Lories are attractive birds with glossy feathers, neatly proportioned bodies and round tails. They are curious, agile and very playful. They’ll entertain you for hours with their adorable antics. Having a Lory in the house is a lot of like having a toddler running around. These birds are mischievous and love getting into absolutely everything.
As pleasant as they are, Lories do not get along well with other birds. They tend to be aggressive and extremely territorial. If you own more than one Lory be sure to purchase a birdcage that has a divider. This will provide each bird with their own space. A second option is to purchase two separate parrot cages for your Lories. If budget is a concern, you can find several high-quality, cheap bird cages that will provide your Lories with comfortable housing without breaking the bank.
Lories have high-pitched voices and tend to be rather noisy. But they can learn to talk fairly well. They also love to take baths on a regular basis, so it’s important you provide them this opportunity. Place a shallow dish of water in your birdcage or aviary during warm days. This will make your Lory exceptionally happy.
Lories Galore
There are over 120 species of Lories and Lorikeets. Lories are among the most colorful of parrots. The most beautiful is the Rainbow Lory. This bird has a variety of stunning feather combinations including a purplish, blue head, yellow beak and blue stomach. The under wings are red and the feet are gray with a yellow tip. The Rainbow Lory is definitely a rainbow of colors.
Although Rainbow Lories are 12 inches long, their tail makes up for over half of their length. Since Lories have exceptionally long tails, they need a large bird cage that allows them to comfortably move around, without bending or breaking their tail feathers.
The Papuan Lory is also a beautiful bird with a bright red body, black neck and blue stomach. Their tails are remarkably colorful and include green, orange and yellow. The Purple-Naped Lory has scarlet plumage with green wings and a red tail. It is an extremely affectionate bird that becomes deeply attached to its owners. For this reason, Purple-Naped Lories are in high demand as pets. People love their loyal, affectionate nature, not to mention their gorgeous feather colors.
Brief History of Lories
Lories originate from
A Special Diet
Ever heard of a bird who couldn’t eat seeds? If not, you are now. The Lory has a weak gizzard and cannot digest hard seeds like other birds. As a result, you should never feed your Lory nuts or seeds. A seed diet may cause your Lory to develop seizures and paralysis in the legs.
In the wild, Lories primarily feed on fruits, nectar and pollen. These birds have a cluster of hairs on their tongues, which enables them to lap up nectar and pollen. In captivity they primarily live on a liquid diet. Commercial pelleted diets are available for Lories, but should only be given as a supplement and should never be the staple diet.
Aside from liquid, Lories can eat a few soft foods such as brown rice or corn that has been boiled in milk. You can also feed baby food, raisons, mashed potatoes and canned fruit. You can even make your own nectar by mixing honey or syrup with water. This may be more economical than purchasing a commercial liquid diet.
Giving You a Fright
You come home early one afternoon and hurry into the living room to check on your new Lory. Suddenly your heart stops. Your beautiful bird is laying motionless in its birdcage. Fearing the worst, you rush over to the parrot cage shouting your bird’s name. Your fears disappear as your startled bird flips right side over, chirping wildly.
Lories have an unusual habit of sleeping on their backs, as they find this position extremely relaxing. So if you see your Lory doing this, don’t panic. It’s normal.
A Messy, Messy Bird
If you‘re the type of person who gets squeamish when changing baby diapers, cleaning up after your Lory could be twice as bad. Because Lories eat primarily a liquid diet, they produce continuous loose droppings. These droppings will splatter outside of the bird cage and could end up on your carpet or walls.
The best way to deal with the Lory’s unpleasant droppings is to purchase a bird cage with a removable floor and disposable cage liners. Disposable liners allow you to place a weeks supply in each cage bottom. You simply remove one each day to keep your birdcage fresh and clean. Or in the case of your Lory, you may have to remove a liner twice a day. A removable floor is also a good option. This allows you to take the floor outside and spray it off with the house when needed. Be sure to dry thoroughly before replacing it.
You will also want to get a special feeding and watering dish that comes with a protective cover. This will prevent your bird from messing in his food or water bowls.
The Friendly Feeder offered by Custom Cages comes with a clear hood, which shields the food and water form getting sprayed by any droppings. This feeder can be fitted on a stainless steel bird cage, or an acrylic bird cage. The feeder comes with a removable dish, making it easy to keep the dishes clean. They are even dishwasher save, which allows you to thoroughly disinfect the bowls from time to time. This is especially important for Lory’s who tend to be rather messy birds.