.