Lories and lorikeets are small to medium-sized arboreal
parrots which comprise the subfamily Loriinae. They are widely distributed throughout the
Australasian region, including south-eastern
Asia,
Polynesia,
Papua New Guinea and
Australia, and the majority have very brightly colored plumage.Lories and Lorikeets have specialized brush-tipped tongues for feeding on nectar and soft fruits. They can feed from the flowers of about 5,000 species of plants and use their specialised tongues to take the nectar. The tip of their tongues have tufts of papillae (extremely fine hairs), which collect nectar and pollen.
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(pl. )
of Lory
Traits:
There are several varieties of this small sized bird. The most common variety is the Rainbow Lory. The forehead and front of the crown are bluish mauve, with the coloration extending down on the front of the cheeks. The rest of the head is brownish black, while the neck is a yellowish green, the breast is basically red, with bluish black edging. The upper part of the abdomen is dark green and the lower part of the thighs and under the tail is yellowish with dark green edging. This bird measures about 11 inches. If properly cared for, the Lory can live 30 to 40 years depending on the species. The Lory is clever and can be taught to do simple tricks and sometimes fairly complex ones. As with many hand tamed birds, Lories are gentle and confident even when handled by stranger. Lories make friendly clever pets. Lories tend to bond with one person or territory and need to have a great deal of socialization and stimulation to stay a happy, healthy member of your family.
Feeding:
The Lories carried at PETsMART are weaned to Kaytee Parakeet Exact pellet formula with some fresh fruits and vegetables. Pelleted diets are recommended because each pellet contains balanced nutrition. If necessary during weaning, baby apple juice (i.e. Gerber) can be added to the pelleted food in a ratio of 1tsp. of juice per 2 oz. of pellets. Besides a pelleted diet, offer chopped dark green and yellow vegetables and a variety of fresh fruits in addition to a protein source like mature legumes, hard cooked chopped egg, and grated cheese. Avoid the following foods: Iceberg lettuce, cabbage and tomato (these can cause severe diarrhea); caffeine (contained in chocolate and soda); avocado and parsley, (these can be poisonous). Raisins and bananas should be given in moderation (these can cause constipation). Remove fresh fruits and vegetables within 2 hours of offering to prevent spoilage. If the bird gets too much liquid from the fresh fruits and vegetables, the droppings could become runny and discolored (this is common in Lories on a predominately fruit diet). Stop the fresh fruits and vegetables for a day to see if this is the reason. Birds require fresh water each day. Wash and rinse their water cup out thoroughly prior to adding fresh water to reduce bacteria growth. Powdered vitamins (only necessary if on a seed diet) can be lightly sprinkled on the fresh food, but putting it in the water can encourage bacterial growth.
Housing:
When choosing a cage for your bird, remember width is more beneficial to the bird than height. Birds must be able to stretch their wings and still have room for a variety of toys without hitting them, therefore, the larger the cage the better. Ideally, the cage for a Lory should measure a minimum of 18" length by 18" high and 22" wide and be easy to clean. Because Lories eat a great deal of fruits and vegetables they can be very messy birds when it comes to cleaning their cage. Perches are an essential part of the cage and should be chosen to suit the feet of the bird. A variety of perch sizes, shapes, and diameters will help exercise the bird's feet and toes. Place perches strategically to prevent droppings from contaminating water and food dishes and to prevent the tail from hanging in dishes or on the floor. A variety of toys, such as bells and wooden blocks in the bird cage will assist you in entertaining your bird. Be sure that when choosing toys that they are intended for a small parrot (i.e. conures) and not for something small for cockatiels or parakeets. Always have a cuttlebone or mineral block available to supply calcium and prevent beak overgrowth. To aid the bird in keeping itself clean, we placing a suitable size birdbath in the cage on a weekly basis. Place your parrot's cage below eye-level in a bright area free from drafts and direct sunlight.
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