Dear Parrots magazine,
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.
Dear Parrots magazine,
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.
Dear Parrots magazine,
Scientists sometimes suggest that the ability of an animal to recognise itself in a mirror is a sign of self-awareness. In his book Animal Cognition, Clive Wynne states that several of the great apes, including chimpanzees, can recognise themselves in a mirror. He states, “Most of the other species tested, including fish, dogs, cat, elephants and parrots, all react to their reflection (if they react at all) as if it were another animal.”
Dear Parrots magazine,
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.
Dear Parrots magazine,
I have always been regarded as ‘over the top’ when cleaning and disinfecting my cages and nest boxes. For years I have been using an iodine based product and although has an impeccable reputation for killing all bacteria and viruses (still used in hospitals as far as I know), it is a problem in some cases because of the yellow stain it leaves behind. I am not over bothered about the stain on nest boxes, but has left stains on some other items in my cages.
Dear Parrots magazine,
For years I gave my birds 1 drop of GSE in their water bowls. I have a Ringneck who puts lots of food in his water. If I had been around all day it would have changed every few hours. Now after reading Leslie’s articles about GSE after washing the bowls I put in 1 drop with a little water, swish it around, pour it out and fill the bowls with water.
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