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LoriCare
The term Lory and Lorikeet is used to distinguish between the species,those
with short tails(Lories),and those with long tails(Lorikeets).
The terms Lory and Lorikeet can refer (in a general sense) to both the short
or long tail members of the Loriidae family.
Feeding
Lories and Lorikeets are fed on a diet of nectar
and fruit.There are a number of mixes available that can be purchased,designed specifically for them.They come in a dry powder
form,complete with vitamins and mineral supplements,and mixed with water.This should be fed to the birds a minimum of twice
a day,I find morning and mid afternoon suitable.
Also include fresh fruit daily such as,papaya,mango,pears,apples,grapes (seedless)etc.Some Lories
may even be partial to fresh vegetables such as green beans and peas.If possible vary the fruit and vegetables you feed the
birds,rather than just the same thing every day.
Your bird will require fresh clean drinking water daily.Most birds will enjoy a bath
occassionally,so place a bowl in the bottom of the cage or aviary,and remove it as soon as they have finished so as not to
allow the bird to drink from it.
As you will be aware (or not,if you are just thinking of purchasing your
first Lori),these birds can be rather messy because of their liquid droppings,this is because the majority of their diet is
liquid,but don't let this put you off getting one of these delightful,comical birds.
Sexing
Most species of Lory and Lorikeet are not sexually dimorphic,meaning
that you can not tell the difference between the cock and the hen bird visually.This will not matter if you intend to keep
it as a pet,but will become important if you intend to start a breeding program.There is nothing worse than putting birds
together,hoping they are a true pair,and waiting for 'things to happen'.
There are a few different ways to determine the sex of a bird.There is Surgical Sexing,which
now thankfully is becoming less popular(as it is stressful for the bird),Blood or Feather samples,which can be sent to an
Avian Genetic Laboratory,from which D.N.A. can be extracted.This is less stressful for the birds and is 99.9% accurate.
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