So, what do you know about Rainbow Lory's?

"Rainbow lories are generally 9" – 11" long and weigh about 100-160 grams...They have long, pointed tails, orange beaks, gray feet and red irises... In captivity hand fed rainbow lories can be affectionate and entertaining pets. In the wild their diet consists of pollen, nectar, berries, fruits and insects. Their uniquely designed tongue, covered with brush-like papillae, is designed to gather pollen. The gizzard or ventriculus of the lory is not muscular enough to manage the diet of dry seeds and hard foods of other parrots. It was this very characteristic that kept lories from gaining the popularity of other seed eating birds. With the creation and advancement of commercial powder and nectar diets created specifically for lories, feeding them is no longer the challenge it once was. A diet composed of a good quality lory food such as that produced by Lory Life or Nekton accompanied by a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables and plenty of fresh water should keep your bird happy and healthy...When kept as companion birds, rainbow lories can become fair to moderate talkers as well as become accomplished at mimicking the various other sounds that occur in their environment."

I've had one of my rainbow lories for almost 19 years. They eat dry powder food made for lories (several brands available, I use Lory-Life, see link). I supplement the powder with fresh fruit and once a week some pelleted food (Pretty Bird makes a pelleted lory diet), which I soak in hot water first to soften it (feed when cooled).

You can get your bird sexed (if you care) very easily, through your vet or do it your self (see Zoogen link).

The most important thing to know about lories is that you cannot feed them seeds, ever. They can't digest them.

If you've never owned a bird before, you should read at least one general book on parrot care and I'd say at least TWO on lory care specifically.

Make sure you know of a good avian (not general cat/dog) vet and bring your bird there a couple times a year to have its wings and nails and beak trimmed and to be checked out. That way the vet is familiar with your bird in case it gets sick.

The lorikeet mix is what lorikeets mainly eat in captivity. You can feed it dry or wet, or provide both (I feed dry).

Also provide fruits and vegetables, as well as things like dandelion leaves, grass, cooked pasta and cooked meat. Rainbow lorikeets are very curious and it usually doesn't take much to get them to eat new foods.

I also feed mine bottlebrush flowers when they are around (make sure they haven't been sprayed with chemicals).

Lorikeets aren't big insect eaters, most of the insects they eat in the wild are the ones that are picked up while foraging for pollen and nectar.

Rainbow lorikeets are adorable, they are high energy birds so they need plenty of toys and time to play with you (they like to roll on their back when they play). They exaggerate every move and sometimes bash their beaks repeatedly on the ground when they are excited.

Here is a very good link about keeping lorikeets and lories: http://www.kcbbs.gen.nz/lori/ar/

I LOVE LORIES! Dry lory pellets are what i feed mine. An occasional nectar cube is given as a treat. I also add in dried human grade fruits. Yes, they can be annoying but theyre so funny! They talk so good and play with everything!!!

This is my bird: www.myspace.com/ozwaldr

They are very pretty and quite obnoxious little "clowns" birds. Check out this web site, they will tell you everything that you would want to know about rainbow Lory's

http://www.kaytee.com/companion_animals/birds/rain...