Needing some help with decision making and info :)

[Rain]

Hi everyone I'm new to this forum and would like to know a bit more about what to expect when acquiring your first Rainbow lorikeet. I'm not a complete newbie to bird keeping as I've owned a cockatiel that recently passed away. I'm very devastated about my loss I loved her very much So a friend has offered to get me a lorikeet chick if id like or a ring neck or moustache parrot chick. At first I didn't want anything else other than another cockatiel but then she has kind of convinced me that a rainbow lorikeet would be a good choice instead of another cockatiel. I have a young 4 year old and other pets, I wanted an affectionate and cuddly bird,well as cuddly as birds are that wants to be with me and socialise. It would be an indoor bird and I already have a medium sized cage still. I know they have a specialised diet and have been reading as much as I can before I make the decision to acquire one.
I went to a bird store today and had a look and a play with the different birds and the rainbow lorikeet on boarding there was so sweet and playful. My son loved it. It was so gentle with him and he was laughing away at its crazy antics and licking haha. My cockatiel was a real mummy's girl and only really bonded to me she would hiss and bite my son. So I'd like a bird that will be social with him to and he can enjoy the experience. So I'm thinking that so far so good. The only thing is id let it be free flying around the house when it's out if the cage with me and they gave really runny poops. I don't really want runny water poop everywhere so I have been looking into toilet training. Has anyone successfully done this and how? I am also thinking that this problem of messy poop could be solved with training it to use a nappy from a baby? That's my only
Real worry that might stop me from choosing one. So any advice on these guys or if you think that it will be a good choice instead of another cockatiel would be greatly appreciated.

[cml]

Welcome to the forum!

First off, I dont know much about lorikeets, but I thought they were more of an aviary kind of bird than a companion parrot, being shy and skittish and thus hard to tame? I might be wrong however, but it doesnt hurt to do some research to confirm that .

As you say, loris have a special diet of nectar etc, which makes their poop runny. Not much to do I am afraid, but to be honest, all birds poop!

You CAN toilet train a bird, ours are semi-trained (about 80%) of their poops happen when they are on their perches. We havnt done any formal training at all, I think they just noticed that there was less of a fuss when they didnt poop on the sofa, and that we said Good bird when they pooped at the perch.
There are some instructions on the forums for more formal toilet training I think, try a search.

Personally I think cockatiels are awesome, but they are a bit too dusty for me!

[pennyandrocky]

poop is horrible they poop while clinging to the bars of the cage so it goes against the wall. mine didn't like me so she would wait for me to walk by and shoot it right at me. she was free to fly around the house too but she would go in her cage to eat then climb up the bars sending her poop flying everywhere. they are a lot of fun if you don't mind the mess and discolored walls.

[lauren30308890]

No, I have owned several lorikeets over the past and I have never got an aggressive one. all but one were rescues, yes they are messy, but aren't all birds messy in there own ways. lorikeets are my favourite little parrot and I highly think you should get one.