Discover the charm of Toucans as pet birds! Uncover 5 reasons why they make great companions, ensuring an informed decision for potential bird owners
I’m sure the first time you wanted a pet bird, you imagined either a parrot, canary, pigeon (dove), or finch, but not a toucan.
Well, these colorful, large-billed birds (toucans) (the bill a little too big for their body) also make excellent house pets. More for their appearance but also their friendly and playful nature.
Toucans are also pretty intelligent and social and get along with human parents and family, despite their limited residence in our homes.
Though adorable and charming, there is so much more to living with toucans besides their cute face and goofy personalities.
Chrissan, once a Toucan mum of three; Paco, Paz, and Pepe
Having said that, pet toucans do not come without their fair share of challenges.
First, they are not as popular as (say) parrots, canaries, or finches, so there is not much information on their care and maintenance anywhere.
You’ll mostly have to depend on advice from the few owners who have had them…
…, and even then, you will still have to spend a lot of time learning your bird.
Moreover, while parrots are high maintenance in their own right, they are much better suited as pets than toucans, which are more costly, messy, need a lot of space, and are tough to train.
Well, too much of this intro chit-chat!
Now, let’s see why toucans make good (or not too good) pets. See the rest of this post.
What Makes Toucans Good (Nice) Pet Birds
Albeit toucans being somewhat more challenging to keep than your average house bird, they pack a couple of pros, in contrast to parrots, canaries, pigeons, finches, or what have you.
As an instance, toucans are not as loud or destructive and can’t bite with the force of a parrot. They do not scream like parrots or make other loud, obnoxious noises like pigeon coos or finch melodies.
Listed is what makes toucans good pets, ideal for a home setting, and an option from typical house birds.
Toucans Are Not As Aggresive, Don’t Bite Much
Toucans occasionally get aggressive and even kill other birds when housed together, especially during mating and nesting season. However, they are nowhere near as belligerent as parrots, and there is less chance you’ll get an oddball.
These colorful, oddly beaked aves also bite less often, and their beaks are softer, so even in instances where they do, they are less likely to cause injury.
Compared to the tough hooked bill on a parrot, a toucan’s beak is fairly-gentle, flat, lightweight, and less accustomed to breaking and cracking hard nuts and seeds.
Nonetheless, please note that a toucan’s bite is not entirely painless, especially for kids and toddlers.
Toucan are Not Loud (Don’t Scream)
We know parrots are many things and loud.
They can be silent one minute and scream to high-heavens the next for no apparent reason and with no discrimination. These mimics scream in the morning, daytime, or night as long as they want and feel like it.
Even the somewhat quiet types like sennies still make some noise, especially when vexed.
Doves, canaries, and finches are not better either. Pigeons with their unrelenting coos and the latter with their wee hour choruses.
So…if you want an adorable bird, silent than most, a toucan is a great place to start. These critters don’t talk, sing, scream or mimic sounds and are only vocal when needing attention.
The good folks at VCA Hospitals observe that toucans (and toucanets) only make a pleasant low keyed rattle-like tremolo when happy or content.
A charming way to sum it up, huh!
Toucans are Friendly and Sociable
Perhaps…toucans are not domesticated as pigeons, and neither are they popular house birds like parrots, but they are still very social and do well around other birds and people.
Toucans are friendly to humans and with a personality almost as brilliant and fascinating as their colors and beak.
These birds are also less likely to bond with only one person (like parrots) and will accommodate almost every member of your household.
Your toucan may not like to cuddle as much as your parrot, but they will let you pet it once in a while and are playful, intelligent, and curious about their surrounding as much as any other pet bird you own.
Toucans are Not Destructive
If you’ve had a parrot as a pet, you’ll know a destructive bird when you see one, but that bird is not a toucan.
I know looks can be deceiving, and by looking at a toucan’s bill, it’s easy to assume they’ll cut through metal and rock to get to your rugs, furniture, floors, and wall, but no.
As I mentioned, a toucan’s beak is only huge (and scary), period.
The bill is more a giant, lightweight, soft, and fluffy calcium wedge that only serves to consume food, meaning your toucan won’t chew on carpets and wood or tear into fabric or turfy items in your house like a parrot.
Toucans Can Live for Many Years
If your a looking for a bird that will be around for a long time, perhaps a toucan is a great place to start. These birds live almost as long as mid-sized parrots, such as conures, Indian ringnecks, and mini macaws.
Anywhere from 20 to 25 years is standard for a healthy, well-raised toucan, even in captivity.
Why A Toucan May Not Be a Good Pet for You
As with anything and everything under the sun, toucans are not all rosy. They come with a few cons that might deter most hobbyists from keeping them.
As for instance, toucans need more space than your average budgie, cockatiel, or conure, meaning they are not ideal for pet birds for people living in apartments and any other small aboards.
Below are a couple of reasons (why) you might want to avoid keeping toucans as pets.
Toucans are Wild, Not Best for Domestication
Toucans are much like parrots, canaries, and finches. They are friendly and sociable and enjoy the company of other birds and humans but are inherently wild and will once in a while be frantic and unruly.
So, if you are looking for a pet bird that is wholly domesticateble, perhaps a pigeon or dove is a much better alternative to a toucan.
In fact, toucans are wilder than parrots.
You will have a much easy time training or trying to accustom a parrot to your home environment than you will with a toucan.
Toucans are Quiet, But Also Don’t Talk
You will enjoy your peace and serenity if you get a toucan, but you’ll also miss out on the talking bird that most keepers crave.
See, toucans cannot mimic human speech like parrots and mynah birds, and the only way to understand what your bird is feeling is through its body language, movement, and limited sounds.
A toucan is more a bird for owners who want a colorful companion that’ll cuddle and offer endless entertainment but require him to remain reasonably loud, for whatever reason.
Toucan are Messy and Less Trainable
Cleaning up poop and fruit goop is a constant battle and Good luck trying to potty train your bird (toucan): Chrissan, once a Toucan mum of three; Paco, Paz, and Pepe
I know no pet bird is clean entirely, but toucans are arguably messier than most. They poop almost as frequently as a tiny budgie and fling their food in the air like a naughty African grey or macaw.
It does not help much that toucans are not as trainable either (as parrots), meaning you will have to clean up after them (all the time).
So, long story short, be prepared to do a lot of cleaning if you get a toucan. You can limit the mess by keeping them in an outdoor aviary, but make sure they have space indoors for them to reside in on chilly nights and winter days.
Toucans Need Plenty of Space
Toucans are active birds that will require plenty of space, more when housed indoors. Comparatively, they need as much (if not more) area than an equally-sized parrot with perches, toys, and everything.
Perhaps because of their more than average house bird activities, a bird room is better than a cage for your toucans.
Toucan barely sit in one spot foraging, work on toys, or get into their preferred mischief of the day for hours on end like parrots. They like to fly around, sit for a short minute, then fly off to another point, perhaps higher than the first.
Granted…even your house should be large enough for toucans to explore, fly and exercise. They are not ideal for apartment living.
How Much Does A Pet Toucan Cost
Toucans are exotic birds that come at a hefty price in the pet market. The cost is heightened by the bird’s beauty, odd beak, and their rarity in the hobby.
A Swainson’s toucan will cost you anywhere between 3000 and 5500 dollars (more than most parrots), while a toco toucan can set you back as much as 10000 dollars.
The initial cost notwithstanding, note you’ll also spend more on running costs, as any other pet, be it a bird, dog, cat, or even something tiny, like a hamster or gerbil.
Toucans need a constant supply of fruits (have expensive taste papaya, mango) and low iron pellets. They also require toys for stimulation and enrichment, which as Chrissen note, may cost upwards of 400 dollars, and you’ll need to replace them (the toys) every couple of months because your cans will destroy them in no time.
Well, that all for this post. See you in the next one.
All the best with toucan.