Dusky Lory: I need some advice

[The Cozy Nestbox]

We brought home a 4-year old Dusky Lory hen last night. I have no prior experience with raising Lories. The prior keeper gave me some powder nectar that I was told to feed to the Lory dry, along with a bag of ZuPreen Lory Diet Nuggets. I was told to give her half an apple a day. That seems like a lot. Am I wrong?

I gave the Dusky some organic apple slices (2), the powdered nectar, some of the nuggets and a big bowl of water this morning. I see the Lory eating some nuggets but mostly the dry nectar. She is dipping her beak into the powder and then getting water to wash it down with. I gave her some small pieces of watermelon this morning as well and she has really been going to town on that.

Okay, so here are my questions for you seasoned Lory keepers:

1. From the bird's point of view, are there any advantages to having the nectar fed dry as opposed to in liquid form? How much nectar and how much nuggets percentage-wise should make up the Dusky's daily diet?

2. What other kind of fresh foods can I safely feed to the Dusky that she will likely enjoy and benefit from? What foods do I need to steer clear of, other than the obvious (chocolate, avocado, etc)?

3. The Dusky was kept with no toys whatsoever. Not even a swing. I want to set up the Dusky with species-appropriate toys and I'm thinking that it may enjoy ropes and a swing. Any suggestions?

I gave her some finger traps as I thought she would likely enjoy shredder-type toys. So far I do not see her playing with those. I do see her picking up a small whiffle-type ball and tossing it around at times.

4. I need a name for this beautiful bird and am open to suggestions.

I am absolutely thunderstruck by the beauty of this bird. She is pretty tame but apparently never taught how to step up. That is something I will work on with her once she is feeling a little more settled here.

Here's a pic of her from a few minutes ago (you can see the powder nectar on her beak):

 

[atvchick95]

She is Beautiful

I'm not a expert on Lorie's Just read about them here and there

but I think one main reason people give the nectar dry vs. pre-mixed is it is less messy dry , they just dip their beaks in and get a drink, vs. having a big dish of Nectar made to splash around in, fling around, and get everything a big sticky mess

 

[Artagiel]

Noodle decimates half an apple a day as well as two bowls of nectar, some of the cockatiels pellets and what ever is on the menu in addition and she is smaller than the dusky so it sounds pretty good to me.

I prefer liquid nectar, it is easier for them to digest, the only benefit I have seen on feeding dry nectar is it takes some of the squirt out of the poos.

Noodle likes lettuce, dried cranberries, watermellon, apples, pears, pomegranate, cucumbers, celery, peppers, rice, grapes (beware of pesticides) and even tries millet spray. She seems to really like her fruits and veggies on a skewer so she can hang and eat them like that and prefers crispy fruits to soft ones.

Noodle loves preening toys, bells, things that are brightly colored, bells, ropes both sisal and cotton, bells, swings, bells...did I mention bells?

As for a name, how about Ember? She looks like a little burning fire to me. Beautiful!

 

[marian]

I know nothing about lories but she sure is pretty.As far as names go heres a couple i thought of..Akila, Kanya,Arabella,Jolie,lily,Sundara

 

[BraveheartDogs]

We brought home a 4-year old Dusky Lory hen last night. I have no prior experience with raising Lories. The prior keeper gave me some powder nectar that I was told to feed to the Lory dry, along with a bag of ZuPreen Lory Diet Nuggets. I was told to give her half an apple a day. That seems like a lot. Am I wrong?

I gave the Dusky some organic apple slices (2), the powdered nectar, some of the nuggets and a big bowl of water this morning. I see the Lory eating some nuggets but mostly the dry nectar. She is dipping her beak into the powder and then getting water to wash it down with. I gave her some small pieces of watermelon this morning as well and she has really been going to town on that.

Okay, so here are my questions for you seasoned Lory keepers:

1. From the bird's point of view, are there any advantages to having the nectar fed dry as opposed to in liquid form? How much nectar and how much nuggets percentage-wise should make up the Dusky's daily diet?

2. What other kind of fresh foods can I safely feed to the Dusky that she will likely enjoy and benefit from? What foods do I need to steer clear of, other than the obvious (chocolate, avocado, etc)?

3. The Dusky was kept with no toys whatsoever. Not even a swing. I want to set up the Dusky with species-appropriate toys and I'm thinking that it may enjoy ropes and a swing. Any suggestions?

I gave her some finger traps as I thought she would likely enjoy shredder-type toys. So far I do not see her playing with those. I do see her picking up a small whiffle-type ball and tossing it around at times.

4. I need a name for this beautiful bird and am open to suggestions.

I am absolutely thunderstruck by the beauty of this bird. She is pretty tame but apparently never taught how to step up. That is something I will work on with her once she is feeling a little more settled here.

Here's a pic of her from a few minutes ago (you can see the powder nectar on her beak):

I can't really help because I don't know about Lories, but I am anxious to hear the advice. It seems to me the nectar should be fed wet, but who knows. She is GORGEOUS! I have never seen a dusky lory before. Wow, so pretty. I would name her Mystery or something mysterious because she looks all shady

 

[The Cozy Nestbox]

She is Beautiful

I'm not a expert on Lorie's Just read about them here and there

but I think one main reason people give the nectar dry vs. pre-mixed is it is less messy dry , they just dip their beaks in and get a drink, vs. having a big dish of Nectar made to splash around in, fling around, and get everything a big sticky mess

I wondered if that might be the case. I am in South Florida and I do believe the summer heat here is another reason. I would think the nectar spoils quickly in high heat.

Noodle decimates half an apple a day as well as two bowls of nectar, some of the cockatiels pellets and what ever is on the menu in addition and she is smaller than the dusky so it sounds pretty good to me.

I prefer liquid nectar, it is easier for them to digest, the only benefit I have seen on feeding dry nectar is it takes some of the squirt out of the poos.

Noodle likes lettuce, dried cranberries, watermellon, apples, pears, pomegranate, cucumbers, celery, peppers, rice, grapes (beware of pesticides) and even tries millet spray. She seems to really like her fruits and veggies on a skewer so she can hang and eat them like that and prefers crispy fruits to soft ones.

Noodle loves preening toys, bells, things that are brightly colored, bells, ropes both sisal and cotton, bells, swings, bells...did I mention bells?

As for a name, how about Ember? She looks like a little burning fire to me. Beautiful!

Thank you for your advice! I will try a skewer with her. How much nectar should I mix up at a time if I was to give it to her in liquid form? Any hazards to switching from dry to liquid that I need to watch out for?

Bells! Okay, I'll see what I can dig out for her among our stash of new toys.

Ember certainly fits. You are right...she looks like a glowing ember. I know it may be hard to believe, but she is even more striking in person.

I know nothing about lories but she sure is pretty.As far as names go heres a couple i thought of..Akila, Kanya,Arabella,Jolie,lily,Sundara

Thank you for the suggestions! Sundara is the one that kind of leaped out at me. Is there special meaning to that name?

 

[The Cozy Nestbox]

I can't really help because I don't know about Lories, but I am anxious to hear the advice. It seems to me the nectar should be fed wet, but who knows. She is GORGEOUS! I have never seen a dusky lory before. Wow, so pretty. I would name her Mystery or something mysterious because she looks all shady

Thank you, Vicki! She does look rather mysterious, doesn't she?

 

[BraveheartDogs]

I wondered if that might be the case. I am in South Florida and I do believe the summer heat here is another reason. I would think the nectar spoils quickly in high heat.



Thank you for your advice! I will try a skewer with her. How much nectar should I mix up at a time if I was to give it to her in liquid form? Any hazards to switching from dry to liquid that I need to watch out for?

Bells! Okay, I'll see what I can dig out for her among our stash of new toys.

Ember certainly fits. You are right...she looks like a glowing ember. I know it may be hard to believe, but she is even more striking in person.



Thank you for the suggestions! Sundara is the one that kind of leaped out at me. Is there special meaning to that name?

I think Sundara is really pretty too!! She looks kind of like a sunset

 

[Cydney]

1. From the bird's point of view, are there any advantages to having the nectar fed dry as opposed to in liquid form? How much nectar and how much nuggets percentage-wise should make up the Dusky's daily diet?

Kai won't eat the powdered nectar, stubborn boy. As for nectar vs. powder, in warmer temperatures it's easier for liquid nectar to spoil. Like other people mentioned, the powder is also 'easier' as it cuts down the squirt factor and such. I free-feed nectar and have pellets (Iris are one of the three species that can have pellets and seed in their diets) available at all times. He gets a bowl of fresh fruit/veggies or fruit puree daily and eats a surprising amount for his size. He eats much more of his nectar and fresh stuff than he does pellets.

2. What other kind of fresh foods can I safely feed to the Dusky that she will likely enjoy and benefit from? What foods do I need to steer clear of, other than the obvious (chocolate, avocado, etc)?

Papaya, cantaloupe, blueberries, squash, peas, carrots and sweet potato are all good options. Avoids foods that are high in iron as well as citrus (vitamin C aids in iron absorption).

3. The Dusky was kept with no toys whatsoever. Not even a swing. I want to set up the Dusky with species-appropriate toys and I'm thinking that it may enjoy ropes and a swing. Any suggestions?

Soft wood, shredding items, things that make noise and plastic chains are all favorites here. A boing is always a good choice and Kai loves foot toys!

 

[expressmailtome]

I have no lory experience but she is beautiful!

Matt

 

[marian]

The name means beautiful.

 

[Nikki]

What a find, she is gorgeous!

 

[The Cozy Nestbox]

I thank you all! She has been a joy to interact with and observe today. Still uncertain of her toys but I bet she will figure them out soon enough. Not a strong flyer by any means but I intend to work with her on that as well. She is very affectionate and solicits scritches.

The name means beautiful.

I just did a google search to determine the origins of the name. Turns out it is Hindu but suggests it is a male name. Funny, because Sundara sounds feminine to me.

And what an appetite! I am amazed at the amount of fruit she took in today given her small size.

Anyone feed fresh flowers to their Lories?

 

[Cydney]

I don't have a huge selection of flowers, though this is my second year growing Nasturtiums for Kai. I think he prefers tearing them up to eating them.

 

[chompie_puppy]

Firstly I have to say how absolutely beautiful your new addition is! I am very jealous! A Dusky Lory is #2 on my dream Lory list (just after the Black Lory). Not sure if you know this, but Dusky Lories actually come in two colour phases - red and yellow. It looks like you have a Red Phased Dusky.

I feed fresh flowers to my Lorikeets almost every single day. It is, afterall, their natural diet in the wild.

They adore Bottlebrush and Grevillea.

I also feed both a wet mix and a dry mix. The wet mix (nectar) is only available to them for an hour in the morning. Dry mix is always available.

I also give them organic baby food (apple, pear, sweet potato, pumpkin, etc.) and bee pollen. They also get their daily dish of fruits and veggies. Any fruits you feed your other parrots you can feed your Lory. Mine particularly enjoy blueberries, apple, grapes, pomegranate and melons.

Veggies should also be given and mine really, really like romaine lettuce, broccoli, corn, red peppers and carrots.

Foot toys are a must for Lorikeets and Lories.

One more thing... we need more photos of your stunning new flock member!

 

[magni]

She is beautiful

 

[jamie]

She's a beauty I had a Dusky Lory a few years ago, but he died unexpectedly. I miss him

 

[Della]

Hi,
I became the proud owner of a dusky lorikeet in Dec. 2009, and like you, I know nothing about what I should be doing. I joined this site but was disappointed to find that no-one seemed to own a dusky lorikeet, and other lorikeet breeds, as I understand it, are not of the same origin. Anyway, now that you are here, perhaps we can share knowledge and experiences! First, here is a pic of my baby: a male, I believe, 18 months old and named Rusty.
He looks rather like your baby! I keep him supplied with dry lorikeet food and water at all times. Each morning I give him his 'cup of tea' which comprises one teaspoon of dry lorikeet food mixed with one teaspoon apple puree and water to make a drink. He loves this! Apart from that I give him a piece of fruit for his evening snack - he likes apple but really loves pear and quite likes pomegranate and grapes. Other than that, I don't really know about his nutrition, but was pleased to read responses to this thread that suggested vegetables. I will have to try these too. Will be back in touch to discuss behaviour and other issues.

 

[Artagiel]

So how is the little one doing? Any likes and dislikes found yet?

 

[chompie_puppy]

You guys are killing me with all these Dusky photos!

Anyone want to give me a few hundred dollars so that I can add one to my flock? I promise your money will go to a good cause!