Dear Parrots magazine,

It was recently when my husband and I decided we wanted a parrot, as my parents used to have an Amazon, that we went to a local pet store. As you do, we fell in love with a Yellow-crested Cockatoo that looked to be in excellent condition. We were a little concerned, as he was quite noisy and boisterous, but the pet store owner said that all the activity around him was making him excited. So, without hesitation, we both decided to buy him.

Read more: Letters: Patience paying off

Dear Parrots magazine,

Disinfection – which ones?

In a letter in your November issue, a reader asked for more information regarding different disinfection applications using iodine-based compounds and F10 disinfectants, and also mentioned F10’s efficacy against coronavirus. I hope the following information will be useful to her.

Read more: Letters: Disinfection – which ones?

Dear Parrots magazine,

Clean air needed

So I have some crappy news. In the past two years since I’ve had my boy Bruce, I’ve begun to get some weird lung issues. Well 12 months ago I had to see a respiratory specialist and have been having three monthly CT scans. Long story short, I have to go in for exploratory surgery as I have banded scarring, nodules on both lungs and deadening on the bottom of both lungs.

Read more: Letters: Clean air needed

Dear Parrots magazine,

Sudden attacks

My Grey has always been very friendly and I can handle him in any way, but all of a sudden, after three years, he has started to kind of attack me, having ago at my hand and fingers.

Read more: Letters: Sudden attacks

Dear Parrots magazine,

Loss of native habitat to fires

I was sad to read (Issue 274, November) about the horrible fire damage to the São Francisco do Perigara cattle ranch and bird sanctuary. It’s even more depressing that the loss of native habitat to uncontrolled fires has been so widespread in that region.

Read more: Letters: Loss of native habitat to fires

Dear Parrots magazine,

Dodgy parts (2)

I refer to a letter in the September 2020 (272) issue about ‘Dodgy parts’ by Tania Wilkinson, when she gave an account of her Ducorps Cockatoo, which came to grief when playing with a toy comprising of plastic rings. I have sadly experienced a similar problem with bits breaking off, but more seriously I think, as the part that my Grey got caught in its mouth was quite sharp.

Read more: Letters: Dodgy parts (2)