Toucans in aviary

[muscovy man14]

My biggest fear is that the parrots will hurt one of the ducks or something bcus I know how bad a parrot bite hurts!!! Trust me it does not feel good lolol

 

[Avianman]

Swainsens toucans are a better price point then the Toco for a true toucan. But you are going to have trouble getting even the Toucanets and Aracaris for $1500. In fact, Im gonna say those aren't toucans - like Chickerdoodle said - they are up near ten grand for Tocos.

Oh, and be prepared for a short commitment - Toucans have a short life span in even the best conditions.

I wouldnt put hookbills in with ducks. But then, I wouldnt put a Toucan with a duck unless it was one huge aviary, mostly because I dont want the toucan I just spent several grand on getting sick because it got curious and ate something it shouldn't.

The turacos are neat softbills, much more affordable, make decent pets (like a duck or a chicken) and are just different enough to be cool. They are a tropical bird, but easy to care for.

Best of luck. Oh, if those ARE toucans for $800 - buy them all.

Beau

 

[muscovy man14]

I have to agree I just won't get the toucans or the parrots I mainly won't get the parrots bcus they will prob chew through my netted roof or something. How much do torocos usually cost?

 

[punk-a-doodle]

Man! I had read that price as 8,000, and that was cheap. I agree, sounds scammy even for a region where critters tend to run cheaper. Personal experience wise, our parrots were more work/trouble/time/commitment than our toucans and aracaris ever were. If you are already a parrot person though, no harm in keeping with them. I wouldn't combine parrots and ducks personally though.

I'm not fond of Turacos personality wise and much preferred working with just about every other bird. That said, they are extremely pretty and I only worked with two species. Maybe some are less territorial little stinkheads than others!

 

[punk-a-doodle]

Ps. There are lots of beautiful birds out there. Take your time to choose the right one for you and your goals. Even the lowly street pigeon has some amazingly stunning relatives.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Bristol.zoo.victoria.crowned.pigeon.arp.jpg
http://i1.trekearth.com/photos/32444/fruit-dove_superb7.jpg

 

[muscovy man14]

I have to agree I don't think my dad will let me spend 5000 on a turaco I'll prob end up with some exotic pigeons like Nicobars or something lol do you have any exotics?

 

[Rosa moschata]

Rather than a pair of something larger, what about a few pairs of smaller species? You'll have to be sure the aviary wire/netting is appropriate, but there are many different smaller softbills and finches which would do fine in that size aviary. Finches will be easier to feed, while many softbills will need daily fresh fruit and/or insect and/or nectar diets (depending on the species). A good "starter" softbill which would do well in there is the Pekin Robin (Leiothrix lutea) or its close relative, the Silver-Eared Mesia (Leiothrix argentauris). Both have nice songs, besides being pretty. There are also some species of thrushes which could be OK, but be aware that some can be rather pugnacious with smaller birds in the same aviary (though one your size shouldn't present much of a problem there). And there are plenty of finch species available for color and/or song -- and don't forget canaries! If you're considering any kind of parrot, some of the more peaceful species to consider are cockatiels and the various "grass parakeets".

 

[muscovy man14]

Thx that was a lot of info lol. But I just found out there is a man who doesn't live very far from me that raises hornbills!! (You can imagine my excitement lol) does any body have any tips on them? I plan on calling and getting as much info as possible as well

 

[Rosa moschata]

I would not put anything in an aviary with a pair of hornbills. Depending on the species, they can be predatory, and may eat eggs or ducklings (or other small animals) in their aviary. If you think toucans are expensive, hornbills are in a similar price range (again, there are quite a few species, and you didn't mention exactly which your neighbor raises -- generally, like toucans, the larger species are rather expensive). They tend to be very specialized when it comes to breeding (with many species, females will seal themselves into tree hollows with a mixture of mud and their own feces, and males bring food through the beak-sized slit left for that purpose), which leads to their high cost. The smaller Tockus species would probably be the easiest for a beginner, but I still wouldn't call them "beginner birds." If you want to try something sorta similar in looks (but smaller), look at barbets -- the Bearded Barbet (Lybius dubius) is relatively common among breeders, and something on "my someday list."

 

[punk-a-doodle]

No exotics myself yet, but moved to my current state largely so we can finally own some exotics ourselves instead of just working with them. I'm not even kidding when I say that was one of the top criteria for choosing a state. Kookaburras are near the top of my wishlist. How I love those glorified kingfishers!

Find out the species of hornbill if you can, and then post back. We had several species, but say, one of the ground hornbills have very, very different personalities and needs than something like a Von der Decken's Hornbill. Like Rosa said, depending on species, that is definitely another one you don't want to mix with ducks. Had a wild mallard fly into the pen of a Southern Ground Hornbill one morning, and they ripped the duck's bill completely off its face. Had to euthanize the mallard. Can't imagine the smaller species doing that, but definitely some can/will eat eggs/ducklings. We kept one of the red-billed species in with Temminck's Tragopans without incidence if that helps.

With a breeder close by, I'd ask to help him out with work at his place and see how you like the mannerisms of hornbills. That'd be a great opportunity to learn all about them, their care, and their breeding. I loved all of the hornbills, but I've met several people who were just rubbed the wrong way by them. Small species can run under $1,000, and the Von der Decken's seem especially prevalent right now.

Keep researching and getting ideas like you are doing. Looking at breeders nearby is a great idea as many are happy to coach people new to the species.