Maybe a Lorikeet... HELP!

[MicahEspudo]

So I was at my local animal shelter filling out my dogs yearly paperwork (cause we got her there) and they had the cutest rainbow lorikeet. I started talking to one of the care givers and she said it had been there for months ... They had it in a small cage about 16x16x20 (just a guess) and "he" idk the sex was really cuddly and very playful! I wanted to get him on the spot but then I remembered they had a special food requirements and I don't know much about lorikeets so I decided to come on here and find out more information about how to PROPERLY take care of them! They also had a cute sun conure, But he was no competition for my affection compared to the lorikeet !

[kellywess]

Its not that difficult, they cant have seeds. I think its because thay dont have a gizzard... Lory owners we need some help here. They cant digest. They do make Lory food, a Nectar powder and some type of pellets. You can give them as well all sorts of fresh fruits, juices and applesauce. The Lories at our local bird store love applesauce. They are quite good swimmers too. They have them all on stand. Every once in awhile they give them a ceramic bowl the size of a medium sized dog dish... fill it with water and watch these little hyper birds dive in and go for it. Its hysterical. They are quite messy but yet very smart comical little birds. Yes they can talk quite well too. I think you would really enjoy the lorikeet. Read up on them before you decide to bring any type of bird home with you. Good Luck!

[LGood22573]

I special ordered my lory's food. Lorylife nectar and mixed it with water. That was his main diet plus lots of fruits and veggies. The mix can't sit out for more than a few hours before it starts to grow bacteria, so you have to be diligent about changing the food and keeping it clean. They do make a dry mix that they can eat too. I prefer the liquid- just in my opinion, because I think it is better for their kidneys. It is closer to their natural diet, but some other lory lovers may disagree. Lories are prone to bacterial infections due to the mess and the diet. But with proper care and DILIGENT cleaning (LOL) they are the MOST wonderful companions! A little clown wrapped up in feathers. They have some serious poo, but mine was potty trained, so it was never an issue. The good far out weighs the mess in my opinion. AND mine was a great little talker. Much more so than my African grey, and he was S-M-A-R-T. Can you tell I'm biased here? LOL

[Ashling]

Lorikeets in the wild are nectar eaters, and fly long distances to get to trees blooming with flowers, or ripe with fruit. I'll tell you about a typical day/ week with my rainbow lorikeet! In the morning, it's usually a quick snuggle in bed before getting up to make her brekky. I clean out the wet nectar bowl, the water bowl and change the top layers of newspaper in her cage. I mix half water, half nectar mix into the small wet nectar bowl. You can also use fruit juice instead of water to add to the taste! Then I make up a bowl of anything I can find that is healthy and tasty- apples, spinach, grapes, pasta, rice, corn, lettuce, oranges- cut into easy-to-eat proportions. I also have a bowl of dry nectar mix as well which is changed out once every two days, or if it is spoiled. Then I put these in her cage and watch her feast :D
In the evenings, the wet nectar is replaced, because it goes off easily. Fresh fruit is given and water is changed again. After dinner she is given any leftovers that are good for her. She's let out to play pretty much whenever I'm home cause lorikeets love interaction. Their poopie is liquid, and can shoot out a foot behind them at most. I find the liquidy poop easier to clean and maintain than my other birds solid poop which dries rock hard. Rainbows can be very noisy, and if you don't enjoy the sound, it can get very irritating. Same as any parrot I guess. Some fo the noises are nice trilling, but there's also a harsher scream that has to be igored and tolerated, or give the birdie something else to do. (play a game?)
You can teach them to talk but they often speak with a cute lisp. You can teach them tricks quite easily as they are so willing to interact. Lorikeets are clowns and will perform for food! I've taught mine to say "flap flap," while flapping her wings, say "hello" and wave her foot, say "wiew wiew wiew!" when I raise her in the air on my hand, say "aww" when I scritch her, shake hands, turn around on the perch, jump to my hand and fly to me. They love to play like a kitten and they roll on their backs by nature and kick with their feet, hold toys in their feet and hop around like a kangaroo. They are very snuggly birds, and Ashling loves nothing better than to cuddle up in bed and have a scritch!
The nectar mixes can be bought from most good pet stores, or bought online. It is adamant that lorikeets are offered both wet and dry mixes all the time, along with plenty of fruits and water. Lots and lots of toys- especially balls and ropes are a must! My girl has a bath every day- lorikeets love water, so that would be another thing!
Anyway, I'd say go for it! What better home for a lonely lorikeet! He'll love to play with your parrotlets- mine holds my budgie with one foot and preens her
Getting my rainbow was the best decision bird decision I ever made! I couldn't imagine life without her now. She is my joy