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Many of us have allowed our parrots to play with and shred paper towel cores after we've used the entire paper towel supply from the core.

This has appeared to be harmless and I was very shocked to learn that it could be harmful! Had I not seen an email from Kimberly-Clark from Bird Talk Magazine, one of the manufacturers of paper towels and toilet paper, I might not have believed this information.

Zinc toxicity is very serious and can kill a parrot if it is severe. Kidney damage, upset digestion, feather plucking and increased water intake are all signs of zinc poisoning.

Other symptoms include vomiting, loss of appetite and larger than usual green droppings. Sudden death, unfortunately, is another sign.

Cockatoos are especially sensitive but no parrot is exempt. If you do, however, have a cockatoo that plucks feathers and nothing has resolved the problem, ask your vet to check for zinc in the parrot's blood.

I was aware of zinc toxicosis (a big word for zinc poisoning) in parrots, but had always heard that the most common cause was older cages or the use of galvanized wire in aviaries.