Very Curious

[joshuas.0718]

Out of strict curiosity I have been attempting to research lories/lorikeets. I can not find any very informative things about anything. I want to know what toys they like that are for sale online or in pet stores? What cage type they like (tall, long, etc.). How to give them drinking water (bottle or regular bowls). 100% nectar, or 50/50 with dry and liquid. Any other information would help too.

 

[Jenphilly]

Out of strict curiosity I have been attempting to research lories/lorikeets. I can not find any very informative things about anything. I want to know what toys they like that are for sale online or in pet stores? What cage type they like (tall, long, etc.). How to give them drinking water (bottle or regular bowls). 100% nectar, or 50/50 with dry and liquid. Any other information would help too.

We have several lories at the shelter, including one that is an Ambassador, awesome funny guy that arrived with a horrible name - KFC! Who names a bird KFC

We have found lories love plastic, shiny, noisey.... We do offer soft shred toys, but by far the favorites are ones with beads or Chandra's amazing spoon toys! There is also a toyline (sorry cannot recall name), that has a plastic cup with pony type beads and small toys hanging off of it. KFC goes nuts for that one, he will hop into the cup, make a heck of a racket!

For a cage, absolutely minimum is a 20x30 flight cage (20 deep x 30 wide). Be very aware of bar spacing with them, you want the narrow spacing for safety.

They should have a bowl of water placed next to their bowl of dry nectar, then a 3rd bowl with lorikeet pellets (low iron - do not give them regular parrot pellets). And they absolutely must have fresh fruit (and yes, these are birds that need fruit) at least once a day. Favorites at the shelter are apples, blueberry and papaya.

Lorikeets are super awesome and funny birds when properly socialized, but they are their special kind of messy. All birds are messy, but lories are truly in a different category, but if you are prepared and aware of it and committed to daily cleanings, they are incredibly funny and interactive birds. If you put up a shower curtain on the walls around the cage to catch their 'squirts' and fruit mess, and put the cage on plastic sheeting. They are MESSY and unlike most parrots, their poop will stain (think blueberry poo). And I always warn people, they don't poop on you, they squirt at you Tho, I have found with KFC (who has a special fondness for me and my hair), that he won't poop on me. At a recent community event, he spent well over an hour hanging out playing in my hair and did not squirt til I put him on a stand for some water and piece of fruit. Tho, he squirted at others

Tho you did not mention, if you are thinking of a lorikeet, they are often not the best birds to have cagemates or friends, KFC does not like anyone even on his cage. We do have a bonded pair of female lorikeets, but they are vicious little witches, the first time I took care of them at the shelter, I was on the phone with Jeanne (shelter owner), and she did not warn me, I just opened the door to take out their bowls and the one dropped in to see how much blood she could get in one shot...

Any other questions, happy to answer!