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The brightly colored lorikeets are showing classic signs of drunkenness by losing all coordination and passing out, and then cowering in cages as they recover from their "hangovers".
"They definitely seem like they're drunk," said Lisa Hansen, a veterinary surgeon at the Ark Animal Hospital in Palmerston, near Darwin.
"They fall out of trees... and they're not so coordinated as they would normally be. They go to jump and they miss the next perch."
Hansen said nobody was sure what was causing the symptoms, although it may be a plant they are eating. Other theories include an outbreak of a mystery virus.
She said the hospital, which is seeking donations, was caring for about 30 birds at a time with eight arriving each day after being scooped up from lawns and roadsides.
The birds are given sweetened porridge and fresh fruit -- the avian version of hangover food.
"It's probably the equivalent of ice-cream and cans of coke for the lorikeets," Hansen said.
"They sit on the floor of the cage and rest their heads on the side, or they curl up in the corner and hide under the paper and block the rest of the world out."
Hansen said "drunk" lorikeets have been seen in Palmerston previously but never in such numbers, adding that the birds can die without proper care.
wings. 
How's my piglets doing? I'm just glad I'm working with my dad or else I'd go 
sitting here staring at a laptop that's 
. HUBBY CAME THROUGH and bought me a new one, guess I'll have to be nice to him for a while, scratch his back, serve his meals, get his drinks.. 
. It's all good and he's the best. I only had to ask once. Janet's been a big help, keeping me posted on anything new. Thank God for texting. I have a lot of catching up to do..I read every post so 2 days is mega much behind. Anyway, looking forward to my new laptop with so so so much more Ram than my 56 I have now...this has 3 gig of memory and a huge hard drive....and windows 7...hope I like it. Not sure when I'll get another chance at this so in case I can't get my kids off their WOW (World of WARCRAFT GAME), this may be it until the weekend. Maybe tomorrow night, my daughter bowls. Until then, take care guys and OMG the little monsters have grown so much in 2 days. Off to read then babysit. Missin ya's.
