Hello Everybody. As we head into April (Yikes! already?) and wade through an avalanche of chocolate bunny wrappers we thought it might be fun to address another question we get asked a lot. What is the difference between Foraging toys and Puzzle toys? You will often find the terms used interchangeably (yes - that is a word) in discussion but there is actually a clear line between the two and they serve very different purposes. Foragers are used to kick start instinctual food gathering behaviours. They are normally food based and allow your pet to hunt and forage for food rather than just eat it from a bowl. Foragers are often quirky and colourful to engage your pets curiosity. Foragers are usually destructible - but not always. They often have multiple textures to give your pet something more interesting to touch and feel in their environment. There is no question that foragers bring the zany fun to the party and they are great for all pets - from the smallest mouse to the largest parrot. No animal in the wild gets their food hand delivered in a bowl every day - they all have to work for it. Foragers allow for that same level of activity to happen in an enclosed environment. Puzzles on the other hand are a much more diabolical (in a good way) invention. Puzzle toys exist to engage the brain. They are usually mechanical. Most are not destructible and although they can cost a bit - they will usually last the lifetime of your pet. They are high value treat based and offer a variety of levels of difficulty as well as designs specific to turners or pullers (depending on what sort of puzzle solver you have). For social animals like parrots, primates and sugar gliders puzzles offer the unique opportunity for them to engage in social learning and collaborative puzzle solving. It also encourages a level of self determination in terms of allowing them to select the high value treat they want and secure it for themselves. This is really important for highly intelli
So our new year's resolution (yes - we know it's already March) was to start answering some of the most common questions we get here at Fairy Central. We are starting with three questions at once. (yes - we are trying to make up for the months we have missed so far)
Q1. Does the Aviator harness come with a leash?
A1.Yes.
Q2. Why did we decide to import Aviator Harnesses all the way from America when there are loads of cheaper options available in the South African marketplace?
A2. This is a great question and our reasoning is pretty simple. Safety first. The Aviator harness has pretty much every safety feature you could hope for. It is a single bit of kit so it is easy to take on or off (less stress for your bird). It is also incredibly light. A harness for a Giant Eagle Owl only weighs 8 grams - so it is much less invasive for your bird. There is no metal used at all - so no chance of your bird swallowing anything toxic or hard bits digging into skin and causing wounds. It has a fixed V neck so it avoids neck straps slipping over the shoulders and causing wing injuries. Perhaps the most innovative safety feature though is the elasticated inbuilt leash and moving waist clip. Both work together to ensure that if your bird flies to the end of the leash - it won't risk a breastbone break because the elasticated leash absorbs the impact and then slowly pulls the bird back toward you in a gentle arc. On top of all the safety features - Aviator harnesses ship in loads of lovely colours (the leashes are plain black usually). The harness is also part of an optional leashing system that includes a flightline (this is a run that is pegged into the ground - you attach the harness to it and the bird can fly around along the length of the line) as well as a variety of leash extensions (for free flight training).
Q3. Is an Aviator Harness and a Flightsuit the same thing?
A3. No. The primary use of an Aviator Harness is for security from Flyaways. The primary use
The Head fairy doesn't know WHAT she would have done if she hadn't found Ruff Dawg Indestructible dog toys. Sunny can now chew away at his DAWG NUT - and Fairy HQ can still boast a nice set of fully stuffed lounge furniture! To share the joy we are offering 10% off these fabulous toys until the end of the month - just use the coupon code RUFF10F at checkout!
Pet Fairy now has Indestructible Dog Toys that come with a lifetime replacement guarantee!
This is a truly advanced level puzzle for parrots!
Ready for a puzzle that will really challenge your parrot? Try the Tug and Slide Tower! It is even tricky for someone with apposable thumbs!
Puzzle of the week is the GOODIE GADGET. It is much trickier than it looks and is made to last the lifetime of your pet. We can't get enough of this one! It is lightweight and pet safe so would work for all sizes of bird as well as small mammals. The Head Fairy finds the spinning part just mesmerising!
Time for our toy of the week! The impossiball! Good fun for all birds and small mammals!
Available for the first time in South Africa... the Ele Waiter!
Today is national Kitty day at Fairy HQ! We have sacks of balls, michiefs of mice and flocks of birds - all ready to be filled with catnip to bring out the inner kitten in even the most crotchety of kitties. We are launching our Kitty Combo packs of toys..... pick one to fit whatever mood your moggy is in!
We are really excited to annouce the arrival of a selection of new puzzle toys for parrots and small animals! Today we are sharing more info on the BUSY BOX and BUSY BARREL!
Just arrived! Puzzles unlike any others!
We have always prided ourselves on being able to offer practical solutions to behavioural issues in our pets. One of the first products that the Head Fairy ever imported was a series of puzzle toys for parrots to assist with boredom related plucking and stress. We now offer a wide range of solutions for pluckers/fussy eaters and bored birds in general. We supply the safest bird harness on the market and also stock long leashes for free flight training. Our range of foragers,treats and puzzles grows daily. So it makes total sense for us to have a Feather Frenzy sale for all the members of our Fairy Circle and beyond. Go on - fly off to our sale page to find out what fabulous offers we have for your feathered friend/s!
https://www.petfairy.co.za/ourshop/cat_1796220-Feather-Frenzy.html
Those potty pixies are at it again! Another 48 hours and another collection of jewellery on sale! Pop to petfairy.co.za to see what twinkly bits are on offer at silly season prices this time!
The wild squirrels showing everyone how to solve a carousel puzzle toy! This little chap pitched up starving and alone early in the season and quickly worked out how to operate the nut vending machine!
We are super excited about the latest box of goodies that just landed at Pet Fairy HQ! These are all pet safe and locally manufactured. We have Octopus Toys, Mobiles, Suspended wire vines, bridges, ladders, ledges of all shapes and sizes, foraging baskets, snack cubes, snack stations, hanging foragers/preeners and toy parts. Everything you could possibly need to keep your pet occupied or just give the habitat a spring clean!
There is no such thing as "too young" to start on puzzle toys and foragers! Just to prove it here is Storm showing everyone just how clever she is by swiftly working out how to get treats from her Foraging Wheel. Go Storm Go! And all together now .... Welcome to the Fairy Circle!!
