Rainbow Lorikeet Beak?

[gbee44]

Hi there guys,

I'm new to the forum and am looking for a little advice please.

We have two rainbow lorikeets - approximately 18 months old. They're siblings but we're not sure whether they're male or female - but there haven't been any eggs so I'm hoping that they're either M/M or F/F.

Just looking for advice on what how dark the top of their beaks should be? The part where the nostrils are? I know it seems like a weird question - but I was wondering whether it should be dark or light? We had a rainbow lorikeet a few years ago and he passed away suddenly from a neurological condition - but his nostril part had gotten considerably lighter from what it used to be. And now I'm paranoid that our two lorikeets' beaks may be becoming lighter as well and if this is a symptom of something sinister?

Thanks in advance!
Ali  

[totemando]

Hello Ali, Baby Lorikeets beaks are very dark, with shades of black coloring, As they grow older the beak coloring starts to lose its black shading and eventually becomes a bright red color, these differences in beak color also account for the cere area just above the beak where the nostrils are. For some good examples, do a google search on baby rainbow lorikeets, then a google search for adult rainbow lorikeets and check the images shown to see the noticable differences.

As for your birds you can get them DNA sexed to determine if boys or girls. I get my birds DNA tested at DNA Solutions 4 Eastgate Crt. Wantirna, Victoria, it costs aprox $18 each bird tested. check the web site - dnasolutions.com.au/