Toys for Lories ????

[Michelle & Fids]

I received an email tonight from someone asking what toys on my website were good for Loires? And they had heard wooden ones weren't good for them. I honestly know nothing about Lories,so I told them I would check and get back to them.So what kinds of toys do your Lories like?? Is it true they shouldn't have wooden ones?? And what size do you normally buy for them?? Thanks for your help.

[Heather_Bird]

Lories can have any toys that other hookbills have. Wood is important as they can be great chewers but you also have to bear in mind that their liquid poos can cause trouble in the cleaning department. My guys have wooden destroy toys - both hanging and foot toys - and I find that natural, bird safe wood is the best option. For foot toys I use wooden spoons and non toxic old fashioned clothes pegs along with the usual round of plastic jingle-balls and dumbells, etc. They also love shiny things so SS spoons are a great and cheap option. The hanging toys range from cotton kabobs (washable!!!) thru SS bells and chains and the soakable plastic toys such as jolly balls in addition to their chew-toys. About the only thing I wouldn't recommend would be the woven palm type toys as they would be impossible to clean.

The important thing with lories is to keep them amused as they are very intelligent, quick birds that are easily bored. Rotate toys often and give them plenty to think about. Hope that helps and I'll leave you with a pic of my scaley on his favourite toy.

All the best,

Heather

[swanwillow]

Hmmm, Looking in Blueberries cage, its all wood. A few plastic foot toys, and most of those are in the cat department of walmart.

Acrylic IS easier to clean, but they LOVE to hang from wood and cotton ones! But her favorite toy is a strong of bells they make for budgies... Blueberry is so easy on toys, I had wood destroy ones and she never destroyed them! They get rotated to the next cage. The only wood shes actually destroyed are those grapevine ball things, which I think I'm going to go get more of, thinking of it.

edit: just went to your website...

any of the medium toys, some of the large, and some of the smalls would work. Lories like to hang up-side down and backwards from toys...

And send them over here.. sheesh, not putting in a plug for a BB is.. well, a sin or something!

[Michelle & Fids]

Thank you both for your replies,you have been a great help.I will pass the messages along as well as a link to BB.

Heather that is a cool pic of him laying in his toy.I can see my caiques doing that.

[Heather_Bird]

Squirt is a total dag Michelle! He isn't speaking to me right now as I took away his favourite boing for washing today and gave him one that is very slightly smaller. Shame on me! When dealing with lories think of a 2-3 year old human toddler and you can't go too far wrong. They are special birds.

All the best,

Heather

[Michelle & Fids]

Oh poor Squirt,hopefully his mean Mom will get his best boing back in no time She has asked me to come up with a challenging toy for her Lory that is predominetly plastic,so I guess I'll see what I can come up with. Thanks again for your help,maybe I'll have to get a Lory so I can learn more about them

[swanwillow]

thats a GRAND plan!

just DARLIN, they are. So far, of the few species I've kept, they are my favorite!!!

[Heather_Bird]

I could see Tui enjoying your straw wreath with a few extras added. A large bell at the bottom and some chewable bits interspersed with the straws would make a great lory toy.

All the best,

Heather

[swanwillow]

I think Blueberry would like a giant grapevine ball with bits of rippable paper shoved in spots, and some cat toys loose in the middle for her to eventually get to, and make jingle jangle sounds as she grabs onto it and flaps and throws it around...

[Michelle & Fids]

Thank you both again!!!

Heather - I just about have the new Lorie straw toy done.

Swanwillow - I guess I need to figure out a place to get grapevine balls before I start on yours:)