Toucans As Pets: Guidelines And General Tips - Complete Guide!

The toucan must be offered a temperature between 18° C and 28° C (64º F to 82º F) and a high relative humidity level, at 60 to 85%. This is because toucans are tropical birds, and they need to be kept in the closest manner to their native conditions.

Toucans are mostly vegetarian, but they do need some animal protein in their diet, which in their natural habitat is derived from insects, small lizards, nestlings and some rodents. The basis of their diet is fruit, followed by vegetables. This is because toucans have a very small stomach where food remains for very little time, so they need to eat very hydrating food like fruit. Among the most desirable fruits for toucans we can find:

• Banana
• Papaya
• Apple (seedless)
• Pear
• Melon
• Mango

You can feed a tame toucan soft "meatballs"; they should be 2 or 3 centimeters (1 inch) in diameter, made with boiled rice, carrots, cucumber and potato, to compliment the toucan's fruit-based diet. These little supplements should include, occasionally, a bit of ground beef to balance their diet and make it somewhat similar to that of a toucan out in the wild. Toucans should have clean water at all times.

When we talk about animals that spend much of their time in a confined space, such as in a birdhouse or an aviary, it is worth remembering that there are no cages that are too big, but there are many that are too small.

Desirable minimum dimensions for an aviary for a pair of toucans are 4 m (high) x 3 m (wide) x 3 m (deep), that is, 13 x 10 x 10 feet. A toucan cage must have perches or crossing sticks if there isn't a nice hollow log for your feathered friend. However, do remember that these measures are minimal and that a toucan needs to exercise on a very regular basis, even when kept as a pet.

The hygiene and cleaning of a toucan's aviary must be very meticulous in order to avoid diseases, but it must not be carried out with ordinary household cleaning products. Use cleaners that are not harmful to our feathered friends. Toucans can be attacked by parasites; in that case it will be necessary to consult with an exotic animal veterinarian on which product is best suited to help these birds.