Getting Started with Lori
Okay, so I decided to bring a Lorikeet into my life a while back. Let’s call her Lori. Seemed like a bright, colorful idea at the time. Saw pictures, thought, “Wow, beautiful bird, gonna be fun.” Didn’t really dig deep into what it actually takes, you know? Just jumped in.
Got Lori home, all excited. Set up the cage I bought, put in some standard bird seed mix the pet shop guy vaguely recommended. Big mistake right there, turns out.
The Reality Check: Diet and Mess
First few days were… messy. And noisy. But the real shock was the diet thing. Lori wasn’t touching the seeds much. Started looking things up, talking to folks who actually knew about Lories. Found out they don’t really eat seeds like parrots. They’re nectar eaters mostly. Fruits too. Their whole system is different.
So, had to toss the seed mix. Started trying commercial nectar formulas. Some she liked, some she just ignored. And man, that liquid diet… it goes right through them. Cleaning wasn’t just a weekly thing, it became a multiple-times-a-day thing. Cage bars, floor, walls nearby sometimes. Sticky mess everywhere.
Finding what worked involved a lot of trial and error:
- Tried different brands of nectar powder.
- Figured out the right consistency she preferred. Not too thick, not too watery.
- Started adding fresh fruits. Chopped up apples, pears, mangoes. Had to learn which ones were safe.
- Made sure food dishes were cleaned perfectly every single time to avoid bacteria. That was non-negotiable.
Health Scares and Daily Grind
There was a period early on where Lori seemed a bit off. Feathers ruffled, less active. Got really worried. Took her to an avian vet – cost a bit, but worth it. Turned out it was likely stress from the new environment and maybe the initial wrong diet. Vet gave me some tips, emphasized the diet and clean environment again. It really hit home how sensitive these birds can be.
So, the daily routine got serious. It wasn’t just about fun anymore, it was about responsibility. Keeping Lori healthy became the main goal.
My current routine looks something like this:
- Morning: Clean food/water dishes thoroughly. Mix fresh nectar. Chop up a small amount of varied fresh fruit. Clean the cage bottom tray and any obvious messes. Let Lori out for some supervised flying time if I can.
- Midday: Check water, maybe offer a small treat like a flower petal (safe ones only!). Quick spot clean if needed.
- Evening: Another cage wipe-down. Fresh water. More interaction time – they need company.
- Weekly: Full cage scrub down. Wash any toys.
Where We Are Now
It’s definitely work. More work than I first thought. It’s not just having a pretty bird in a cage. It’s a commitment to their specific needs, their health, their well-being. You gotta be prepared for the mess, the cost, the time.
But now? Lori’s doing great. Bright feathers, active, noisy in a good way. We’ve found our rhythm. Seeing her healthy and happy makes the daily grind feel worthwhile. It’s a part of my life now, the Lori life, you could say. Learned a lot just by doing it, messing up, and figuring it out day by day.
