Lorikeet cage

[Kat_westfall]

I apologize if this has already been adressed somewhere on this site but I couldn't find it.
Anyway, my mother and I are considering adopting a 2 year old rainbow lorikeet. We used to have a dusky lori so I'm comfortable with the care and feeding, I would just like to make sure I get the best cage.
We currently have an amazon and we recently got him a new cage.
What I'm wondering is, if the old cage would work for the lori? Or might it be too big? I'm not sure of the exact dimensions, but I'm more concerned with bar spacing and thickness.

What size should the cage be?
How far apart should the bars be?
What thickness should the bars be?

 

[TWR]

Others might disagree, but for several years my Rainbow Lorikeets were housed in a double macaw cage. I've just moved them into a Featherland SS 2842. Both cages had 1" bar spacing.

I've never had any issue with them (or my Sun Conure) using this size bar spacing.

 

[expressmailtome]

@JAM may be able to answer.

Matt

 

[CallmeSweetie]

I think that the cage size depends on other on other aspects for example mine has a small cage but she only uses it for sleep time the rest of the time she has the full run of the house. I did read a post earlier today with someone that bought a massive cage for her Lori and reckoned it really improved her relationship, go as big as you can if she has to spend any amount of time there is my opinion.

 

[TWR]

My lorikeets use every inch of their quite large cages - previously double macaw, now Featherland SS 2842. The only reason their new cage is not another double macaw size, is because the Australian importer of these cages is no longer bringing them into the country, so it wasn't available. Had double macaw size been available in SS, that would have been my first choice for both my sun conure and my 2 lorikeets.

Lorikeets are such active clowns and appreciate every inch of their cage - at least my own 2 do.

 

[Kat_westfall]

Thanks all for these answers. I'm thinking that the cage I have will do fine, but I was wondering if any of you had opinions on if the thickness of the bars themselves make a difference. I mean obviously a amazon parrot would snap a small bar in two, but what about the biteing power behind a rainbow? Could a smaller bar work or do you think it best to house in a thicker gauge? This is more for my curiosity then anything but information would be lovely.
thanks again!

 

[TWR]

My rainbow's beaks, while sharp, are much less powerful than my sun conure. Whereas my SC can snap wood, my rainbows can only chew and can't seem to destroy any wooden toys.

My Rainbow's initial cage had bar gauge and spacing you'd find in your average flight cage. Never even looked like snapping them. I upgraded to give a bigger cage & they don't seem to make big cages in anything other that the wider spacing and thicker bars.

The reason I upgraded to SS (which meant a smaller size cage compared to their previous cage) is because I was told the reason my lorikeet's cage was rusting at a much faster rate than my SC (in an identical cage with no rust) was due to the Lorikeet's acidic poops. I don't know if that's true or not, but their cage needed replacing due to rust & the SC's did not.

If it is true, prob just means you may need to replace the cage more often - but maybe I just had a dud cage in the first place.

Hope this helps.

 

[CallmeSweetie]

regarding the width/thickness of the bars i think it's going to be a suck it and see and you will know if they are struggling in anyway, i dont think they will though, i'm sure you get much joy from your new lorikeet they are really sociable birds if you dont mind the poop flying around, wishing you all the best for your new member of the family

 

[JAM]

What size and spacing was your Lory cage?

Preferable bar spacing 1-1.5 cm but no larger. They will try and fit their heads through anything!

The bigger the cage the better as well. They are one of the if not the most active parrot fuelled by their high sugar natural diet. From sun up to sun down mine are doing something or causing trouble.

 

[CallmeSweetie]

@JAM i got my first experience today with will try to 'fit their heads through anything!' There was a coat hanger, plastic with like a hanger at the end, well yep as you said she decided to put her head through the small end bit, screamed for me, I managed to retain my composure, just, when i cradle her it's like hypnotic so did that and thank goodness my partner was in so he could bend the end and get her out OK. I'm finding no object is safe! even in the inside tree she managed to hang herself the wrong side out and I won't even go into what happened with her flight suit!
Now I fully appreciate your comment about the size of the cage and yes so important!!

 

[JAM]

Ah yes, what you have there is lorikeetus typicalus
Sometimes you just shake your head and go "SERIOUSLY!!!???".
They will make things that are super safe into items of mass destruction in a second. Red is currently having great fun flipping kitchen rolls onto his head then walks around with it on making weird noises and sometimes falling off the top of the cage whilst doing it. (I have some on video lol).
Harmless item but he's turned it into something we need to monitor him with when he's playing with it. (Mind you might just be Red cos the others are fine with it haha!).

Glad that it was sorted out with no harm done!
You will need to book in with a cardiologist for all the heart attacks you will be subjected to in the future.

Great birds though.