Can a Red Lorikeet Eat Oranges?

Red lorikeets may include red-collared, red-chinned, red-flanked and red-spotted lorikeets. Red-flanked and red-collared lorikeets are commonly kept as pets. Red lorikeets do eat oranges, and they are a safe food for the birds. As an added precaution, source and feed items free from chemicals and pesticides for your birds. In many cases, organic produce may be your best option.

  1. Oranges

    • Fruits are a part of the natural diet of wild lorikeets. You may feed captive lorikeets a range of fruits, including citrus fruits and oranges. For an added measure of safety, remove the seeds from the oranges before you offer them to your birds. In addition to providing sustenance, orange slices or halves will provide your birds with an object upon which they can express their natural chewing behavior, and the extra time needed to manipulate the fruit will help reduce boredom.

    Other Fruits

    • Your birds may prefer different foods during different times of the year, according to the Pet Place website. Lorikeets can eat many types of fruits, including tropical fruits, bananas, apples, grapes, pears, stone fruits and melons, so you can try a new type of fruit if your birds seem bored, or rotate certain fruits out of your birds' diet for a period of time and reintroduce them later. By providing a variety of fruits, you will help ensure your parrot receives a healthy supply of nutrients. Remove the pits from stone fruits before feeding them to your birds.

    Other Foods

    • Nectar, pollen and flowers form the majority of the diet of lorikeets. Liquid nectar mix and dry pollen mixes are available to substitute for these food items in captivity. You can supplement these with live flowers such as nasturtiums and honeysuckle. Add texture, flavor and visual interest to your birds' diet by providing other safe foods, including vegetables such as cucumber, sweet potato and celery. Offer these food items in their raw form. Be sure your birds' water dish is full before you give them food, as lorikeets occasionally like to drop their foods into water before consuming them.

    Feeding Oranges

    • Because lorikeets tend to make a mess when they eat, you may want to take extra precautions, and prepare the area before feeding oranges to your birds. Put down newspapers, and move away any items that may be damaged by sticky juices. Plan your birds' daily bathing for a time after you offer the oranges.