What does it need to do?

When creating enrichment, you have to think about the animal which you are going to make the enrichment for. Is it:

• Stimulating to the animals senses and curiosity?
  
• Relevant to the animals i.e. to bring out their natural behaviours?
  
• Cheap / Reusable (if possible)?
  
• Bio-degradable (if possible)?
  
• Easy to tidy up i.e. it does not make the enclosure look excessively untidy for the public and cause excessive work for the keepers?
  

How do we make it safe?

Most of all, it has to be safe for the animals for which it is designed:

• Can the animals get caught in it or become trapped by it?
  
• Can it be used as a weapon?
  
• Can an animal be cut or otherwise injured by it?
  
• Can it fall on an animal?
  
• Can the animal choke on or ingest any piece of the object?
  
• Is any part of it toxic, including paint varnish or epoxy resin?
  
• Can it destroy an exhibit/electric fence?
  

Basic Rules

The basic rule is; can the enrichment device safe be given to a young child (1-3yrs old) to play with, e.g. put it in their mouth and do what young children do with their toys without being harmed. If you can say yes, then it will be suitable for the animals.

Enrichment devices have to be robust enough to be possibly thrown over and into the animal’s enclosure, if the animals do not want to come into a secure area to allow the keepers to put the enrichment devices into the main enclosure.

When creating enrichment for animals you will need to research the animals, identify species specific behaviours or behaviours that you would like the animal to display, design the enrichment device and then create their enrichment device.