Dry Lory Food

WHITE PAPER
March 25, 2004

Dry Lory Food is available in two forms: a small round morsel and a powder.

Both foods are a nutritionally complete diet and contain all vitamins and minerals as well as a higher caloric density than other foods. Our Lory Foods have thoroughly been tested on lories, lorikeets and hanging parrots, many of which are endangered. The rarest of birds in this group were tested in special studies conducted while the birds were in quarantine. To our knowledge this is the only time these species have ever been exposed to a manufactured food. Previous to this, several of these species have not been kept in captivity in North America.

Historically these birds have been offered liquid nectar solutions (LNS) as their diet. LNS are not nutritionally similar to foods these birds consume in the wild, which results in malnutrition in captivity. Second, LNS does not sufficiently mimic the feeding behavior these birds exhibit in the wild. Pollen- and nectar-eating birds have long tongues with specialized structures to collect these items from their natural habitats. The DRY LORY FOOD allows them a means to use these eating behaviors and reduce the amounts of harmful moisture in their diet and subsequently in their environment by 50%. And finally, Dry Lory Food can be fed once per day reducing the amount of time and effort required to maintain longevity, health and safety.

This high fluid intake from LNS causes several problems. First, it causes the birds to excrete high moisture feces, which leads to environmental contamination and the spread of pathogenic organisms. In order to reduce the spread of these microbial breeding grounds, the care-giver must spend time keeping the aviary clean and decontaminated to prevent the spread of food-and fecal-borne bacteria and yeast. Some of this bacteria and yeast may become airborne.

This food has been tested on nine species, most of which are rare and endangered lories, lorikeets and hanging parrots. A few have never been in captivity in North America.

They range in size from the Mount Apo Lorikeet which weighs approximately 30 grams or one (1) ounce, to the Sangi Red and Blue Lory which weighs approximately 275 grams or about ten (10) ounces.

Depending on enclosure size, activity level, and propensity for weight gain or obesity, all species consumed approximately ten (10) grams of Dry Lory Food daily and maintained weight.

We are satisfied that using Dry Lory Food provides a nutritionally superior food and a means for the birds to exhibit natural feeding behaviors. It also reduces food and environmental safety concerns by eliminating the LNS which is a pathogenic and microbial breeding ground that endangers bird, human and other animal health safety. Birds readily accept this food and the caregiver can reduce the feedings to one per day.

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