DQTimnehs
Ri-DQ-lously crazy 4 TAGs!
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
It is with great pleasure that I announce the
Celebirdy for the month of March 2018,
@WallyLoopey 's Skittles!!!!!!
:congratsbig:
Here's what Kate had to say about the adorable Skittles...
- What is your bird's name, species, age and sex?
Skittles, rainbow lorikeet, 6 months, male
- How did you acquire your bird?
I had been looking and found the breeder - my husband purchased Skittles and his cage for my Christmas.
- Does your bird do any special tricks?
He will hop on command and head bob for you.
- What are some of your bird's favorite foods?
He loves bananas but only gets a piece about every other week due to his low iron diet. He adores watermelon and can have that daily.
- What is the funniest thing your bird has done?
Everything about Skittles is funny! He is such a character. The funniest thing has to be when you carry him past another much larger animal than he, whether that be a macaw, dog, or even iguana.
He stretches his neck out like a snake (it can get EXTREMELY LONG), poofs up, lets out the crazy eyes and starts chattering away. We say he’s using swear words at this point.
He does not know his size, and will fight any animal. Extreme caution has to be taken to make sure he can’t reach any animals and they can’t reach him. He’s the chihuahua of the bird world!
- How has your bird enriched your life?
Skittles has brought a lot of joy and laughter to everyone's lives. The house would definately feel empty without him. He greets people as they come in and loves to run to them, for a ‘chat’.
- What would you tell people who are considering this species?
I love having Skittles but I wouldn’t want to encourage anyone to jump in with this species. Most breeders I see listing these birds for sale list them as cute, friendly, amazing birds. They have some serious ‘downfalls’ for lack of better word, that people need to know about before purchasing.
The poop is going to be a problem for most people. It will get launched onto every nearby surface including your walls and floor..and your hair. Not globby wipe off poop - but hot wet liquid take-a-shower-right-now poop!
A plastic shower curtain hung behind the cage controls messes and ‘puppy pads’ soak up food and poop mess in your cage trays. Also a floor steamer right by the cage comes in handy for front messes. It definitely is ‘a different mess’, but for me it’s a lot easier to clean than pellets, seeds, and wood chips everywhere. It also smells different than parrot poop and the bird does too.
The diet can also be tricky. Skittles eats a blend of peeled apples, pears, and peaches blended with a quality nectar in the vitamix. I keep this in the fridge in glass jars for two days at the most. He will get it twice a day and all old dishes must be removed. He also gets low iron fruits on a skewer and a dry blend of bugs ‘n fruit. I have a chart of foods he can have daily hung on my fridge and also in my purse for when I go shopping. Plain black tea has tannins that are thought to block iron absorption. He is given that in a seperate small bowl about once a week.
Skittles is one of the birds I take on vacation with us instead of leave with a family member. I really cannot trust that he will be fed his fresh diet twice a day and that all containers be cleaned and removed at night. It’s a lot to ask people! You can’t just put pellets and seeds in and leave!
Also care has to be taken in hotels and rentals making sure no food or poop is flung anywhere!
They seem to get easily excited and with that comes a lot of nippiness. It can be corrected but will be too much for children and lets face it, husbands! They will kill other birds and do not fear animals larger than them.
- What is the activity and noise level of your bird?
His activity level is 100miles/hr, nonstop. He uses every inch of his cage and the outside of it. He even gets full run of the walk-in shower (messes are easily cleaned there!).
He hops, literally runs, rolls, lies on his back and throws things, hangs upside down..
The sound gets loud when the tv is on or if you have another lorikeet.
Yes, we just found that out as I went and got ANOTHER lorikeet for Skittles to have a friend. Skittles was quiet until we brought Sprinkles home, now they call to each other constantly and he looks for her all over the house. They are separated for her own safety!
- What are some of your bird's quirks?
He’s just quirky in general!
- If your bird talks, what is the most surprising word or sentence he/she has said?
Skittles babbles a lot. No clear words have come out yet, but he does sound like he’s swearing at us and other animals at times. We don’t swear at the animals, we promise!
- What is your bird’s favorite treat?
Definitely banana.
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and ooh so cute
That was so informative; I learned a lot about Lories! Loved reading about your relationship with Skittles too. 
Congrats!! Skittles is adorable!!
I loved learning about Skittles - very fitting name. He's handsome. A local zoo has lorikeets but it's nice to see them in the view of a parront.
Such a cutie. 
