Lorikeets and honeyeaters, unlike other birds, have a brush appendage at the end of their tongue. This brush tongue is an adaptation for gathering pollen, plant secretions (nectar, manna, honeydew) and insect secretions (lerp). Lorikeets and honeyeaters also include fruit and insects in their diets. They obtain essential protein and fatty acids from the pollen or insect component of their diet and carbohydrate from the simple and complex sugars found in plant and insect secretions. They spend much of their time foraging for food and have an absolute requirement for carbohydrate, this being evidenced by the low protein to energy ratio in the diet and the high intestinal disaccharidase activity associated with their digestive physiology.
Size: 1.5kg
Directions:
To make 1 litre of food add 300g of powder to 500ml of warm water, mix till dispersed then make up 1 litre with water. Store refrigerated for one day or freeze in ice cube trays.
Supplementing wild birds: This food is an ideal supplement for attracting native birds into the garden. Set up an elevated feeding station on a pole or suspend it from a branch of a tree. Dispense the prepared food in a shallow, glazed bowl. Ration daily feed to no more than 10ml per lorikeet or 5ml per honeyeater. Always limit the amount of food offered because other people in your neighbourhood are probably feeding the same birds. Remove the bowl after feeding and thoroughly clean it. Be aware that when you attract birds into your garden you may also attract bird predators.
Feeding captive birds: This food will adequately maintain captive lorikeets, honeyeaters, sunbirds, and hummingbirds, however for breeding success the following is strongly recommended. It is desirable to keep lorikeets and honeyeaters in large aviaries planted with native flowering shrubs. This provides the birds with a source of pollen, nectar, and insects. Prior to and during the breeding season birds should be given fruit and either Wombaroo Insectivore Rearing Mix or Passwell Finch Soft Food. Companion birds should be offered fresh fruit and blossom daily.
Feed as follows:
Little Lorikeets 20ml/day
Purple crowned Lorikeets 20ml/day
Musk Lorikeets 25ml/day
Scaly-breasted Lorikeets 30ml/day
Rainbow Lorikeets 40ml/day
Analysis: Minimum crude protein 13%, minimum crude fat 5%, maximum fibre 2%, maximum salt 1%
Ingredients: Whey protein, casein, maltodextrin, sucrose, modified corn starch, mannan oligosaccharides, beta-glucans, lysine, methionine, vegetable oils, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, carotenoids, vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, D3, E, K, nicotinamide, panthothenic acid, biotin, folic acid, choline, inositol, calcium, phosphorous, potassium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese, copper, iodine, selenium.
