Caring for Lories and Lorikeets
Raising lories and lorikeets demands a much different type of care than most other birds.
The most notable difference is their tongue, which resembles a brush. This tongue is perfectly
suited for their unusual diet, which consists mostly of plant nectar. This differs from most
parrots and other birds whose anatomy is equipped for a diet of seeds. It is this special diet
that makes caring for them so much different.
Their diet is the first thing you should concern yourself with when raising lories and
lorikeets. A diet of seeds is unacceptable for these types of birds. Although it is quite messy,
fresh nectar was once the only suitable food source for those who wanted to raise lories and
lorikeets. Now, however, there are many cleaner and quicker ways to feed these birds.
A diet of pellets or dry nectar will provide your lory with all of the necessary nutrition
without the mess, but your bird may still prefer the real thing. There are things you can add to
make the meal more appealing such as vegetables, applesauce or fresh fruit. Treating your
lories to a serving of fresh nectar now and then will keep them healthier and happier.
Just like with any other bird, it’s important to make sure your lory has fresh water even if
it’s diet consists of liquid nectar. Sweet fruit juice is good, but no one wants to drink it all the
time.
You may want to think about something other than a standard bird cage when housing
lories and lorikeets. Due to their diet, lories tend to make more of a mess than other birds.
Runny droppings and small pieces of fruit make cleaning the bars and grooves of a regular cage
very difficult. A good alternative would be an acrylic cage. Instead of bars, the walls are flat
panels with air holes in them. This makes cleaning the cage easier and less time consuming. A
plastic cage barrier is recommended if you must use a standard cage. This will help keep the
wall behind the cage clean.
Regular cage cleaning is a must if you have lories and lorikeets. Their diet of fruits,
vegetables and nectar causes their area to become quite odorous after a while. Change the
litter or papers and wash all of the dishes every day. Once a week the whole cage should be
thoroughly cleaned as well. Your bird could get very sick if his area is not kept clean. Fruits and
vegetables will get moldy over time and could cause a bacterial infection if eaten.
Finally, just as you would with any bird, take the time to gently handle your lories and
lorikeets to make sure they remain tame and comfortable. These birds have a natural tendency
to groom their owners and are very affectionate. Spending time with your lory will ensure that
he does not become timid or afraid when someone tries to touch him.
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