Varied Lorikeet digging in pot plants

[sashaleicester]

My tame male varied lorikeet has started to dig out the dirt in my pot plants.

While I am home he is able to move freely around my study aka 'Bird Room' and has access to his cage.

He has boxes on the mantle and the floor in which he hides but he has never touched my plants in over three years.

Yesterday I found he has been digging in two pf my potted palm trees and an African Violet and there is soil everywhere and then I walked in and caught him in one of the pots.

I have two questions that I hope someone can answer:

1. Is this digging normal lorikeet behaviour? I know parrots such as cockatoos dig in the ground but I thought lorikeets stayed up in the branches.

2. Should I be worried about anything in the soil making him sick? It is potting mix which originally had slow release fertiliser beads in it but I can't see any of them left in the mix now.

Thanks.
Tracey

[avinet]

I can't recall hearing of Lorikeets digging before, but that isn't to say they don't. And I am very envious of you having a Varied, I love those birds. I used to have a pair of Little Lorikeets as pets and they were great.

I don't know if the potting soil is a problem, I doubt it, but the slow release beads could have been an issue I guess. However African Violets have a reputation for being poisonous to birds, so I would make sure they are not around anywhere the bird can get. I'm pretty sure all Palms are OK though.

cheers,

Mike

[sashaleicester]

Thanks Mike. I'll remove the African Violet ASAP.

I am very lucky as I actually have two beautiful Varieds - the tame male and an untamed female.

I had a different female that died - no obvious causes so old age was suspected. I got my current female after her mate died in their nest box so she was surplus to the breeder - very unusual but a bonus for me.

She won't let my tame male come near her but if he disappears out of the room she calls out to him and vice versa so they are good company for each other and having only one tame makes it easier for me to handle!

[freyja]

Hi I am new here and haven't looked up if i'm supposed to introduce myself so sorry if i'm posting out of order..

I have 10 lorikeets, nearly all of them will dig if given the chance. In dirt or grass or in blankets, carpet or the wood pellet litter/forgaging pellets I use. Scalies are very fond of digging, i was worried one of mine would dig out of the aviary I have her in for awhile!

[campanilla]

Hi, I am new here and have been looking for other people who have varied lorikeets as pets, I gather that they are not common - I have a 6 month old male as a pet, he getting very tame, loves to be out of the cage but is very keen to be on my shoulder or in my lap as much as he can, rather than all the various play stands and couch covers and other places I have provided for him. He had his wings clipped when i got him and is only now re-growing his flight feathers and starting to get much more demanding about being out and about. I'm wondering about getting a mate or companion for him, but I want to keep him tame and outgoing as he is now, anyone have experience with this? He is quite keen to explore everything, has not gotten around to digging yet but certainly likes to chew on my house plants! Would love to hear from others who have a varied as a pet, thanks!
Campanilla

[twr]

I don't have a varied, but an Olive Rainbow Lorikeet. For a long while I was scared to give him a same species friend. I was scared of him being aggressive towards a newcomer as he had given me reason to think that might be, due to his reaction to a visiting lorikeet, but another reason I hesitated was because some told me be would be less tame & not want to spend time with me etc. Well, finally I got him a red collar rainbow friend. It was the best thing I ever did. He still loves me & comes to my shoulder for visits, but he is so happy to have a lorikeet friend.

[scoobysmum]

I have a pair of varied Lorikeets and although they are not tame they are beautiful natured. they have laid 2 clutches so far and one has hatched but unfortunately the babies died after about a week. Hopefully when they breed again this season I will have more luck with them. I intend to hand raise them and sell them as pets. Hopefully my rainbows will teach them to talk as they never shut up talking. I am also raising musk lories at the moment too and they are also beautiful as the olive scaleys were and all my rainbows. darn I love them all! They are all my children and very spoilt as well.