{"id":106,"date":"2020-06-05T18:32:35","date_gmt":"2020-06-05T17:32:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zoosnippets.com\/?p=106"},"modified":"2021-03-10T22:23:54","modified_gmt":"2021-03-10T21:23:54","slug":"the-junk-of-people-can-be-the-recycled-enrichment-for-animals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zoosnippets.com\/post\/the-junk-of-people-can-be-the-recycled-enrichment-for-animals","title":{"rendered":"The Junk Of People Can Be The Recycled Enrichment For Animals"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As zoos, sanctuaries and wildlife facilities, we have an essential role when it comes to educating about sustainability and care for nature. To play this role, we need to take the ultimate care and responsibility for the animals, where behavioural management and behavioural husbandry is a vital cornerstone. We can combine these two when we use old and used materials and convert them into enrichment items to stimulate the natural behaviours of animals we care for. When we do not care for cosmetic designs, there opens a whole new world for enriching possibilities. Let us take a deeper dive into the potential of recycled enrichment.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t

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  1. Why recycle materials for enrichment items?<\/a>
  2. What do you need to consider using recycled enrichment?<\/a>
  3. How to get ideas for recycled enrichment<\/a>
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    Recycled enrichment<\/strong> is defined as an enrichment item build or converted from used materials to stimulate natural behaviours and mental activities. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    Why recycle materials for enrichment items?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Enrichment items can be acquired from many resources. There are many devices available from commercial vendors. We can also use natural material<\/a> to build our enrichment. We can create an enrichment device from newly acquired materials to fulfil our aim. But another way is to make enrichment devices from used materials. Why recycle materials for enrichment? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Firstly, the reuse of materials is very cheap or often free. When the facility has limited (financial) resources, recycled enrichment is really cheap to make. When you take a walk at your facility, there are probably many materials lying around waiting to be disposed of. Old tires, barrels, used wooden beams, metal or wooden boxes, a wooden spool, mesh or old fences. It is a haven to create new enrichment. And what about packing materials of delivered animal or human food (crates, cans)? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Scratching pole build from tires (Photo credits: The Educated Zookeeper<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Instead of buying new materials or buying fabricated enrichment, it is far more sustainable to reuse materials to build your enrichment device from. Trash, junk and used materials get a new purpose and don’t have to disposed of anymore. The recycled materials get a second life sort of speak. Of course, some materials have a refund, and in contract to suppliers, we need to return these materials. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Besides, reuse of materials creates a new arsenal of materials available to create the various enrichment devices needed to practice good behavioural husbandry. I have mentioned it often enough that it is important to create a certain level of variety and complexity in your enrichment efforts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Artificial grass mat used as enrichment feeder for birds (Photo credits: Foraging For Parrots<\/a>)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    What do you need to consider using recycled enrichment?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Most important to consider is the safety of the animals when reusing materials for enrichment purposes. Auto dealers keep considerable amounts of oils in large barrels. These barrels are loved by many larger felid species or species of hoofed mammals. But these barrels need substantial cleaning before they can be used as enrichment. Also, consider that when these barrels are damaged that the edges can be pretty sharp. When you reuse wooden beams in your enrichment, always check for old rusty nails and screws where animals can wound themself. And what about auto tires? When animals chew of rubbers pieces is not healthy to digest and serious possibility for choking. Not to mention that animals can be trapped within a tire. Confining themself in reused bottle crates will not be the first or last time it occurs, so keep it in mind. When implementing recycled enrichment, you have to make serious safety consideration and need to monitor if it is used as intended. Always make a check that the animals cannot:<\/p>\n\n\n\n