Rainbow Lorikeet

• ExerciseVery high

  A high-energy flyer — serious daily flight time and enrichment are essential.

• GroomingRegular feather care

  Regular bathing or misting plus nail and beak checks.

• Living spaceStandard cage

  A proper cage and daily out-of-cage time fit fine in an apartment.

• Owner experienceFor experienced owners

  Rewards owners who know the ropes.

• Commitment15–25 years

  Plan for a long, loving relationship.

Health to watch: Respiratory issues · Obesity · Feather plucking

The rainbow lorikeet is a dazzling, hyperactive bundle of colour and energy, but it is a specialist that is not for beginners because of its unique diet. Unlike other parrots, lorikeets have brush-tipped tongues built to feed on nectar and pollen, so they must be fed a proper commercial lorikeet nectar (wet or dry) along with fresh fruit — never a seed-based parrot diet, which their bodies cannot handle. A natural consequence is very liquid, projectile droppings, so they need an easy-to-clean setup and a keeper prepared for the mess. Energetic and playful, lorikeets need a large flight cage or aviary, lots of out-of-cage activity, bathing opportunities and constant enrichment. Diet-linked hygiene is the key health issue: their wet nectar food spoils and ferments quickly, breeding bacteria and yeast (candida), so bowls must be cleaned and refreshed frequently, and too much sugar or the wrong nectar causes obesity and metabolic problems. Watch also for respiratory disease, and keep the air free of the non-stick fumes, aerosols and smoke that are lethal to birds. Commit to the specialist nectar diet, scrupulous hygiene and daily activity, and a lorikeet is a joyful, spectacular companion for fifteen to twenty-five years.

• How much activity does a Rainbow Lorikeet need?

  Very high. A high-energy flyer — serious daily flight time and enrichment are essential.

• How much feather care does a Rainbow Lorikeet need?

  Regular feather care. Regular bathing or misting plus nail and beak checks.

• What cage does a Rainbow Lorikeet need?

  Standard cage. A proper cage and daily out-of-cage time fit fine in an apartment.

• Is a Rainbow Lorikeet a good fit for first-time owners?

  For experienced owners. Rewards owners who know the ropes.

• How long do Rainbow Lorikeet live?

  15–25 years. Plan for a long, loving relationship.

• What health issues affect the Rainbow Lorikeet?

  Keep an eye out for Respiratory issues, Obesity, Feather plucking. These are worth raising with your vet, along with any screening they recommend.

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