Some people have had luck allowing their toucans around their other birds for supervised playtime when those birds were of similar or larger size.  However mixing bird species can be risky, and with toucans you can really be playing with fire.

Toucans are quite different from most pet parrots, and from pet finches in that they are predatory, and while the bulk of their diet consists of fruit, birds do comprise a part of the diet of wild toucans.  Even if your toucan was born and raised in captivity its predatory instincts are not gone.  Predatory instincts are still very alive even in animals such as cats and dogs which have been domesticated for a very long time, and pet toucans are not nearly so removed from the wild.

Observe how your toucan plays, do you notice it gripping onto its rope toys and giving them a good bull dog style shake?  How about bashing toys against its perch or other hard surfaces?  That is predator behavior.  Just like a cat or a dog, a toucan will treat its toys as prey.  Toucans kill insects and birds by gripping onto them and shaking them violently, or by bashing them against a perch in the same manner.

People have also had dogs and cats that they’ve found got along with their birds for years, only one day much to their surprise to have that same dog or cat chomp down on or claw their bird, severely injuring or even killing the bird.   The situation could very well end in the same way with a toucan.

Even if your toucan means no harm, they can play rather rough and have a much higher level of energy than any parrot that I’ve ever encountered.  There are risks of a parrot being irked by the toucan’s behavior, and give your toucan a good chomp, and parrots can do a lot of damage with their beak.  So in the case of parrots, not only is your parrot at risk from your toucan, but your toucan is at risk from your parrot.
As for housing toucans with other birds, some have housed them in very large aviaries with large birds, but there’s some risk even that even larger birds will be harassed and possibly killed by a toucan.

Toucans are also nest robbers, and so it’s a terrible idea to try to breed birds with a toucan in the same aviary, as chicks, and eggs are likely to start disappearing.

Put a toucan with a smaller bird, and don’t be at all surprised if that smaller bird vanishes.

In conclusion, I don’t recommend having a toucan and another bird out of their cages together, and I definitely recomend not keeping a toucan in a cage with another bird.

However if you are going to have your toucan around another bird, keep the risks in mind, proceed with caution, supervise them closely.

Here’s a few resources on the predator-prey relationships between toucans and other birds.

An article on the interesting relationship between the toco toucan and the hyacinth macaw.

I don’t recommend watching the below video if you are squeamish about watching one animal feeding on another.
A video of crimson rumped toucanets feeding on a dove

Q: Which would you say you’ve had the most luck breeding?
A: Green aracaris seem to be the best species to breed as, once you have a compatible pair, they can produce chicks in a healthy environment.

Q: Which has proven to be the most challenging and why?
A: Some of the rarer aracaris and larger toucans have been difficult. This is why I have stuck with green aracaris.

Q: Which one have you found to be the easiest to work with?
A: Green aracaris!

Q: Which species would you say is least prone to mate aggression?
A: I don’t have that much of a comparison as many of the birds I have worked with came to me as pairs. I haven’t had any issues with mate aggression in the green aracaris but have seen/heard about it in some of the larger species.

Q: Which requires the most space? The least?
A: The larger the toucan, the more space needed.

Q: Any other particular issues that you’ve encountered with breeding these birds that are important for new breeders to be aware of?
A: These birds need big enclosures, as much natural sunlight as possible, and a hugely varied diet. My green aracaris prefer their nest log entrance to be 6 feet from the ground or more so tall flights seem to be the best way to go. It is also vital to have cameras on your logs so you can monitor your chicks. This has been a major factor in our breeding success.

Q: Any tips for those whom want to breed toucans for the first time?
A: Don’t think you’ll have success right away and don’t cut corners. I talk to people all the time who want to set up pairs in their home and think they’ll breed under artificial lights. In my experience, this doesn’t work and people seem to talk themselves into thinking it will be ok even if they cut corners. These species can all have their challenges!

Q: Any particular species you would recommend for first time breeders?
A: Green aracaris seem to be agreed upon as a good species to start with as they appear to be more adaptable than others.

Hope this info helps!

Q: Which would you say you’ve had the most luck breeding?

A: The Toucanets and Aracaris are far easier to breed than the large toucans and they are pretty close to being equal.  I would rank them from easiest to more difficult as follows: Crimson Rump Toucanets, Guyana Toucanets, Green Aracaris, Emerald Toucanets, Ivory Bill Aracaris, Collared Aracaris, Curl Crested Aracaris, Chestnut Eared Aracaris, and Saffron Toucanets.  I have other small species that have not bred at all, but I recently acquired them and only have a pair or two of each, so it is too early to know how they will do.

Q: Which has proven to be the most challenging and why?

A: The Chestnut Ears have been the greatest challenge because they scramble their eggs and thus you must pull them for artificial incubation as soon as they are laid.  Then they are the most difficult to hand raise from day one.

Q: Which one have you found to be the easiest to work with?

A: The Crimson Rumps, Guyanas and Greens are the easiest in that order

Q: Which species would you say is least prone to mate aggression?

A: I have never had mate aggression in the Curl Crested, Ivory Bill, Chestnut Ears or Crimson Rumps.  I have had mate aggression in Emeralds and Guyanas.

Q: Which requires the most space? The least?

A: They all require the same space.  The smallest breeding flight I have used was 4′ x 10′ x 6 feet high and the flights I currently use are 8′ x 12′ x 8 feet high and the newest flights are 8′ x 16′  x 8 feet high
If you want to learn about how to breed, review my website on the subject at www.emeraldforestbirds.com.  They need the proper diet, a nest log and the pairs must be compatible.  These birds are sensitive to iron in the diet, so should be kept on the Mazuri Low Iron Softbill pellet plus a variety of fruit – all fruits except citrus, pineapple and tomatoes are OK.

Q: Any particular species you would recommend for first time breeders?

A: I would start with the easiest, so when you have babies you will feel a sense of accomplishment and want to continue.  If you start with a difficult species you will have much less luck and may become discouraged.

I’ll start this blog off saying I am not an expert in bird behavior.  What I’ve written in this blog is based mainly on my own observation of my birds, but also to a certain extent what I’ve heard from other toucan breeders and owners. Please feel welcome to share your own insight on toucan communication in the comments section.

Hissing

Emerald toucanets will make a cat-like hissing sound when frightened.  Hissing does not seem to mean the bird is angry as is the case with some animals, but only that the bird feels threatened.

Purring

Seems to be an expression of playfulness and enjoyment. Mine will make this sound  while playing with toys, and while being pet.  Both of them will also make this sound often times when I come home from work.

Clucking

An emerald toucanet has a clucking sound that can build up to something that sounds somewhere between a cluck and a bark. This is the emerald toucanet’s way of calling to flock mates. Typically my birds will not make this sound if I’m in visual range.

Hooting

Could as easily be called a coo, and often has a whine-like quality to it. I’m not so sure what this sound means as I am some of the other sounds that my toucanets make.  The birds tend to make it when they are relaxed or falling asleep, and if I imitate this sound they will usually reply. I think it may be a sound that signifies the bird is feeling relaxed and content. Hal (my male) also makes another sound similar to this, but one which is slightly louder, and has a more raspy quality.  This sound tends to be made when he is courting someone.

Trill

Emerald toucanets have a gentle almost laugh-like trill.  Like the purr it is often made right when my fiance or I get home, it may be an expression that the bird is happy to see you, a friendly greeting of sorts perhaps.

Croaking

The frog-like croaking of a toucanet seems to express curiosity, and an alert state. Particularly when combined with a flicking of the tail and a upward jerk of the head followed by a slower downward motion croaking is a call of alarm. Thus it is used by emerald toucanets to alert other birds of something that deserves attention.

There is a different croaking sound that an emerald toucanet will make which is a distress call, if you hear a somewhat loud croaking/grunting sound, check on your bird, as it may be hurt.

Snarling/Growling

A snarl signifies a state of excitement. Often my toucanet Hal will snarl when he’s really intensely into playing, or if I have something that he REALLY wants. Hal has sometimes made this sound and the dove down at me in an attempt to steal something I have that he wants (no his dive bombings have never brought me, or anyone else any harm).

The birds I mentioned above all fall into the category of softbill, which is not a scientific classification but as Werner Steinigeweg says in his book The New Softbill Handbook:

It is a term that applies to various birds that belong to different genera and families but that all share one characteristic. Softbills unlike most other cage birds, don’t live on seeds.

Softbills are often broken down into categories based on their diet. These categories include:

insectivores; birds that primarily eat insects
frugivores; these birds primarily eat fruit
nectarivores; these birds which primarily feed on nectar
carnivores; which primarily eat meat. Insectivores technically also fall into this category
omnivores; birds which eat both plant and animal matter

You’ll find that many birds don’t really strictly fall into just one category.

Before you get a softbill

Before you get a softbill you should make sure you have completed this list of things

Research the species of bird that you are interested in, so you know all about its diet and other requirements for the bird’s well-being.

Make sure that you have the necessary time to care for the bird. Birds all need fresh food and water every day a clean cage, and many birds need a lot of interaction. All those things take time.

Find a trustworthy person or store to get your bird from. If the individual or store keeps their birds in filthy conditions or their birds look unhealthy, do not buy birds from them. If a person doesn’t want to let you visit their premises to see how they keep their animals be skeptical.

Of course once you figure out where you are going to get your bird from you need to actually arrange to get the bird. Make sure that the person you are getting your bird from knows exactly what you want, and that you know exactly how much you are going to end up paying for the bird, and when you can actually get the bird.

This next step can be done before or after you find the right place to get your bird from. Make sure you have everything the bird will need once you pick it up. This means bird food, a cage, toys, and bowls for their food and water.

And finally, get your bird, bring it home, and get the bird situated in its new home.

I think it’s important that we continue to remind our elected officials that we are here, and not going away.  This will help spread awareness of our concerns, and hopefully have a positive impact.

Here’s my own letter, obviously yours doesn’t have to be anything like mine if you write one, you could have different concerns you want to bring up, or simply to write something positive about pet ownership.

“There is a growing concern among those whom keep and raise animals, especially the more exotic ones that our interests are being pushed aside in favor of the radical animal rights agenda.  I ask that when you are considering any new legislation that deals with animals to please keep those of us whom keep and breed animals in mind.

Legislation should encourage responsibility, while respecting an individual’s privacy; it should encourage animal husbandry to thrive, from domestics, to exotics, to farm animals, while also doing things that actually can reduce incidences of animal abuse.

It seems like too often legislation now is simply aimed at limiting animal keeping rather than encouraging it to thrive, as if severely reducing or even eliminating animal keeping were the only solution.

The pet industry, private hobbyists, and breeders thrive on a diversity of breeds and species of animals; laws should support and indeed encourage this need for diversity, while minimizing risks.

Outright prohibitions are to be discouraged other than as a very last resort to dealing with problems posed by specific species.

Instead of laws that impose limits on the number of animals one can have,  laws should seek to genuinely do something to improve the lives of animals, while allowing a person to keep however many they can properly care for.  After all one dog is too many for some people, while others are perfectly able to care for many dogs (this can apply to any animal).

I ask that you please support animal keeping and take those of us involved in it into consideration when you are passing legislation that could impact our way of life.”

A lot of people have asked me if toucanets play with toys, and what kind of toys are good for them.  My toucanets are both certainly very playful, and in general this is the case with members of the toucan family.  I have an ever growing collection of toys for mine, because they will play with one for a while, and eventually grow bored with it.  When they get bored with one toy, it’s time for a new toy.  I take the toy my birds have lost interest in away for a while, and eventually reintroduce it; usually some of that old interest in the toy will be regained.

Both my toucanets have their own little preferences for toys, which includes some odd items.

Hal has a fascination with any container meant to hold liquid, he goes absolutely nuts for Odwalla bottles, and will fly down to any that are around and give me an expectant look which means he wants me to start moving it around so he can chase it.  I have to be careful with any open containers around him because he will sometimes lunge at, or peck and knock over them.  I sometimes also get dive bombed by Hal if I’m carrying any sort of cup, glass or bottle around.  He’s also fond of playing with boxes, and with my mail.

Arisia loves human toys.  She loves stuffed animals, and she loves my dragon figurines, which I have a collection of.  Since not all my toys are what I’d call bird safe, I have bought her some of her own stuffed animals and figurines which are.  If you let your bird have any human toys make sure that they do not have sharp points which the bird could harm itself on, or any parts that could be broken off and swallowed with ease.  Getting toys which are baby safe is your best bet.

These birds are curious, and will likely try to play with anything that they can get their beaks on.

Some types of toys for toucans

In general toys which a toucan can chase, throw, tug on, carry in their beak and peck at are good.

Rope toys

My birds love these, especially Hal my male toucanet.  I’ll tie them to something, and he’ll play tug a war with them, or I’ll hold on to them and he’ll play tug a war with me.  You do have to be careful with rope toys though; a bird could become tangled up in them or even end up being hung by the neck by a rope toy.  If you leave a rope toy in your bird’s cage when they aren’t being supervised, make sure that it’s short enough that there’s no risk of the bird getting tangled up in it.  A rope toy can safely be longer if lengths of it are divided up by blocks, or other items.

The toy pictured above consists of colorful blocks on a chain, and serves the same function as a rope toy for a toucan.  Toucans have very keen vision, and are very responsive to color. Color can add extra interest to toys for a toucan.

Both my toucanets have the above pictured toy in their cage, and they will fight with it so viciously I’d think they hated its guts (especially Hal whom gets really impassioned when he plays), except that both birds are usually purring like a kitten the whole time.  This toy is essentially a punching (pecking) bag.

Talon Toys

Talon toys, also called foot or hand toys are great for toucans.  Toucans don’t hold their food up in their “hand” like a parrot, rather they will sometimes hold it against their perch in their talons and pick at it in a manner that reminds me very much of how a hawk or falcon holds their prey as they pick at it.  My birds enjoy toys that they can hold in this fashion and peck at.  Talon toys are also a good option because toucans enjoy toys they can carry in their beak as high as possible and drop, or that they can beat against their perch or another object.

If I gently toss the above pictured talon toy to Hal, he will catch it.

Balls

Toy balls are a good option, and will be played with by toucans in a similar way to how talon toys are played with.  Your toucans may also enjoy chasing a ball, or throwing it and having you fetch it.

Perch Stands/Play stands

My toucanets both like having multiple places to fly to, and I provide them different options by having multiple perch stands set up.  Hal enjoys perch stands more than Arisia, whom prefers landing on my bookshelves or the ceiling fan (of course it’s always off when the birds are out).

Caution Required

Toys with little beads and other small enough to swallow parts

These toys are generally a no.  Even if the toy in question is a ball with a little bell inside, unless you’re absolutely certain that the bell too big to swallow, or there’s no way the toy could be broken open by your bird then don’t let your bird have access to these toys, especially not unsupervised.  My toucanets do have little toy balls with a small bell inside, and one Hal managed to crack open (by repeatedly dropping it and beating it against his perch), it is fortunate he didn’t decide to make a meal out of the small bell inside. After this I decided this was a toy that I’d only let him play with while I could keep a close eye on him.  The earlier pictured talon toy is also an supervised play time only toy for similar reasons.

Toys with seeds or nuts

Toys with seeds or nuts in them are a no, seeds and nuts aren’t part of a toucan’s diet, ‘nor should they be, and such toys should not be offered to them.

If you live just about anywhere in the United States then you probably are familiar with this bird.  Ever seen massive flocks of black birds, and I mean so massive that it looks like a moving undulating black cloud?  Chances is are that black cloud was a flock of European starlings.

The black bird pictured above is a European starling, housed in an aviary along with various other species of bird.  The bird to the right of him is a lineolated parakeet.

As familiar as these birds are to US residents they are not a native species.  European starlings were…you guessed it, brought over from Europe, though they are also native to Western Asia.   So how exactly did starlings get here?  Well someone (specifically a group called the American Acclimatization Society) decided it would be a great idea to introduce all of the birds in shakespeare’s works to North America.  If you want to read more about that story and more on starlings here is a link for  you to visit: Shakespeare to Blame for Introduction of Europeans Starlings to US.

While some may consider the starlings to be annoyingly noisy, I find their calls to be quite interesting and generally pleasant.  These birds are in the same family as the myna birds; sturnidae, and they are capable mimics, both of other birds, and also of the human voice.

While most people would probably never think of keeping one of these birds as a pet, and many are likely not even aware they can be kept as pets, there are those whom do indeed keep these birds, and in many places they are legal to be kept.  You may sometimes hear them referred to as “the poor man’s myna” and if you’ve seen the prices of myna birds lately, then you would know why. A great resource for those interested in keeping European starlings is:

Starling Talk

European Starling Classification:

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Sturnidae

Genus: Sturnus

Species: Vulgaris

How about an empty box of chocolates.

Hal is giving that box of chocolates a good shake

Hey give that back!

Above is a link to a video of Hal playing with that box of chocolates on Youtube.