# My Latest Brood



## trefto (Nov 29, 2013)

Here is a picture of my latest brood of hand reared Rainbow Lorikeets. They were all brought up together, 2 days apart from youngest to oldest. I let the parents rear them for the first 5 weeks then hand rear them for the following 4 to 5 weeks, by about 9 weeks of age they usually start to feed themselves.

They are a real joy to hand raise and a bundle of fun when they get to be about 8 weeks old, when they become very outgoing and adventurous. They also become very tame and friendly giving a lot of affection. These 3 will be 10 weeks of age this coming Friday

They are now ready for new homes. So its off to the pet store this Friday coming, will be a sad departure, but I hope and pray they find some caring homes to go to.



The 3 Musketeers


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## aluz (Jul 24, 2011)

Wow, I love their vibrant colours, so beautiful!! 
I know the feeling too well, it's always a bitter sweet moment to let the little ones go, to watch them grow since day 1 till the time they are ready to go to their new homes.
I also hope your chicks will find good and caring owners.


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## kwatson (Jan 19, 2014)

I love lorikeets, they are beautiful  great job on raising them!!!


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*They are beautiful!!

I know absolutely zero about lorikeets.

Are you able to tell their gender by looking at them or do they have to be DNA tested to be sure? (like lovebirds)

Are they friendly with birds of other species or aggressive toward them?*


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## Jonah (Feb 3, 2013)

Wow....talk about color....beautiful...


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## trefto (Nov 29, 2013)

Hi Deborah, Its virtually impossible to detect the Rainbow Lorikeets sex by sight, and a DNA test is really the only sure way to determine them. However sometimes when they are more mature the boys do tend to give themselves away by their antics, being a bit boisterous and show offy more so than the girls.

I have found that Rainbow Lorikeets can be kept with other birds but only if they were brought up with them from a young age, I have 1 pair of Rainbows that will chase my budgies around the aviary with an intent to destroy them it would seem, and this pair was not brought up with the budgies, so this pair now have an aviary all to themselves. I also have another breeding pair the parents of the chicks above, they are in an aviary with a flock of budgies, and they really don't bother the budgies at all, this pair were brought up in that environment. I wouldn't say they were friendly to the budgies, they usually just mind their own bussiness and can present their dominance if they choose, mostly they don't bother. But I do need to have a few budgie nest boxes in there to keep the budgies interested and occupied and away from any interest in the lorikeet nest box, otherwise it could get fatal, the Lorikeets are very protective of their nest boxes. So far I cannot recall there being any trouble and the Lorikeets have had about 10 successful clutches over the last 6 years in with the budgies.

In another aviary I have 2 non breeding Rainbows in with a second flock of budgies and they also get along well enough, there are no breeding boxes in there, so no hastles at all. So it just depends on the particular birds and their upbringing.

I have a 3rd breeding pair and they also have an aviary to themselves, its usually the best way to keep them if you have the facilities.


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## KatRay09 (Feb 28, 2009)

Just beautiful, so bright and colourful


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## BumbleBee (Sep 19, 2014)

They're gorgeous! I've never owned a Lorie, what are their temperaments and personalities like? If I were that pretty I'd act like it! hehe


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## riotfox (Jun 15, 2009)

Aw they are so cute! Would it be possible to advertise them yourself rather than send them to the pet shop? It might be a bit easier to let them go if you know they are going to a good home .


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## trefto (Nov 29, 2013)

I sometimes do advertise the baby lorikeets myself, and there is no trouble selling them, its often a good experience, but sometimes can be a hastle letting people into your home and all. 
I have a good relationship with the pet store that I sell them to, and I trust them that they will find good homes for them and give the best advice to knew owners, it saves a bit of messing around my end also, what with advertising and the like.

And I always remember when I were a young lad, the thrill of seeing the birds for sale in the local pet store, so I hope that I may be contributing to someone elses good experience by supporting the pet store.


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## trefto (Nov 29, 2013)

As for temperament, the lorikeets are very hyped up a lot of the time, probably because of a high intake of sugary foods that they tend to thrive on, I feed mine a comercial powder mix, and it is quite sweet to taste. They can be a lot of fun with all their antics they get up to, and they can also show affection, best if you have them as a sole indoor pet, then they relate best to you as a friend.

The one thing that would turn most people off is their very messy eaters, they will get powdered food mixed with water on their beaks and shake their heads and flick all round the room, they also have very wet poops which they squirt out up to 3 feet all over the place.

Have found they are best inside the house if you put down a large clear vinyl plastic sheet under their cage and clean it regularly.
If you can put up with the mess, they can be very rewarding as pets.


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## trefto (Nov 29, 2013)

Well I packed my three young rainbow chicks off to the pet store on Friday, for a sad departure and the next phase in their lives, God bless them. Have another chick from another pair ready to come inside now for some hand rearing taming. And have another photo that I quite like how it came out, it is the mother hen bird of the 3 chicks who have just gone. Her name is Goldie, pretty appropriate, although you cannot see to well in the pic, she is a Lutino Rainbow Lorikeet, and her entire back and lower abdomen are all yellow, thus "Goldie". Hope you like it.


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## Juhi (Jul 13, 2014)

They are stunning


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## riotfox (Jun 15, 2009)

Wow I didn't realise you could get Lutino rainbow lorikeets! She is very pretty!


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## Sasha2 (Jun 21, 2013)

OMG that lutino lorikeet is amazing. I would love to see a lorikeet in person, especially that lutino.


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## kcladyz (Apr 8, 2014)

Those birds are just stunning!


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