Lorikeet paralysis syndrome resurfacing in Queensland!

[Flboy]

Very sad development
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-01/mysterious-virus-killing-lorikeets-in-queensland/12205888

 

[SailBoat]

Heartbreaking!

Thanks for the heads-up!!!

 

[noodles123]

Poor babies....I hope it isn't transmitted cross-species...it's bad enough as it is...

 

[LaManuka]

Yes like I'm not already paranoid enough about providing eucalypt blossoms for my Lilly!! Stuff like this and PBFD is rampant among our local lorikeet populations and I often wonder if I am exposing Lilly to the chance of picking up something like this. When I had her at the vet 2 weeks ago after she had a bout of vomiting I did ask him if he thought I should stop giving her natural branches and blossoms to forage on and he thought the benefit and enrichment it provides her far outweighs the risks. However since there's been a spike in this nasty paralysis syndrome I've emailed him for his opinion but will probably have to wait until Monday for a response (ugh!!)

 

[ruban]

so we do not know exactly what it is at this time, but it is seasonal, suggesting plants, maybe. Poor things.

https://www.sydney.edu.au/science/o...ence/lorikeet-paralysis-syndrome-project.html

 

[LaManuka]

Yes this syndrome does appear to raise it's ugly head annually now. I live in prime "lorikeet paralysis syndrome" country unfortunately, and i do like to provide my Lilly with natural forage as often as possible. She absolutely loves it, but LPS does give me great cause for concern. I do tend to wonder if the culprit behind LPS might be non-native plants that our local lories have fallen in love with. My paranoia is such that I only ever give Lilly Australian native plants and eschew the imported ones, even though I see the rainbows thoroughly enjoying them when nothing native is blooming near us which means Lilly has to go without! I'm pleased to report though that in my 3 years of traipsing through trusted sources around my home looking for flowers for the Crown Princess, plus another 8 years back in the 1990s for my previous purple crown, I have never seen a single paralysed lorikeet. Not to say they're not there, but I haven't ever seen one, and I am most definitely on the lookout for them. When I spoke to my vet about it in October this year she said that the benefit Lilly gets out of natural forage far outweighs the quite minimal risk involved. The risks do exist of course and I am very conscious of them. But when I see enjoyment like this on her little face and knowing how many natural behaviours are denied to her since she is a poor little captive birdie in my house, who am I to deny her this one great pleasure in her life?

IMG_1136.MOV

Lilly and her eucalyptus flowers :)

www.parrotforums.com

 

[ruban]

I would love to get some natural forage for Ruban, although in Canada BC, I’m not sure what availability is or what I would be looking for.
bottlebrush and grevilleas - can ya find these at a gardening store? Kinda like this? Assuming I would grow my own.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Souther...-Dwarf-Plant-with-Red-Flowers-09132/310748088

 

[LaManuka]

I would love to get some natural forage for Ruban, although in Canada BC, I’m not sure what availability is or what I would be looking for.
bottlebrush and grevilleas - can ya find these at a gardening store? Kinda like this? Assuming I would grow my own.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Souther...-Dwarf-Plant-with-Red-Flowers-09132/310748088

You could certainly try growing them, but Aussie natives can be a little tricky. They have evolved to thrive in very poor soils in Australia so you need to make sure the soil or potting mix you grow them in is similarly low in nutrients otherwise they tend to drop dead from getting too much of a good thing. Also not sure how much snow you guys get in your part of the world, that might make things difficult too!

There's a very well known British ornithologist and aviculturalist called Rosemary Low, who has kept and bred many lory species very successfully in England for many years. She has found that her birds LOVE things like dandelions, nasturtiums, hibiscus, elderflower, hawthorn, apple blossoms and honeysuckle flowers. I haven't tried many of those myself tbh but Lilly does LOVE dandelions and they tend to have a pretty high pollen content too. Maybe you might have more success with some of those where you live?

 

[ruban]

You could certainly try growing them, but Aussie natives can be a little tricky. They have evolved to thrive in very poor soils in Australia so you need to make sure the soil or potting mix you grow them in is similarly low in nutrients otherwise they tend to drop dead from getting too much of a good thing. Also not sure how much snow you guys get in your part of the world, that might make things difficult too!

There's a very well known British ornithologist and aviculturalist called Rosemary Low, who has kept and bred many lory species very successfully in England for many years. She has found that her birds LOVE things like dandelions, nasturtiums, hibiscus, elderflower, hawthorn, apple blossoms and honeysuckle flowers. I haven't tried many of those myself tbh but Lilly does LOVE dandelions and they tend to have a pretty high pollen content too. Maybe you might have more success with some of those where you live?

Yes, dandilions are an option. Fairly common on my lawn and a larger species are in the hills. Apparently there is bottlebrush in Vancouver and local garden shops. I live in Apple capitol so I should probably research some. Thanks. There will be a ton of snow soon so, I am leaning towards something I can grow indoors, maybe, hmmmm. LOL. I‘ll check in to Rosemary. Sounds like a good source, next to you, lol

 

[LaManuka]

Oh Rosemary is an AWESOME source, WAY better than me, with credentials miles and miles long and many books to her name, I have learned a lot from her!

I've used dandelions from my back yard quite a bit when I haven't been able to get anything else for a while. Half the reason sometimes that Lilly doesn't get fresh flowers is I'm just too paranoid about herbicides or they are growing too close to a busy road. Hubby and I go driving for ages sometimes looking for something suitable, and of course all the grevilleas and bottlebrushes that line the road are full of flowers and the ones in the parks are bare - typical!!