BOOK REVIEWS ~ Eloise Visits the Zoo ~ By: Lisa McClatchy ~ Learning about "Lorries"

Another enjoyable title featuring naughty Eloise.

Several titles from the "Eloise Ready-To-Read" series were included in the 75 titles we have enjoyed as bedtime reading.  Like the rest, Isobel enjoyed "Eloise Visits the Zoo."  In this volume, Nanny and her young charge don their "safari best" (hats and vests) and take their camera and binoculars and head off to the zoo.

First the pair go to the African section and study the lowland gorillas and the lions.  Eloise interacts with the giraffes.  Then they head to the Australian animals and take pictures of kangaroos and then "sketch the koalas in their eucalyptus trees."  On a two page spread, Eloise "feeds the lorries."  She says she "love, love, loves Lorries" and tries to encourage Nanny to feed them too.  As usual, she responds, "No, no, no, Eloise!"         

I didn't know what a Lorrie was (it was obvious from the illustration they were some kind of colourful bird).  So, after we read about Eloise's adventures in North America, (with gray wolves and black bears); in the petting zoo, (with the billy goats); and in the nursery (where Eloise sings to a baby chimpanzee, whispers to a sleeping wombat and sees the new baby elephant), we researched the birds online.

We discovered that:

Lorikeets

"Lorikeets or Lorries also belong to the parrot family. Its numerous varieties can be divided mainly as the small Australian Lorikeets and the larger Tropical Lorikeets. It is a parrot-type bird that is playful and energetic and eats nectar and fruits rather than seeds in its natural environment. Thus, a pet Lorrie would require a specialized diet of nectar mix, fruits, vegetables and seeds."

"Lorries are known to be very untidy eaters and spoil the cage and its surroundings with their large wet droppings. These birds require a diligent owner who is willing to clean the cage daily to prevent bacterial infections. Lorries are very susceptible to bacterial and yeast contamination from their food and cage."

"The smaller varieties make better pets because of their soft bite while the larger Lorries are highly intelligent and make excellent pets as well for those seeking a playful and energetic bird. Lorries make good talkers but can become extremely noisy. This can be tempered by continuing obedience training. They are also known for their tremendous mimicking ability and will often imitate household appliances such as a telephone or microwave."

"The cage of pet Lorries should allow them to move around freely and should have toys that would help them entertain themselves. Small Lorries can be successfully bred in both large communal aviaries and in suspended single pair cages. Larger Lorries demand an aviary that is not less than four to six meters long and one to two meters high."

Now that we know what they are, we love Lorries too!  We like going to the zoo, too, but unfortunately there aren't any nearby.  So, for now, we'll just have to enjoy our trips to the zoo while reading!