How to Live with a Lory or Lorikeet
Lories and lorikeets have adjusted well to captivity and can be charming pets, as they are entertaining and affectionate. They can be fun-loving, loud, bold, comical and obnoxious, all in the same day. They spend a lot of their day hopping, hanging upside down, playing, and exploring.
What to Know About Your Lory or Lorikeet
Lories and lorikeets are some of the most colorful members of the parrot family. Native to Australia, Tasmania and the South Pacific islands, many of the approximately 50 species are threatened or endangered in the wild due to habitat loss or trapping. Lorikeets tend to be relatively small, slender birds with long tapered tails. Lories are slightly larger, stout birds with short, square tails. While not considered the best talkers, they have some mimicking abilities. When properly cared for, lories and lorikeets can live 15-20 years.
Is My Lory or Lorikeet a Boy or Girl?
Sexing is generally difficult, as there are few external differences in most species. Therefore, surgical or laboratory means must be used for gender determination.
How to Keep Your Lory or Lorikeet Happy
Lories and lorikeets are reasonably high-maintenance pets. They are easily bored with the same daily routine. They need a spacious cage or large play area with various hanging and “grabbing” toys to accommodate their behavioral needs.
They need a special high-quality nectar diet, mixed with fresh water, along with fresh fruit daily. One may need to be alert to the vitamin A content of commercial products to avoid health problems; poor fertility, decreased survival of chicks and other issues may result from hypervitaminosis A.
Lories and lorikeets are known to be messy eaters. The nectar diet produces liquid — and often projectile — droppings. Fortunately, bathing is one of their favorite daily occupations. Lories and lorikeets are not known to be friendly with other birds and may attack other birds in the home/cage.
Lories and lorikeets are prone to a specific liver disease called hemochromatosis (iron storage disease), so regular liver function tests may be recommended by the avian veterinarian. High dietary levels of vitamin C increase the risk of iron storage disease, so fruits high in vitamin C (strawberries, citrus, cantaloupe) should be restricted.
Diet
By Dr. Reiko Soga, Japan
While lories are nectar feeders and require a fresh, specialized diet, I have found that Harrison’s integrates very well as a nutritional back-up and stabilizer, particularly during times of increased demand such as breeding, molting, or seasonal changes.
The main diet for my two 28-year-old lories consists of a variety of fruits with Harrison’s High Potency Fine helping to ensure a consistent nutritional baseline as a supplemental dry food.
Because Harrison’s is so well balanced, I generally do not add additional supplements unless there is a specific veterinary or health-related reason. I value the fact that I can trust the formulation without worrying about over-supplementation.
(Ed note: Look for Dr. Soga’s new book being published this summer, tentatively titled Nutrition for Large Parrots.)