Lories and Lorikeets: General

What are the general characteristics of lories and lorikeets?

There are approximately 50 species of lories and lorikeets (subfamily Loriidae) distributed throughout southeastern Asia, Papua New Guinea, Australia, and Polynesia. These birds come in a delightful assortment of sizes and brilliant, glossy colors. The only significant difference between lories and lorikeets is in their tails: lorikeets have longer, more slender tails than the lories’ short and blunt tails.

Lories and lorikeets have bubbly personalities and inquisitive natures. They can be fun-loving, loud, bold, comical, and obnoxious, all in the same day. They have adjusted well to captivity and can be charming pets, as they are also entertaining and affectionate. They spend a lot of their day hopping, hanging upside down, playing, and exploring. They need a spacious cage or large play area with various hanging and “grabbing” toys to accommodate their behavioral needs.

Lories and lorikeets are reasonably high-maintenance pets. They are easily bored with the same daily routine. They need a special powdered diet, mixed with fresh water, along with fresh fruit daily. They are known to be messy eaters. A consequence of feeding this necessary powdered diet is that it produces liquid — and often projectile — droppings. Fortunately, bathing is one of their favorite daily occupations. Lories and lorikeets are not known to be friendly with other birds and may attack other birds in the home/cage.

Lory and Lorikeet Facts

• Color: The basic body color is green or red, with a variety of combinations of blue, black, yellow, and red, depending on the species. Immature birds are colored like adults.
• Sexing: Sexing is generally difficult, as there are few external differences in most species.
• Weight: Average 1.1–6.4 oz (35–200 g)
• Size Average: 5–17 in (13-42 cm) in length
• Life Span: 10–15 years
• Diet: Consult your veterinarian.
• Breeding: Sexual maturity occurs around 2 years old.
• Brood Size: 1–4 eggs will hatch in 22–25 days. Most birds lay 2 eggs. Young leave the nest in 60–90 days.
• Cage: Minimum size is 2 ft x 3 ft x 3 ft (60 cm x 90 cm x 90 cm).

Where should I purchase a lory or lorikeet, and how should I select one?

Lories and lorikeets can be purchased from a pet store or a reputable breeder. When selecting a lory or lorikeet, try to choose a young bird, as it may be easier to tame and train. Older, wild-caught, colony-raised, or parent-raised birds may be challenging to tame. Hand-raised babies often make better pets because they have been socialized with humans and are less likely to have learned aggressive behaviors.

Young birds are easier to tame and adapt to new environments and situations more readily. Your new bird should be exposed early to different people and events (e.g., young and old, male and female, other pets, car trips, visits to the veterinarian) to help promote a calm, well-adjusted pet. After purchasing your new bird, have it examined by an avian veterinarian.

What kind of veterinary care does my bird require?

Lories and lorikeets require regular, routine veterinary health check-ups. Your veterinarian can perform a physical examination, grooming (beak, nail, and/or feather trims as necessary), and laboratory tests as needed. Your veterinarian can identify and address any health, nutritional, or maintenance issues during these semi-annual checkups.

Veterinary check-ups help prevent disease and will aid in the maintenance of a long-lasting, healthy relationship between you and your bird. Lories and lorikeets are prone to a specific liver disease called hemochromatosis (iron storage disease), so it is highly recommended to run liver function tests every couple of years.