.ITS SPRING.Im so excited that I wet my plants.

.Spring is my favorite. 

Everyone feels it. What do you think of when you think of Spring? Flowers growing and...

.Birds Singing.

I have cockatoos, so insert ear piercing shrieks where you would typically think of beautiful sing song melodies. If you have cockatoos, you feel me. How about those hormones? Yep. Broody hens? Got it. Molting? THANK whoever is upstairs. 

With spring comes new beginnings and fresh starts. Get your behavior modification program up to speed. No behaviors you want to decrease? Thats cool, step up your enrichment game.

How better to start than to knock out a few birds with one stone? <-except don't do that. 

.Lets make an herb basket. 

What you'll need:

• soil

• herbs

• pot

So, I won't lie. I decided to do this because of this stellar pot from IKEA. Its powder coated steel and I can hang it wherever I want. Coolest part? The whole pot is solid so I don't have to worry about heads or toes getting caught anywhere. Done. 

The soil is from this cool company, Ecoscraps. I opted for this soil because its organic and consists of two ingredients: compost from plant material and compost from forrest material. no poop here. Dont stop there though, did you know that you can sterilize soil? Yeah, just pop some soil in your oven and cook to 160 degrees like research shows here to kill off mold, fungi, bacteria, and creepy crawlies that you don't want in your cage. Ill be honest though, I bring my parrots outside, they have an outdoor aviary and I bring browse in. They're exposed to a whole lot more than what comes in a bag of soil. 

Last, pick out some plants! I went with some of Bonnies Organic choices. Romaine Lettuce, Kale, Oregano, Basil, Spinach, and Dill. You can go crazy and choose some greens to fit your birds fancy and your green thumbs ability. 

I like simple. The more simple you keep things, the easier it is to keep up with it. This little garden is cool for a few reasons:

• novel/healthy food choices

• offers these choices in a novel way

• change in environment...and this pot is easy to move around.

• promotes foraging and exercise.

Hang it. Let them munch. Pull it out to let it recover. 

About that Egg Cup

There is an easy rule to feeding rabbits. Always have free access to hay and you can feed about an egg cup full of pellets per bun a day. That being said, lets make a festive supervised foraging toy! 

We could get way more nitty gritty about diets here, but I am no expert on nutrition so I will leave that to your veterinarian to discuss with you. 

I am, however REALLY good at helping animals display natural behaviors so, lets do that! 

Heres what you'll need:

• Fillable Easter Eggs

• Drill

• Pellets

• Espadrilles (Sort of Optional, but they really help get you in the Spring feel)

Just drill a hole or two a tad larger than your pellet size in each egg, scoop some pellet in and your done. 

Easy, right?!

I would only suggest this foraging toy be used supervised. While its great fun, novel, and allows them the exercise their bodies and minds...the plastic is flimsy and not suitable for alone time. 

{E} is even more than anyone that you adore

Ellie is sort of my heart song. 

This little chicken takes up a stupid amount of my day. And I love it. 

Enrichment for her (like everyone) is a necessity. She's obviously naked and to prevent her from being even more naked...we switch out/add new/alter/move around things in her cage daily. Or randomly throughout the day. All day. I am changing her environment all day...trying to emulate what she experienced in the wild. 

Because she was literally flying free as a wild bird in the beginning of her own story. 

Anyways. 

Sometimes Im awesome and I concoct really intricate works of art. Other times though, I don't. This is one of those times.

Behold the paper mache symbol. 

This paper mache "E" was $6 at my local craft supply store. Ive made foraging toys for the bunnies before but today I'm going basic. She's just getting the "E" for some space saving shredding fun. You'll see a theme in her cage. Paper is her thing. Ellie has no time for wood in her life. 

{E}asy peasy. 

Get it? E-asy peasy? whatever.

#shredpapernotfeathers

 Im out.