We are susposed to have a toucan coming to the Bird Lovers Social Club meeting on Friday May 21st..

Nate, since you will be the guest speaker, you will have a chance to talk with the owner and then tell us more about them........

Nate - it would be really nice if you took your camera to the meeting and just happened to take some photos to show us!! :)

Debbi
NZ

I have no experience with toucans, but what I've READ is that they are not as intelligent as parrots, but they do bond and can be trained to do tricks. Their beaks arn't especially strong, they don't really bite or chew much. But I've read they can be aggressive to other birds and even try to eat small birds like finches (though apparently smaller species like aracaris are less aggressive). They also need a flight cage and a diet of fruit which can be messy.

Karen and Chico (greencheek conure) and Pippin (budgie)

COOL! I can't wait to meet the toucan. I've never seen one outside of a zoo. I have a friend who tells me that she fell in love with one she met at a pet store, but she couldn't afford it.

I'll take photos for sure!

Nate Waddoups
Redmond WA USA

Thank you Nate for all the help at the Bird Lovers Social Club.
Everyone I spoke with really enjoyed your talk at the club and the timing with Evening Magazine was perfect.

So sorry no softbills showed up. I was let down by the Person who was susposed to bring them and did not show. Sorry no first hand info to share on Toucans.

I will see if I can set something up for another time. In the meantime I will see if I can work something out for getting pictures and then figure out how to post them.

Thanks again Nate.........

For those of you interested in the toucan that did not show for our meeting,,,,,,,this is the events that took place

My friend was on her way to pick up the 2 toucans and a pair of tanagers for our meeting. She was in a 4 car accident and spent 6 hours in the emergency room. They are both okay, just needed to be checked out. No birds in the car with her, thank goodness......

She called me today and apologized for causing any disappointment. I am going to get together with her later this week and get some pictures.

She will reschedule for another meeting and if anyone in the seattle area is interested let me know and I will be sure to post which meeting.

Julie - I'm answering for Nate. He is interested because there are people out here waiting for his report and photos !! (namely me!) :)


Debbi
NZ

Yes, please post when your toucan friend can bring the bird to a meeting. I would love to meet some softbills.

Besides, I owe Debbi some toucan photos now. :-)

Nate Waddoups
Redmond WA USA

I hear they need meat (like thawed pinkie mice) to eat too, I wonder..................................

I wonder if they can substitute some thai-style chicken for the mice? Darwin loves that stuff, and for some reason I am a lot more comfortable sharing my dinner than feeding little mice. :-)

Nate Waddoups
Redmond WA USA

I have met several toucans and they are awsome! They don't feather pluck, scream or do anything along those lines. They cannot eat lemons, oranges, etc... because they have iron sensetivities. They require a special diet; Zupreem sells the toucan pelleted diet that has low iron. They don't really climb due to their beak and they more hop around (which is adorable!). They make wonderful pets, and I hope to own one soon... Most people like glassed in enclosures or outdoor aviaries because they are VERY messy, so if I ever did own one, I would probably get a CagesByDesign cage, which is about $2,000 for a reasonably sized cage, so they are very pricy.

*Dominique*
Harley~B&G Macaw~(F)
Echo~CAG~(M)

I had no idea you could own/buy a toucan! I LOVE them--particularly the "Peel Toucans". They are THE most beautiful and adorable of any bird I ever saw. I assumed they were along the lines of owning a chimp or a tiger--some do, but you really aren't supposed to. Other than zoos, these animals are only found in the wild or in bird sanctuaries or something...I can't tell you how excited I am, after reading this thread, to learn that this is not true--that toucans can be owned by private individuals and do well. The questions are: where can you purchase a toucan and how much do they cost?

JAC