My friend came home yesterday with a rainbow lorikeet. He said it went straight underneath (the middle) of their car and they were worried about it. We put it in a cage and put a sheet over the top to keep it dark and quiet. All night he sat in the same spot. I dont believe he is injured but more so in shock. I would like to nurse him until he is better again and if possible get a licence to keep him as he seems very tame already. His tail only goes to the end of his wings? Was this chopped or is he a different type? How much does it cost to apply for a licence in QLD? Any tips on how to look afer him would be great too. Thanks :)

Is it wild or a pet? You should bring him/her to the vet ASAP. :)

take him to a vet
if he is wild becareful they will bite to protect themselves

i had a friend with a rainbow lorikeet and it had a small short tail to but i am in WA so maybe there is different types i suggest keeping him in a quiet room with plenty of water and buy some nectar for him to eat you can get nectar from the pet shop if you are wanting to keep him definatly ask a ranger or a council person if you need a licence.
hope he gets better

experience

A rainbow lorikeet is just that. There is no different 'type'.

You can tell if the tail has been chopped off. It will look cut. It sounds like it is just a young RL since the tail hasn't grown fully. If this is the case take it to a wild life rehab asap. It may be too young to be flying & eating on it's own & need formula. It will die without the proper care it will need. RL have a specialised formula & require feeding at different times of the day & night, depending on the age. Even if it has fledged it may still need formula. A wildlife rehab will know what to do. Since the RL is wild yes you need a wildlife licence to care for it. It isn't as easy as popping into somewhere & paying a fee either. By the time you have tried & possibly succeeded in getting a licence to care for the RL it will have died. If you can't find a wildlife rehab take it straight to a vet. They will know where there is a rehab & take it there.