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Refer to the BirdCare web pages
"housing birds" and "feeding birds" for more reading and details on
these topics.
All lorikeets and lories are parrots.
Lorikeets have long tails and the tail feathers are pointed.
Lories have short tails with square tail feathers.
They are found in Australia, New Guinea, the Pacific Islands and the
islands around Indonesia. They are monomorphic and DNA or surgical
sexing is the most reliable method of determining the sex of a bird.
They range in colour from all black to bright red and yellow. Other
colours in the plumages include violet, blue, scarlet, green, lilac and
purple.
Australian lorikeets are members of the parrot family Psittacidae and
belong to the sub family Loriinae They are often referred to
as brush tongued parrots. Their tongues are an adaptation to cater
for their prime diet of nectars and pollens from various trees and
shrubs. They rarely eat seeds but include some fruits and insects
in their diet.
New nutritionally balanced commercial dry feed mixes make their care
much easier than a decade ago. The dry food can be fed as a dry product
or mixed with water. Most birds readily accept many of the fruits,
vegetables and green leafy vegetables we eat
when these food items are in season.
Lorikeets and lories are not popular as an indoor free flying pet due to the liquid faeces.
Due to the liquid faeces, these birds make excellent candidates for
suspended wire cages. The suspended aviaries will minimize the
risks of food contamination, infections and maintain a dry cleaner
"floor". If suspended cages are not used , particular attention
must be paid to ensure all aspects of the aviary and all utensils are
kept in a clean sanitary condition. Soiled foods may quickly
develop bacterial or fungal contamination. Lorikeets and lories can be noisy birds.
Suspended cage size should be at least 1200mm long, 900mmwide and 1200mm high
(4 x 3 x 4 ft). The larger lories need a suspended cage of up to 3000mm
long (10 feet). The wire floor of the suspended cage should be of the
highest quality so as to cope with the corrosive effect of the liquid
droppings.
Suspended cages: The larger the suspended cage the more flying and
activity the birds can do and this can result in healthier birds. The
more flying and activity the less chance the birds will get fat or
obese.
An aviary should be at least 3000 mm long, 900 - 1000 mm wide and
2100 mm high (10 x 3 - 3.5 x 7 ft).
Lorikeets and Lories are susceptible to bacterial and fungal
infections.
They may sleep in a nest box year round. This will give them
some protection in winter and during periods of bad weather.
Breeding / Nesting:
Inverted "L" or Inverted
Boot shaped nestbox for parrots (including Lorikeets and Lories).
The nest box may have a piece of dowel, branch or block of wood attached
just below the entry hole, to allow easy access to the nest.
Nestbox has a removable lid.
Deep timber nest-boxes generally require a climbing structure
attached inside the box below the entrance hole. Many
species of parrots like the entrance hole to be just big enough to
squeeze through. An appropriate size entrance hole will help to give the
birds a feeling of security and confidence to effectively start and
raise a clutch of young.
Housing Requirements: A basic
overview only.
There is a huge range of shapes, sizes and designs of aviaries and
cages in use today. If you have a unit that works for you, that is
great and why change.
The following is what is generally recommended but is subject to
change to suit the available space, available resources and local
environmental conditions. When in the design stage, thought should be
given to allow for possible current or future disabilities (e.g. broken
arm) or if children may be required to help with any of the duties.
One of the most popular types is the open flight aviary with a solid
shelter at the rear of the unit. A walk way is generally attached to
and behind the shelter section. Access to the flight is from the rear
of the shelter.
In Australia the general orientation of the aviary is to face
the front (of the aviary) north or north-east. Providing there are no
buildings, large trees, etc in the way, the north or north east
orientation should provide good light levels within the flight and allow
the birds adequate access to direct sunlight to ensure proper calcium &
vitamin D uptake.
Suspended aviaries are becoming more widely used and can be
researched to determine if this is a valid choice for your site.
Suspended aviaries are popular and practical for lories and lorikeets
especially if space is at a premium.
- Perches: One of the most over looked items in an
aviary. In nature, trees and branches come in all shapes and
diameters so give the birds in our cages and aviaries the same
choice. Some perches can be horizontal in the roosting/sleeping
spot. Other branches / perches can be placed at other angles to
mimic nature. Varying diameter and angles of the perches gives the
bird's feet and legs good exercise. Ensure perches are not placed
over water or feed receptacles. With a lot of liquid feed and
liquid faeces, replace perches as required. Branches make great
beak therapy for most parrots, replace them as required. NOTE - Do
not place perches in places one is likely to walk into, especially
at head or face level !!
- Aviary size: General parrot "rule of thumb" for long
term holding and breeding... Small parrots need 3m x 1m, Medium
size 4m x 1.2m. Typical aviary height 2.1m. This holds for lories
and lorikeets. The 3- 4 m x 1 x 2.1 m high "parrot" aviary is
suitable for all sizes. If a smaller size is used it should be a
suspended aviary with a length of no less than 2 metres long. All
birds need plenty of room to fly and stay fit and healthy. Birds in
the smaller suspended units can be placed into a conventional parrot
aviary at times during the year to ensure optimal fitness and
breeding results.
- Steel / timber frame: As parrots like to chew on timber,
it is advisable to build the frame and doors out of steel. Steel
frames are easier to clean and generally provide less places for
mites and other insects to hide. The liquid faeces and food is much
easier to clean off metal surfaces.
- Wire netting / mesh: Ensure the wire mesh or weld mesh
is the best you can buy and is very strong. Remember it has to be
up for a long time and in all weather conditions and in the future
you may want to buy bigger and stronger birds. It also has to keep
un-welcome animals out. Within reason, the stronger the better.
Mouse proof wire (about 6.5mm) is more expensive to install
initially but can pay its way, when installed correctly, very
quickly. Keeping vermin out is better than trying to kill or catch
the little pests once they get inside. The wire or mesh can be
painted black (with non toxic paint) to make it easier to see the
birds inside the aviary.
- Shelter section: Usually has a solid back wall and side
walls and a solid roof which if conditions require it can be
insulated. This is generally the area where logs / nest boxes are
placed and the various feeds are located.
- Walk way: A walk way is generally attached to and behind
the shelter section. Access to the flight is from the rear of the
shelter. The walk way should have a concrete floor and a fully
covered roof and solid walls. This will allow all feeding and
husbandry duties to be carried out even in the most adverse
conditions.
- Roofing: Corrugated clear or opaque materials are
strong, durable and popular. This material goes over the wire and
does not replace the wire.
- Area of roof covered: Two basic options. 1. The whole
roof could be covered. 2. Have the shelter fully covered and half
of the rest of the roof covered.
- Aviary Ventilation: Modern outdoor finch aviaries are
becoming more enclosed and hot spots can occur especially at the
back of the aviary in summer. If you live in an area that can
experience very hot summer days or heat wave conditions a vibration
free, quiet extractor fan, connected to a thermostat, and shielded
by a suitable stainless steel mesh guard, installed in the back
wall and ducted to the outside of the aviary complex may be worth
considering. When on "manual override", the extractor fan can
provide a gentle flow of air from the aviary. It can remove
airborne dust while cleaning the flight.
As most walkways are fully enclosed with solid walls, the same
concept can be applied to the walkway behind the flights.
Install a vibration free, quiet extractor fan/s connected to a
thermostat and shielded by a suitable stainless steel mesh guard,
installed to a suitable exterior wall of the walk way. This will
remove excess heat especially in summer and provide a much better
work environment and minimize built up heat entering an already hot
aviary flight. When on "manual override", the extractor fan/s can
also quickly remove dust and excess humidity if required.
The same concept can apply in winter on cold damp mornings. If
the interior of the aviary is cold and damp and outside is drier and
warmer why not just turn the extractor fan/s on and suck out the
colder damper air.
- Winter wind & rain protection: In the southern states,
many aviaries have removable panels which can be placed on the front
wall of the aviary to fully or partially exclude the cold winds and
heavy rains. Clear or opaque corrugated roofing material is often
the material of choice. Clear flat acrylic sheet (or similar
products) will allow the birds to be seen easily while providing
protection.
- Floor: Concrete floor , although
expensive initially, is often the best option, and easier to keep
clean. Soil floors are cheap initially but require a lot of
maintenance to keep clean, dry and free from parasites or parasite
eggs. The floor is often an easy entry point for vermin such as
snakes, rats and mice. Appropriate measures have to be built into
the floor and wall foundations to ensure no pests can enter.
Although rare, a parrot may dig into a soil floor and escape or end
up in another flight. A concrete floor may allow the aviary to be
hosed out.
Diet / Feeding: A basic overview
only.
All birds in the wild have a diet that changes throughout the year.
Wild birds generally breed when their preferred foods are most abundant and
most nutritious. Lorikeets obtain most of their nutrition in the wild
from Australian native plants and some insects such as the lerp.
Seeds form only a very small portion of their diet.
In captivity the birds are offered a prepared diet. Commercial mixes
are available from most aviculture clubs, bird dealers and most pet stores that cater
for birds. The Passwell P/L Lorikeet Dry Food leaflet states "The Dry
food is prepared from ingredients high in essential amino acids and
contains added vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients to
provide a complete diet for wild or captive lorikeets".
There are lots of recipes and mixtures available in publications and
by talking with lory and lorikeet breeders. The mixes can be fed wet
and dry.
Lorikeets are partial to fruits such as apple,
mango, grapes, cherries, banana and
pear. These fruits are crushed in the beak and the juice is consumed and the
non fluid portion discarded. Vegetables such as silverbeet,
endive, celery, cucumber, sweet potato can be offered. Some
"weeds" such as dandelion and milk thistle are consumed by many parrots.
The flowers from non-toxic native trees and shrubs
such as Grevillia, Callistemon, Hibiscus, Bottlebrush and Eucalypt can be placed in the aviary for the
birds to play with and chew up and obtain some nutritional value.
The fruits, vegetables, and flowering
plants should be varied from day to day to give the birds a wide as
possible variation in daily food intake. Varying the foods daily
also changes the visual appearance of the foods.
Some people make up a home mix of fruits, vegetables and a quality
commercial powder. These items are placed in a blender and made into a
puree. Water or a juice can be added to obtain the required consistency.
The fruits and vegetables can change to allow for the seasonal
availability of these ingredients.
If the birds can accept a variety of foods, then one is able to
adjust or modify the birds nutritional intake to cater for the changing
seasonal requirements. For example, prior to the breeding season the
protein and calcium levels can be increased. Protein levels can also be
increased during the birds moult. If birds start to become overweight,
or even worse, obese, the diet can be adjusted to allow the usual volume
of food to be consumed but the energy value can be decreased. Varying
the diet / flavour can be considered to give the birds a taste change
every now and again.
Note: Refer to
Pet & Aviary
Birds magazine:
Issue 18 Jul/Aug 2003 page 39-41
Nutrition by Debra McDonald
Issue 17 May/Jun 2003 page 40-43 Nutrition by Debra McDonald for some
current nutrition info.
Non-toxic leafy branches, such as eucalypts, can be placed in the aviary for the birds to chew up.
This will entertain the birds, help minimize boredom and give the birds
some beak exercise. Natural branches of various diameters, and placed at
various angles, can be used for perches. These
natural perches may be chewed by the birds and may need to be replaced
regularly. The birds may chew any flowers and fruiting
bodies on the branches.
"Pop-hole" feeders and water facilities:
The lorikeet and lory wet and dry foods can be external to the wire
cage. A circular hole is placed in the wire wall and the birds can poke
their head through the hole and get the foods they need. The water
supply works in a similar way. If the birds spill any of the wet or dry
mix the food does not enter the cage and minimizes any bird eating
spoiled foods. The diameter of the "pop-hole" may have to be adjusted to
suit the various sizes of the lorikeets and lories.
As the food and water
is external to the cage, the risk of faeces/droppings contaminating the
food and water is minimized. Some birds bathe in the water bowl if given
the chance. With the water external to the cage, the keeper could place
another suitable bowl in the cage in which the birds can bathe and play.
The
"pop-hole" minimizes the chances of the the keeper being
attacked whilst feeding and watering the birds.
Food preparation room /area must be established that can
ensure the food is prepared in a clean, hygienic way. As the volume of
food increases, the family kitchen may not be the best place. A
separate area should be allocated and a small refrigerator to hold bird
preparations only (and a cold soft drink in summer), makes life easier
and minimizes family/partner conflict. Some food and veterinary
products may require refrigeration instead of being stored in steel
sheds or an outdoor aviary in the summer heat.
- The
fruits, vegetables, and flowering plants should be varied
from day to day to give the birds a wide as possible variation in
daily food intake. Varying the foods daily also changes
the visual appearance of the foods.
Varying the foods daily may also changes the taste of the
foods.
Varying the foods daily may also changes the texture of the
foods.
Varying the foods daily also changes the smell of the foods.
Varying the foods daily also changes the predictability of
the foods.
- Corn-on-the-cob. Enjoyed by many birds especially around
breeding season. A valuable food source for baby birds.
Whether it was purchased frozen or fresh, it does not seem to matter
to the birds.
- Fruits: Most fruits people eat, with the exception of
some varieties of avocado (some varieties of avocado are toxic to
birds), will be consumed. Examples are apple, pear, banana,
figs, grapes, mango, cherries, watermelon, orange, kiwifruit, passionfruit.
- Vegetables: Most vegetables people eat, (except for
onions which can be toxic to birds) will be
consumed. Examples are carrot, peas, Brussels sprouts, corn,
corn on the cob.
- Leafy green vegetables: Examples are Silverbeet, endive,
cos lettuce, bok-choy, broccoli.
- Berries: Examples are strawberries, blackberries,
blueberries
- Insects: In the wild
these birds may consume insects as part of their normal food intake.
Some aviary birds will consume some livefood such as mealworms.
- Treats: Wholemeal or multi-grain bread
- Seed, soaked or sprouted seed: Seek advice from a
successful breeder or an avian veterinarian prior to offering
Lorikeets and Lories dry seeds, soaked or sprouted seed.
- Tree Branches: Leafy live branches from
non-toxic
native trees and shrubs can be placed into the aviary for the birds
to chew. When available, nectar filled flowers on the plants will
be appreciated by the birds. Natural branches of various diameters,
and placed at various angles, can be used for perches.
Branches and "bird ropes" can be placed in a near vertical position
and many of the birds will practice their acrobatic acts on these
near vertical branches and ropes. These natural perches may be
chewed by the birds and may need to be replaced regularly.
- Calcium: Calcium supplements are available in liquid or
powder form and added to the wet feed mixture, as required
especially prior to breeding season. Veterinary advice should
be obtained to ascertain if your birds require mineral and / or
vitamin supplements, and this includes calcium, as excess levels can
be detrimental to a bird's health. Adding extra calcium to a
bird's diet may be of little or no value unless the bird does daily
flying or exercise. Calcium is
usually absorbed in response to a physical demand such as exercise
or lots of flying. General statement = The more the
bird is sedentary, the less calcium the bird is likely to absorb.
Same principle applies to people.
For a hen to absorb an adequate amount of calcium prior to breeding,
it is preferable to give the breeding bird access to an aviary prior
to the start of the breeding season. The aviary should give
the birds the exercise required to obtain optimal fitness for a good
breeding season.
- Water: Clean fresh water must be available at all
times. Some birds bathe in the drinking water. Others like Asiatic
parrots will not bathe in their drinking water so provision may have
to be made for a second water bowl. There are a number of automatic
and semi-automatic watering systems now on the market as well as
"home made" systems that are used successfully both in outdoor
aviaries and indoor rooms. When the dry mix is not mixed with water
and is fed as a separate dry food, the birds will then drink from
the water bowl and leave some of the food in the water. Regular
thorough cleaning of the water bowl is essential.
- Sunlight & Vitamin D: With aviaries having fully covered
roofs, care must be taken to ensure no deficiency occurs.
- Mineral & vitamin supplements (including calcium): Keep in mind with
supplements, the correct dose rate you should get good results,
but, if more than the prescribed dose is administered, it could be
toxic or even fatal to the bird/s and/or the babies. Seek
advice from an avian veterinarian before adding these items to a
bird's diet.
Top of - lorikeets & lories - Page General
References: Refer to references listed on "Book References" web page.
Specific
References:
"A Guide To lories &
Lorikeets. Their
management, care & breeding." Author Peter Odekerken. Publisher Australian Birdkeeper Publications.
First published 1995. Cost about $37. 96 pages.
Top of - lorikeets & lories - Page
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