It seems he (or she) is a bit intoxicated, or at least that's the vet's diagnosis. Just how it got drunk we don't know. I personally think it's a myth that fruit falls off trees, ferments on the ground and gets animals pissed when they eat it. After a couple of days in the sun the fruit would most likely dry out rather than ferment.
With wild birds like lorikeets though, a lot of people, ourselves included, put out food for them. As lorikeets are nectivores, the food put out for them is usually a very sweet, watery mix. Normally you would put out just enough for them to eat in one afternoon, but if someone put out a whole heap that lasted a few days, then it's quite possible it would start to ferment. I'm sure it wouldn't take much to get a bird as small as a lori pissed.
When Donna got this one home and put it in the big cage its in here, it just grabbed the bars at the top of the cage and hung there with its legs dangling. After a couple of minutes it had moved down to the perch in these pictures.
The main reason it looks such a mess is it's rolled around in its food. I'm not sure if lorikeets get into fights, tell everyone they love them and throw up all over themselves when they get drunk, but I can imagine it. They're very gregarious birds.
Anyway, if this one survives the hangover, or the alcohol doesn't poison it, it'll be released soon. Either that or it'll be introduced to a few other lorikeets and released with them. It all depends on its age.
Either way, I hope it's learned it lesson. I doubt it though, I never do. There's a rum and coke at my elbow right now.
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