Dr Colin Walker Avian Veterinarian B.Sc. B.V.Sc. M.A.C.V.Sc (Avian Health)
Dr Corrie Pinkster Avian Veterinarian B.V.Sc. M.A.N.Z.C.V.Sc (Avian Health)
Diet for Rainbow Lorikeets
In the wild, rainbow lorikeets feed on nectars and pollen from flowering plants. It
would be impossible to provide this diet to a captive bird, so we must offer the foods
that most closely resemble the natural diet.
The diet we recommend be fed:
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High quality lorikeet formula (eg. Dr Mac’s Organic Origins or Passwells)
o This is best mixed into a paste with fruit puree or nectar (ie pear or
apple puree / apricot or guava nectar).
o This mixture contains no preservatives, so it should be discarded
within 6-12 hours of mixing. Offering formula for 1-3 hours once or
twice a day will allow your lorikeet to eat sufficient quantities.
A range of fresh fruit and vegetables
o These should always be available for your bird.
o Some ideas – pear, apple, grapes, nectarine, mango, paw paw, endive,
silver beet, bok choy, spinach, broccoli, peas, corn, capsicum
o Any fruit or vegetable that we eat EXCEPT FOR avocado, onion and
rhubarb.
Fresh water always available and changed daily
Native plants
o Flowers, branches and leaves from the common natives are all safe to
give your lorikeet. They provide a good supplementation of food and
entertainment for your bird.
Some important science behind our choices include:
Raffinose Sugars – Refined sugars promote unhealthy bacteria in the gut and can
cause obesity and diabetes, so should be avoided. Raffinose sugars are complex
carbohydrates that largely remain undigested, and are important for maintaining
healthy bacteria populations in the gut. Dr Mac’s Lorikeet Formula contains
raffinose sugars instead of refined sugars. Although a bit sour, most birds acquire a
taste for it within a few days. Fruits and vegetables also contain complex sugars.
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Vitamin A Precursors – Vitamin A is essential for healthy skin, eyes, gut,
reproductive and urinary tracts. However an excess of Vitamin A can be harmful to
lorikeets. Plants contain precursor to Vitamin A, Provitamin A carotenoids. When
the precursors are fed, your bird only converts as much vitamin A as it requires,
avoiding the risk of over supplementation with Vitamin A. Dr Mac’s Lorikeet
formula contains provitamin A carotenoids in the form of Spirulina, which also
contains antioxidants.
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Protein –Most fruits are low in protein, and are therefore unsuitable as a sole food
source. Dr Mac’s Lorikeet Formula contains natural protein in the form of pollen,
which is the source of protein for wild Lorikeets.
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MELBOURNE BIRD VETERINARY CLINIC
1 George St, Scoresby, Victoria 3179, Australia
Ph: +61 3 9764 9000 Fax: +61 3 9764 8600
Email: vet@auspigeonco.com.au