Help, found a Lori, He is inactive

[ToniZoso]

Hello :) I'm new to this forum, i have two budgies, and always have had them as pets :) Their names are Zelda and Bowzer!

I also have a rainbow lorikeet called Franklin, He came into the vet (im a kennel hand) i work at about a week ago and i fell in love immediately. Somebody found him at the side of the road and brought him in. He was too tame for them to let him back in the wild so they were trying to home him, and i had the perfect home for him! :)

Anyways he is extremely tame and love smooches around his neck - like all parrots! - but he isnt active at all! he just sits there all day looking handsome, and fluffs up his neck feathers when i walk over for a smooch, and when i walk over with fruit salad he lunges straight for it, even if he already has some right infront of him!

but im a little worried as lorikeets are supposed to be hyperactive! he doesnt make much noise either, well hardly any. I thought maybe that will change when he settles in but it hasnt and its been 4 days? i dont know, i was hoping i could get some insight to why my Frankie is being like this.

his beak is dark orange, well brownie orange, so im not sure as to the fact that he is either becoming an adult and its turning orange, or very old with the dark orangey brown? This is my first Lori so any help i can get would be fantastic :)

Thankyou!
From Toni and Franklin

[Monica]

I'll assume you live in Australia???

4 days is not a very long time... if this was someones pet, perhaps they are missing their bird??? First and foremost, the previous owner should be located. Second, if you haven't already, have the lory taken into an avian vet and get some blood work and fecals done to ensure health.

What else is he getting other than fruit salad?

[ToniZoso]

yep i live in Australia where Lorikeets fly in abundance, i have many flying over my property and in my native plants every day!

Franklin was looked at by my vet, where i work, and so far she saw nothing wrong except he was underweight and was covered in mites, but we seemed to have gotton them all off as far as we can see.

and as for locating an owner, im directly contactable through sydney metropolitan wild life services, and the vet where i work, and so far no attempts from people trying to find their lori yet!

he eats fruit salad and veges daily, whatever im eating he eats, since i live off fruit and vege only basically. he also has Harmony Lorikeet and Honey eater, which is a necterish formula thingy that u also can directly put on their food, and also mix in water, or just have in a dish. he also has plenty of fresh water, and some necter.


Im worried though about how inactive he is...


here is a picture of my handsome Frankie, maybe someone could let me know how old he looks? i forgot to ask the vet lol...

ImageShack - Image Hosting :: n62353197717468401335ny1.jpg

[MaryG1959]

Sorry I'd orig posted my "usual" to get him to the vet, I see you've done that.

It is warm there right now but I would keep him our of drafts from the air conditioner etc..

[MaryG1959]

he's adorable by the way, probably totally freaked out.

We found a tiel years ago. It took a good week for him to come out of his shell.

Make sure he's eating and drinking...

[Abby]

He's very young, not baby baby but probably around the 3-4 month mark. The beaks start off black with baby rainbows and then go through a browny black to browny orange and finally orange.

Chances are he's a wild one with the mites. The ones I've had here on a temp rescue seem to be covered in mites. Make sure he has plenty of wet mix with being one the younger side and replace it a couple of times a day with the heat.

Keep an eye on the activity level. That is a bit of a concern. Make sure he is actually eating himself and keeping up the water. If you can get him checked over again it wouldn't hurt, maybe see who your vet recommends avian wise.

What state are you in. Might be able to help you out with avian recommendations.

[ToniZoso]

i have a great avian vet close by, also my vet knows quite a bit as she used to work in one, im in Sydney NSW btw.
err Frankie eats alot and drinks alot, so im constantly giving it new food and water and formula mix stuff,
and today Franklin woke up and decided he doesnt love me anymore and started biting! lucky for me im used to all kinds of bites and scratches, but he suddenly got that bad habbit! he hasnt biten me much though lol, i think he was only doing it when he was about to get food lol

im glad he is young though, im hoping he gets used to me and etc, and learns new things.

but yeah he is defently eating and drinking, alot!!!

[Abby]

If he's eating drinking pooping and having a go at you then he's all good. Might just need a bit of time to settle in and get used to things. I think keep in touch with your vet with Frankie just at this early stage. Things change so quickly. Sounds like all is good. The main time I get bitten by my sons lorikeets is when I'm putting food in. It's like you're in the way I'm hungry, move.

[ToniZoso]

hehe yeah thats kinda of what its like, thanks :)

ill keep everyone updated if Frankie becomes playfull and active!

[Rahni]

Abby is right, Franklin would be between the 3-6 month mark for sure. He would definately be tame if he puffs up and lets you scratch his head, the wild ones adjust pretty well to captivity when they are young, but not that quickly!
I'm sure he will come into hiself in a couple of weeks, just keep talking to him, interacting with him and making him feel comfortable and part of the family.
I would change the brand of nectar you feed, it's certainly fine for now but in the long term I wouldn't trust Harmony as it isn't really 'proven'. Some of the powders out there are a bit dodgy. I feed my rainbows Passwells, you buy it usually in 1kg boxes. That is what my avian vet recommends too and feeds his lorikeet. I think it's the best one and it's been around for a while. When you change his food, do it gradually, for example mix 1 part new brand with 3 parts old brand for the first few days, and then gradually change the mixture until he is completely on the new one.
As for fruit and veggies, he should like grapes, apples, nectarines, corn, frozen peas, parsley, berries, but above all else my ones LOVE and I mean LOVE spinach and silverbeet. Given the chance they would eat them to the exclusion of everything else, including the nectar!
If you have this little guy forever, I'd try not to feed grapes and spinach/silverbeet every single day as both are high in iron, which is good, but lorikeets are prone to haemachromatosis (too much iron stored in the body) so getting them everyday might eventually cause problems. I think three times a week should be about right.
Sultanas, especially one that have been soaked in water for a short time, are an excellent treat.
And I think a checkup with the avian vet is definately a good idea, at least for your own peace of mind. The vet will go over his care as well too.
So congrats on your new little friend, they are absolutely delightful birds and hopefully you will have many years of companionship ahead of you!