Messy lorikeets

[mrsuper]

I was talking to my dad today about lorikeets

He said, "they are very messy, they do runny poos and you need a special cage for them."

I want to know if this is true or dad is just being stupid again.

[Abby]

Yeah they can be pretty grotty. My guys whilst inside were the original poop shooters. There's still stains on the walls from berry poop. Need to be really up on hygiene or you get problems. I wouldn't advise having a lorikeet cage anywhere near carpet unless you have some plastic sheeting down. Diet is specialised so that's another thing to take into account. They can get pretty darn ear piercing with their screeches.

Dad isn't too far off on this one.

[Ashling]

Your dad's not being stupid, but he's not completely correct. He is right that they do runny poop, but they don't *need* a special cage. I don't have a special cage for Ash and she doesn't shoot poop or anything. My cockatiel is messier! He can spread seed, husks, feathers, dust etc within a 1 foot radius of his cage, while my lorikeet's mess is restricted to within her cage. I place the newspaper on the bottom of their cages so that it's about 4 inches high, which keeps most mess in for both of them. I find lori poop much easier to clean than cockatiel poop. The only physical issue is that lorikeets are high energy birds with a fast metabolism so they digest faster and therefore poop more often. Their diet is wet and dry nectar mix and lots of fruit and veg- instead of seed or pellets. Some lorikeets flick their food while they eat it- luckily mine doesn't- but then again some parrots do this. Like I said, my cockatiel makes more mess. I suppose every lorikeet is unique, just as every parrot is unique. Which is probably why Abby and my answers are so different!

Lorikeet cage on the left, cockatiel cage on the right:

[Abby]

I would agree the seed eaters spread the mess further. It's the quality of the mess with the lorikeets. My guys are grots compared to Ashling. Nowhere near as polite about their mess.

You don't need a special cage, just really keep on top of the mess. I've heard of people attatching those hard sheets of plastic (gone blank on what it's called) to the wall to make it easier to wipe down. Kinda like a splash back with a stove.

[LovelySydney]

I think any type of bird can be messy, although I guess lorikeets are known to be PRETTY messy, LOL. My lovebirds would throw their food to places I didnt even know they could reach. Oliver, when eating berries, somehow gets them all over my windows and everywhere else within a 2 foot radius. Like everyone else said, as long as you keep on top of the mess, you will be fine!

[Abby]

Originally Posted by Abby

I've heard of people attatching those hard sheets of plastic (gone blank on what it's called) to the wall to make it easier to wipe down. Kinda like a splash back with a stove.

Brain cleared after another coffee. Perspex is the stuff I was thinking of.

[WhiteRaven]

Lorikeets are messy, but I've found my other birds (finches, cockatiels, quails, etc etc) to be messier! Although it's a different type of mess - seed eaters spread hulls, food, etc absolutely everywhere while lorikeets shoot poo out the cage. The lorikeets are a bit more gross, but I found easier to clean up after if you take some precautions.

Individual lorikeets are messier than others. I was lucky enough to get a 'down shooter' who rarely got poo out the cage. He would flick tiny bits of fruit out the cage though and it was annoying when they dried. They also go to the toilet much more frequently than other parrots.

You don't need a special cage, but it certainly helps to add a few things to help with the mess. We clipped a sheet to the back of my lorikeet's cage to stop any poo landing on the wall and the sheet doubled as a cage cover. Just pop it in the washing machine when it got dirty. If possible, place the cage on a floor that will be easy to clean any poo and dried food off. You could also have a seed catcher or a seed skirt on the cage to help with mess but I never did this.

They are messy, but I don't think it's bad enough to not consider them as a pet. Their personalities more than make up for it. But you do want to consider if you can handle all the poop.

[mrsuper]

So lorikeets have a special diet?

My budige only eats seeds and a bit of fruit will lorikeets eat that?

And i would be getting this lorikeet out to sit on my shoulder and other stuff so will this be a problem.

Plus my brother cockatiel does very bad poos so it can't be any bader then that.

[Abby]

you've got a whole education ahead of you with diet.

Let's see. You need a dry nectar mix with clean water always available. Then a wet mix that needs to be changed after several hours so it doesn't ferment. Fresh fruit and veg every single day. Ideally native blossoms that you defintely know haven't been treated that are at the sticky stage. Whilst not essential they are good for their health.

[mrsuper]

Originally Posted by Abby

you've got a whole education ahead of you with diet.

Let's see. You need a dry nectar mix with clean water always available. Then a wet mix that needs to be changed after several hours so it doesn't ferment. Fresh fruit and veg every single day. Ideally native blossoms that you defintely know haven't been treated that are at the sticky stage. Whilst not essential they are good for their health.

i've decided i don't want a lorikeet any more