Hello Everybody

This month we have another Parrot Profile, hope you enjoy it :) We also have a new DVD, a new Testimonials page, and we're seeking someone to join our team! Read on . . .

We're Hiring!

Are you a crafty person with approximately 6-10 hours spare each week?

Our chief Parrot Toy Designer & Maker Jen has recently discovered that twins are on the way to join her existing two little ones, so we need help with the manufacturing side of things.

We’re keenly interested in employing someone who has good craft skills, an eye for detail and the ability to follow instructions to the letter. The hours are flexible and the job is pleasant but we really want someone who is interested in becoming a long-term member of our team and is able to construct quality toys. The work needs to be done on site at our premises in Pascoe Vale South (Melbourne, Victoria).

Send us an email if you’re interested. We want to know a bit about you, what crafts you have done, and how you imagine you might fit into our team. Please send your email of interest to caroline@myparrotshop.com by Friday 10th of September.

Parrot Profiles - Eclectus!

In late 2009 we conducted a survey of our customers in order to find out such things as "what toys are popular with your parrot?" ... "does your parrot have a particular playing style?" ... "does your bird show interest in a particular material?"

These questions, and more, are being collated together into 'Parrot Profiles and published exclusively on our website. The second article in this series is about Eclectus Parrots - "The Thinker".

» Eclectus Parrot Profile . . .

New - Avian First Aid DVD

As some of you might know Nikki Arkinstall from Bird Boarding in Melbourne and Caroline from My Parrot Shop currently have a two-part article in the Australian Parrot Society magazine about illness and first aid for companion parrots (the second part will appear in the next magazine).

This has prompted us to organise a long overdue first aid kit and other relevant supplies to made available from either business. These products are still being developed and should be ready to go by the next newsletter.

Meanwhile we have a wonderful new DVD on Avian First Aid by Dr. Greg Burkett - a Board Certified Avian Veterinarian with 17 years experience in avian medicine.

Parrot owners commonly experience emergencies with their birds. Some cases need to be seen by an avian veterinarian immediately, however in many emergencies first aid can be given by the owner to stabilise the bird until veterinary care can be administered.

Avian First Aid is a comprehensive presentation designed to teach owners how to properly handle a pet bird emergency. The presentation discusses how to recognize and prepare for an emergency, how to capture and restrain a bird, and gives a complete list of items needed to assemble an avian first aid kit. Dr. Burkett also describes how to set up a home hospital cage, and discusses in detail the common emergencies and describes the first aid needed in each situation.

» Avian First Aid DVD . . .

Popular Products

This new section showcases great products that have been around for a while but might have been missed by some of you. This month it's Paper Sticks!

Paper Sticks are a great toy part that can be used in a variety of ways or simply handed over as a foot toy. They’re stronger and more durable than wood equivalents and parrots absolutely adore shredding and unravelling them.

The're available in 3 sizes, each pack comes in a variety of colours, and they're cheap!

» Paper Sticks! . . .

Did you know? From Abaca Rope to Zoo Beads there are currently 120 different products in the Toy Parts & Hardware category - boundless creative possibilities for the DIY Parrot Toy Builder!

Feedback

Since we made our first sale in October 2006 we have received some very kind feedback from many of you and we’d just like to take this opportunity to thank you for it. Being an online shop means we don’t often get to meet our customers or have in-depth discussions about your feathered friends, and because of that the feedback and phone calls we do receive are all the more appreciated.

We’ve just added a Testimonials page to our website, and in the next few months our IT guy is planning to implement a ‘Product Review’ thingy on My Parrot Shop so people can review and rate our products. We’re hoping this will make shopping a bit more interesting and informative.

By the way, don’t be scared to report disappointing toys, as we can’t improve if we don’t hear about it – and we do want to improve! If you have photos of half-destroyed toys – send them in! These sorts of photos are extremely helpful for us and for other customers to understand what sort of damage parrots can inflict to particular toys. If you have made observations about your particular bird’s playing style, likes and dislikes – we always love to hear about it. If the toy didn’t go the distance you expected from it, let us know, we may be able to make an improvement on the toy or adjust our description of it for other people to make an informed decision.