Feeding time should be more than just food in a bowl. In the wild, most of animals’ lives are spent searching for food. Not only does this provide them with a lot of physical activity, it also keeps them mentally sharp. We do our animals a great disservice by just handing them their food when there are plenty of ways to stimulate their appetite and their brains.
In the Zoo World, this is known as “Enrichment.” Now, enrichment does not always have to do with food, but whenever you are presenting food for an animal, take some time to watch how they interact with it. I know there are times when my pets at home have looked at their bowl and just pawed at it and then looked at me like “the same thing again?” So, how can you improve this experience for your animal. Most times, it might not be a good idea to change what they are eating, but it’s as easy as changing how they are getting it.
One way to do this is a puzzle feeder. They are widely available in stores and online, or you can find ways to make these yourself out of household items. These feeders allow your pet to be rewarded for its efforts, and have the added benefit of being fun for you to watch.
There are several different ways to make food more of an experience for your animals, and I would be glad to explore those options with you and give you helpful tips and tricks to make your animal’s meal something that is enriching for both of you.
