Zoo database

Lories and Lorikeets

Lorinae spp.

Natural diet Lories and Lorikeets

Fruits
Nectar

Lories and lorikeets are small parrots that are primarily consume nectar, pollen, and some fruits. Their specialized digestive system allows them to efficiently extract nutrients from their nectar and pollen-rich diets. Besides this, they may also consume other plant materials and insects.

Feeding advice Lories and Lorikeets

Feed quantity per day

10% of body weight

Sample percentage calculation

If an animal weighs 0.15 kg and eats 10-15% of its body weight, it will get

0.15 x 0.1 = 0.015 kg feed in total per day

Feed composition

40% Other vegetables
60% Other

Proportions (fresh product)

0.4 x 0.015 kg = 6 g other vegetables
0.6 x 0.015 kg = 9 g other

Diet suggestions

Not recommended

Bread

Avocado

Fruits

Additional advice

Divide the “Feed quantity per day” over at least two feeding moments per day.
Insoluble grit is not required if they go outside, as they will ingest small stones (read more about grit).
Vegetables can be supplemented whole to support beak-health.
Avoid feeding bread and other high starch products as this may cause gastro-intestinal disturbances.
Although present in their natural diets, feeding fruits might lead to gastro-intestinal disturbances because of the high sugar level and low fiber level in cultivated fruits compared to wild fruits (read more about nutritional values of (wild) fruits and vegetables).
Stimulate foraging behaviour by using feeding puzzles and scatter feeding (read more about feed enrichment and foraging behaviour).

Common diseases

An unbalanced diet may result in one of these more commonly occurring diseases/conditions:

Obesity
Chlamydiosis
Feather disease

Feed quantity per day

Sample percentage calculation

Feed composition

Proportions (fresh product)

Avian Nectar lori

Lori Nectar

Marieke Post

Manager R&D & QA