Lorikeets

Some Advantages

• Affectionate
• Not as physically demanding
• Energetic
• Playful

Some Challenges

• Liquid droppings
• Larger lories can be quite loud
• Some may lose their tameness as they mature

Size
Varies widely from the Wilhelmina’s lorikeet at 5 inches to the Papuan lory at 16.5 inches (though much of that is tail length)

Weight
20 to 280 grams, depending on the species

Colors
Varies by species, but many lories and lorikeets have every color of the rainbow captured in their feathers.

Life Expectancy
Genetics and diet play a strong role in the longevity of a bird. The lory lives 10 to 15 years on average, but some longtime lory owners and breeders report them living 25 years or more.

When lory and lorikeet breeders and owners talk about their birds, the two most common words used to describe them are beautiful and active. Their luminous, multihued feathers (especially those of the rainbow lorikeet) may draw you in, but it is their energetic antics that keep owners enthralled.

History and Origin: 
The lories and lorikeets are native to Australia, Indonesia, the Philippines, the Sololmon Islands, Timor and other nearby islands, but are now bred in captivity and are available as pets.

The 55 lory and lorikeet species fall within the Loriinae subfamily (though some dispute that they should have their own family, Loriidae), and then the following genera: Chalcopsitta, Eos, Pseudeos, Trichoglossus, Lorius, Phigys, Vini, Glossopsitta, Charmosyna, Oreopsittacus, and Neopsittacus.

General Information:
With their brilliantly hued feathers in every color of the rainbow, many consider the lories are lorikeets to be the most beautiful birds available as pets. Tame, well-socialized lories can be quite affectionate and cuddly, but they aren’t necessarily demanding when it comes to snuggle time. They seem to have shorter attention spans than other pet birds, so they may hang around for a bit of nuzzling and then it’s off again to play and explore. Experienced lory breeders will tell you that they can be the sweetest birds when hand-raised. But, all birds are individuals, and there are a few that lose this sweet disposition when they mature at 2 to 3 years of age. Talk to a breeder or pet store owner about the personalities of the birds he or she has raised or has sold, and let them help you select the right one to raise as a pet.

These busy birds require a cage large enough to house a few natural wood perches for chewing, multiple plastic and acrylic toys for entertainment, a nesting cavity for sleeping, and plenty of space to roll around, hop, swing, climb and, most of all, hang. Some of these birds will even hang upside down while eating! Because lories are on a nectar diet, their droppings are more watery than other parrots’ droppings. To make cleaning easier, you can select a cage with an easy-to-clean finish, no nooks where droppings could be tough to reach, and a pull-out tray.

Because lories love to swing and hang, their droppings will travel beyond the limits of the cage. You may want to put down plastic chair mats found office supply stores or a piece of cut linoleum from a home improvement store. You might be tempted to keep your lory in the kitchen for easier clean-up, but kitchens pose too many dangers for that to be a safe option. Because tame lories are quite social, they need to be housed near where the
action is. They will want to be part of the family. If the cage cannot be placed in a central area, the bird will need a lot of out-of-cage time in the rooms where there are people and activity.

Someone housing multiple lories, as in a breeding situation, may consider keeping them outdoors, if the climate permits. But they will still require attention throughout the day for daily cleaning, toy rotation, keeping water dishes full and replacing food and nectar a few times each day.

Lories aren’t necessarily known for their speaking ability. Their speech is not as clear as that of other parrots, and the smaller species are less likely to talk than the larger species.
Of the larger lories, the black cap and green nape can be extremely good talkers with large vocabularies. Other good talkers include the red lory, chattering lory and blue-streaked lory. Some lories learn to speak in both high-pitched and low-pitch voices.

In general, lories are louder than a cockatiel, but not as loud as many conures. The larger lories are louder, but the smaller lories, such as the red flank, goldie, blue crown and musk, are much quieter. The dusky, some rainbows, and species in the Lorius and Chalcopsitta genera can be quite loud. They can be repetitive as well.
 
Health:
Unlike many pet parrots, lories do not eat seeds or nuts. Instead, their diet is made up primarily of commercially prepared nectar diets. Some diets can be fed as a powder (and can be supplemented with plenty of water and moist fruits), but many are mixed with water to simulate what a lory would encounter in the wild as it samples nectar with its long brush-tipped tongue.
 
Lories can benefit both nutritionally and emotionally from a variety of other food items to taste and explore. They love variety partly because of their playful nature, and because they are naturally curious. You can offer your lory apples, oranges, grapes, pears, pomegranate, papaya, mango, carrot strips, celery with leaves, grated cabbage, broccoli florets, squash, and sweet potato. Lories also enjoy an occasional dandelion, pomegranate flower, or a sunflower, and may even like mealworms.

The Ideal Owner:
Lories are very social birds, so to keep a single bird mentally stimulated and happy, it needs attention and love. Lories enjoy predictability and stability among the playful chaos they create, so look at your lifestyle now and five to ten years into the future. Will you continue to have the time and money to spend on a lory? Will the lory continue to be a member of the family, or end up a lonely bird left to entertain itself inside a cage all day?

Energetic birds like lories might be considered more high maintenance than other species and require a bit more time and attention from their owners. They might not be the best choice for extremely busy people.
Lories should be fed a diet that is relatively low in protein, because too much protein can lead to kidney and liver problems. You also want to avoid feeding any foods high in iron, because lories are prone to iron storage disease (hemochromatosis). Talk with a veterinarian about the recommended quantities of different foods.