Food Bowl Forager?

[KimberlyAnn]

http://ballance-behavior-training.mysho ... ni-twirl-1

This is interesting...what do you all think about it?

There are a few different shapes of these things and Emmi does react with her "Wow" sound when I put toys or beads in her food dish. Maybe it's a toy that's really not needed, but it's for sure one I've never seen!

[cml]

I was just about to say that they look to be 3D-printed, and that you should look up the material used, when I saw it at the bottom of the page.

However, Ive worked a bit with 3D-printers, and I would suggest that you contact them and ask how they remove the support material from the printed piece, because some printer's pieces need to rest in a highly toxic chemical bath to dissolve the supporting plastic structure to get the finished piece.
Essentially you add other stuff than the finished product to help stabilise during the print. Not all printers work the same though, many technologies out there, but I would ask anyway.

Okay, tech stuff aside, I think it looks to be a very fun and great toy to be honest, maybe not to be used everyday but now and then!
I am also quite sure that Leroy would just throw it out of the bowl !

[KimberlyAnn]

Great point about materials...I was concerned about that. I know nothing about 3D printing and worry that it's already being over used in society for many reasons.

I don't think it would be an every day thing for me, and should not be. If it was every day, there goes the foraging. Nothing to figure out.

I put toys and beads and corn husk covers and other stuff on and in Emmi's food dish. This makes it so she has to move these things before or while she eats. Sometimes I put too much and I can see her being extra antsy to get to the food. She goes mad tossing things everywhere. So funny! So, Leroy tossing it out of the bowl IS foraging! Lol Or at least comedy for us.

I do like the spikes and height of these tools and wonder how I can recreate that. I will have to look around.

[cml]

Great point about materials...I was concerned about that. I know nothing about 3D printing and worry that it's already being over used in society for many reasons.

Dont worry too much, its a revolutionary production method that is pretty darn cool to be honest. It just needs to be used in the correct applications.

A great example is that they can print hip implants and other medical implants in metal (and customize it quite a bit for the patient) with a specific surface structure that enables muscles and tissue to attach itself much better on the implants. Pretty cool eh?

[KimberlyAnn]

Yes, I had read something about human implants, but I don't know. I just don't like the idea of robots making our society. I want to go back to basics and I enjoy hand crafted things. Funny coming from the daughter of an engineer/rocket scientist. Lol

[cml]

Yes, I had read something about human implants, but I don't know. I just don't like the idea of robots making our society. I want to go back to basics and I enjoy hand crafted things. Funny coming from the daughter of an engineer/rocket scientist. Lol

Actually I'm with you. I've come to enjoy things that are "real" more and more and usually go with quality over quantity, to get things that last rather than things I'd quickly discard.

I am a product developement and design engineer though, and I do love technology as well .

[KimberlyAnn]

A good balance is healthy! I was fortunate to grow up with a dad who worked in Silicon Valley and a mom who wanted us to live in a little forest hippy town near the ocean. Best of both worlds.

I did find some cool plastic flower perch toys (Round balls on a ring) that would work even better for food bowl foraging. They fit perfectly in her bowls that I leave her dry mix in during the day. Guaranteed to be bird food safe. 50¢ a piece! Emmi will be so annoyed! Lol

[Pajarita]

Why don't you just cover the bowl with paper or wrap the food in it and place it inside a puzzle thingie?

[KimberlyAnn]

I do...well corn husk instead of paper. I just saw this product and had to make my own version.

Emmi was weirded out, but was able to spin the flower thing around after awhile to get seeds. I was pretty impressed!