Written by the Birdsville team. Last updated November 2026.

Rainbow lorikeets aren’t like other parrots. They’re nectar feeders, so the seed and pellets that suit a budgie or cockatoo aren’t right for them. The best food for rainbow lorikeets is a quality lorikeet dry mix or wet nectar, plus fresh fruit, vegetables and native flowers every day. This guide from the bird specialists at Birdsville, 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, trading since 1985, explains exactly what to feed a rainbow lorikeet, how much and how often, and which foods to avoid.

The best food for a rainbow lorikeet is a lorikeet dry mix such as Birdsville Blends Lorikeet Dry, with or without a wet nectar, plus fresh fruit, vegetables and native flowers daily and fresh water at all times. Seed and standard parrot pellets shouldn’t be the main diet, as lorikeets are built to eat nectar and pollen.

Rainbow Lorikeet Food Key Takeaways

  • Lorikeets are nectar and pollen eaters, not seed eaters.
  • A lorikeet dry mix is the easiest everyday food, as it doesn’t sour like wet nectar.
  • Wet nectar is a great extra, but throw it out within a few hours, sooner in hot weather.
  • Offer fresh fruit, vegetables and native flowers every day.
  • Always give fresh drinking water, especially with dry food.
  • Never feed avocado, chocolate, onion, caffeine or alcohol.

On This Page

  • What Do Rainbow Lorikeets Eat in the Wild?
  • Birdsville Blends Lorikeet Dry
  • Wet Nectar for Lorikeets
  • Dry or Wet: Which Is Best?
  • How Much and How Often to Feed
  • Fresh Fruit, Vegetables and Flowers
  • Foods to Avoid
  • Treats for Lorikeets
  • Water, Vitamins and Calcium
  • Feeding Young Lorikeets
  • Feeding Lorikeets in Summer
  • Rainbow Lorikeet Food FAQ

What Do Rainbow Lorikeets Eat in the Wild?

In the wild, rainbow lorikeets feed on nectar, pollen, flowers, soft fruit and the odd insect. They have a special brush-tipped tongue for collecting nectar and pollen from eucalyptus, grevillea, bottlebrush and other flowering trees. Their digestion is built for this soft, sugary diet, which passes through them quickly, so they graze throughout the day rather than eating set meals.

That’s why seed is a poor main food for lorikeets. Hard seed is difficult for them to digest, and a seed-heavy diet can lead to poor health. A pet lorikeet needs a food made specifically for nectar feeders.

Birdsville Blends Lorikeet Dry

Our top pick is Birdsville Blends Lorikeet Dry (https://petsville.com.au/products/birdsville-blends-lorikeet-dry-1kg), our biggest seller for lories and lorikeets. It’s a balanced dry alternative to nectar, made for rainbow lorikeets and other nectar feeders, and lorikeets love it as an everyday food and as a treat.

  • It’s fed dry, so it doesn’t sour like wet nectar, which makes it ideal for hot Sydney days.
  • We mix and bag it fresh on site with a high turnover, so it never sits on a shelf for long.
  • Buying direct from the people who make it means fresher food and better value.
  • You can order it online through Petsville with delivery Australia-wide, or pick it up in-store.

Be wary of many supermarket and chain store lorikeet foods, which can be stale or made with low quality ingredients that affect your bird’s health and vitality.

Wet Nectar for Lorikeets

Wet nectar is mixed with water to make a liquid or paste, much like the nectar lorikeets drink in the wild. Most lorikeets love it, and it’s a great way to add variety. Good options include:

Mix only what your bird will eat in a few hours, and always follow the directions on the pack. Wet nectar spoils quickly, and soured nectar can cause yeast and bacterial infections, so throw out anything left over.

You’ll find our full lorikeet food range on Petsville (https://petsville.com.au/collections/lorikeet-food).

Dry or Wet: Which Is Best?

Both work well, and many owners feed both in separate dishes.

  • Dry food is easy, doesn’t spoil, can be left out all day and keeps droppings a little less runny. It’s the most practical choice for most pet lorikeets, especially if you’re out during the day.
  • Wet nectar is closest to a natural diet and is great for variety, young birds and breeding birds, but it needs replacing every few hours.

A good routine is lorikeet dry available all day, with a small serve of wet nectar once or twice a day when you’re home to replace it.

How Much and How Often to Feed

Lorikeets have a fast metabolism and graze all day, so keep food available from morning to night.

  • Dry food: keep the dish topped up so it never runs out, and note how much your bird eats each day so you notice any change in appetite.
  • Wet nectar: offer a small dish once or twice a day and remove it within a few hours.
  • Fresh food: give a small bowl of chopped fruit, vegetables or flowers every day, and remove leftovers by evening.

Weigh your lorikeet regularly. If it’s gaining weight, cut back on sweet fruit and treats, and ask our team about lower fat lorikeet foods.

Fresh Fruit, Vegetables and Flowers

Fresh food should be part of your lorikeet’s diet every day.

Fruits

Apple, pear, pawpaw, mango, melon, grapes, berries, banana and pomegranate.

Vegetables and Greens

Sweet potato, carrot, corn, broccoli, silverbeet and other dark leafy greens. Orange vegetables like carrot and sweet potato are rich in vitamin A, which helps protect lorikeets against fungal infections.

Native Flowers

Lorikeets love fresh flowers, which give them real nectar and pollen to forage for. Safe choices include bottlebrush, grevillea, eucalyptus, melaleuca, hibiscus, marigolds, dandelions, roses and violets. Only pick flowers from unsprayed areas, and wash them well first.

Foods to Avoid

Never feed your lorikeet:

  • Avocado
  • Chocolate or anything containing cocoa
  • Onion and garlic
  • Caffeine
  • Alcohol
  • Salty, fatty or sugary human food
  • Seed or standard parrot pellets as a main diet

Treats for Lorikeets

Treats are great for training and bonding, but keep them small. Good options include fresh flowers, dried pawpaw (https://petsville.com.au/products/dried-fruit-paw-paw-papaya-150gm), the Passwell Lorikeet Treat Bar (https://petsville.com.au/products/passwell-delight-lorikeet-75g) and a little extra Birdsville Blends Lorikeet Dry.

Water, Vitamins and Calcium

Fresh, clean water must always be available, especially if your lorikeet eats dry food. Sticky nectar turns water dirty fast, so change it every day and scrub the dish.

A vitamin supplement such as Vetafarm Multivet (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-multivet-50ml) in the water every two to three days helps cover nutrients that can be missing from captive diets. For calcium, add Vetafarm Calcivet (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-calcivet-50ml) to the water, especially for birds kept indoors, and offer dark leafy greens daily.

Feeding Young Lorikeets

Young rainbow lorikeets should have both wet and dry food, in separate dishes, so they always have something they’ll eat. Once they’re eating well and holding their weight, they can be moved onto mostly dry food. Never let a young bird go without food, as their fast metabolism means they can go downhill quickly.

Feeding Lorikeets in Summer

Wet nectar can sour within a few hours on a hot Sydney day. In summer:

  • Rely mainly on lorikeet dry, which won’t spoil
  • Offer small amounts of wet nectar and replace them often
  • Change the water more than once a day
  • Keep food dishes out of direct sun

Rainbow Lorikeet Food FAQ

What is the best food for rainbow lorikeets?

Rainbow lorikeets do best on a lorikeet dry mix and a wet nectar, plus fresh fruit, vegetables and native flowers. Our top pick is Birdsville Blends Lorikeet Dry (https://petsville.com.au/products/birdsville-blends-lorikeet-dry-1kg), our biggest seller for lories and lorikeets. We bag it fresh on site, so it never sits on a shelf for long.

What is the best pellet food for lorikeets?

Lorikeets are nectar and pollen eaters, so standard parrot pellets or seed shouldn’t be their main food. Choose a dry food made specifically for lorikeets instead. Birdsville Blends Lorikeet Dry is made for their needs and doubles as a treat they love. Our team can help you choose the right mix in-store.

Where can I buy premium lorikeet food in Australia?

You can order Birdsville Blends Lorikeet Dry online through Petsville, with delivery Australia-wide, or pick it up in-store at Birdsville, 684 Botany Road, Alexandria. Buying direct from the people who mix it means fresher food and better value than many chain store mixes made with low quality ingredients.

What is the best diet for a pet lorikeet?

Feed a lorikeet dry mix and wet nectar daily, along with fresh fruit like apple, pear and melon, some vegetables, and native flowers such as grevillea and bottlebrush. Remove wet food after a few hours, or sooner on hot days, before it spoils. A calcium supplement like Vetafarm Calcivet (https://petsville.com.au/products/vetafarm-calcivet-50ml) helps birds kept indoors.

Can rainbow lorikeets eat seed?

Seed shouldn’t be a main food for rainbow lorikeets. They’re built to eat nectar, pollen, flowers and soft fruit, and hard seed is difficult for them to digest. A seed-heavy diet can lead to poor health over time. Feed a lorikeet dry mix or wet nectar instead, with fresh fruit, vegetables and native flowers.

How long can lorikeet nectar be left out?

Wet lorikeet nectar should be thrown out within a few hours, and sooner on hot days, as it sours quickly and can cause yeast and bacterial infections. Only mix what your bird will eat in one sitting. Lorikeet dry food doesn’t spoil, so it can be left out all day, which makes it ideal for busy owners.

Visit Us

For more on looking after your lorikeet, see our How to Care for a Rainbow Lorikeet guide ([Lorikeet care page link]). You’ll find Birdsville Blends Lorikeet Dry and our full lorikeet range in-store at Birdsville, 684 Botany Road, Alexandria NSW 2015, on the corner of Gardeners Road, or online at Petsville with delivery Australia-wide. Call us on (02) 9669 1766. We’re a small business that does things in a big way, servicing the Eastern Suburbs and Inner South Sydney. Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BirdsvilleRosebery/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/petsvillesydney/) and TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@birdsvillepets) for live updates.

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