Strongly Considering an Aracari

[MinkFeathers]

Hello everyone!

My name is Logan and I came here to lurk and read and learn. I have been doing alot of that lately in here, and other forums. But I'm ready to come out of hiding and ask my own questions now.

Let me introduce my thoughts a bit first.

I have been wanting a bird for YEARS, but haven't gotten one for one reason or another. Space, time, living with certain people, ect. In all of that time though I fantasized of having my own feathery companion to add to my life. I have done so much research on all the kinds that interested me even in the slightest. From the ones I had 'some' experience with from old friends or some per stores, to common ones everyone seems to have at least one of, to some truely 'out there' types.

The catch is....I REALLY only want one....I already have 2 cats, a dog, a horse, and almost 30 reptiles (of which I will be adding to off and on as I intend to establish myself as a 'professional hobby breeder'). I also work full time (and then some). However, I will be working to advance to an 'at home' work opportunity. Only after this will I add a bird to my life as I would otherwise not have the amount of time I would like (or the bird may need) to spend with it. Once established at home, this will be a permanent career change, so I am unworried about instability.

Some of the birds that have caught my interest include rose brested cockatoos, sun, green cheek, and blue crowned conures, rosellas, indian ringnecks, and caques. All of these have been disqualified for one reason or another. Mostly because of noise level or dreaded behavior issues if I mess up. This will be my 1st bird after all.

This leads me to why I am posting in this section however.

By chance I saw a green aracari for sale in my local craigs list about a year or more ago. (Gives you an idea how much thought I have truely put into this). I researched as much as my brain could stand and read every thing I could, looked at photos, contacted breeders (one of which is Jerry Jennings) and mulled it over in my brain time and time again to the point that is become a near obsession. This lead me to also looking into other aracaris and toucans as well. And while I believe I would ADORE a toco, it's just too far out of my foreseeable price range, and I don't believe I could provide one with the full space and enrichment they would need, even if I was home all day every day. So, I stayed pretty sold in greens. That is until I stumbled upon the curl crested a bit more recently.

From the research and reaching out to breeders, THIS may be the bird I end up with. Far more expensive than a green, but, according to those who have experience with both, over all a better aracari. Especially when affection, bomding, and intelligence is concerned.

Why am I here then? (You may be asking)

Well, becauseI am looking at a future date of 2018-2019 before I get one. I will first be building a 10 foot by 10 foot half oval exterior aviary that will be just off of my office window for free flight and enrichment (and when the bird isn't using it, a kitty jungle gym) this project will then be followed by me building a custom 4 foot long, by 6 foot high, by 2 foot deep (maybe 3 foot deep) indoor cage. Only THEN will I get the bird of my dreams. But...I want to really make sure I have fully considered or am aware of just about EVERYTHING possible for a pwrson to consider. I will be honest that even if my aspirations of having any aracari falls through, I would do this for any bird outside of those tiny birds like finches, canaries, parakeets, ect. (All of which I have ZERO interest in).

So....to wrap this up a bit (thank you for sticking with me this longif you are still reading this!). What are your thoughts? Green or Curl? Or other parrots?

My real requirements for any bird are noise level (since they will be with me in my office while working, and alot of my work is on the phone), affectionate but not nurotically clingy, and easy with strangers or friends and family. (No one person birds if possible).

All righty then... LET 'ER RIP!

 

[camelotshadow]

@Calpurnia has one. Good info on this thread
Video - Playtime with Baby Kevin | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[~Drini~]

I looked into acarcaris before adopting Eris (my conure), but after what I've heard about them I decided not to. I am already very familiar with parrots and after doing some research, it became clear that I was not in the position to take on a whole new type of bird. What really got me was the fact that they really do need a lot of space, which I wasn't ready to give.

I also considered some smaller species of corvids, but then decided not to for the very same reasons as I did for acarcaris. You may want to look into them too (although I believe they can have some really loud calls, which may ruin them for you).

I'm not sure how quiet you want your guy to be. Even my quietest bird (a jenday conure, a species that is supposed to be very loud) had his daily moments of complete screaming - not fit for an office environment. My GCC, who was supposed to be quiet, is one of the loudest birds I've ever had. I'm sure you've read this before, but it really depends on the individual. You better build a spare cage OUTSIDE of your office just in case you take in a loud one.

Maybe look into larger species of doves? I'm under the impression that they're very quiet and affectionate. Once found a lost and hungry homing pigeon at the pool. I brought him home, fed him, kept him a few days, and sent him on his way. Even though I was a stranger to him, he was very cuddly and welcoming and never made any noise in the entire time he was here.

I am biased, parrots will always be my type of bird.

 

[sunnysmom]

Welcome to the forum. I don't have any aracari experience to offer any advice but find them fascinating birds.

 

[MinkFeathers]

I thinknyou missed the part that I typed about the 10x10 outdoor aviary attatched to my office window.

Space shouldn't be too big of a deal. With an out door aviary and then free range of my office (11x11) and my bedroom when I'm in there (11x18), he will only be in the cage (4x6x2) for sleeping or the odd rare times I leave the house for shopping.

My only real concern is the potential mess. All the poops...but one breeder said that it's no worse than a cockatoo. So mess will be a concern with any bird. Since my computer will be in the same room as the bird, I have thought of getting a large box to just put over it when I'm not using it to help protect it.

 

[Calpurnia]

Hello everyone!

My name is Logan and I came here to lurk and read and learn. I have been doing alot of that lately in here, and other forums. But I'm ready to come out of hiding and ask my own questions now.

Let me introduce my thoughts a bit first.

I have been wanting a bird for YEARS, but haven't gotten one for one reason or another. Space, time, living with certain people, ect. In all of that time though I fantasized of having my own feathery companion to add to my life. I have done so much research on all the kinds that interested me even in the slightest. From the ones I had 'some' experience with from old friends or some per stores, to common ones everyone seems to have at least one of, to some truely 'out there' types.

The catch is....I REALLY only want one....I already have 2 cats, a dog, a horse, and almost 30 reptiles (of which I will be adding to off and on as I intend to establish myself as a 'professional hobby breeder'). I also work full time (and then some). However, I will be working to advance to an 'at home' work opportunity. Only after this will I add a bird to my life as I would otherwise not have the amount of time I would like (or the bird may need) to spend with it. Once established at home, this will be a permanent career change, so I am unworried about instability.

Some of the birds that have caught my interest include rose brested cockatoos, sun, green cheek, and blue crowned conures, rosellas, indian ringnecks, and caques. All of these have been disqualified for one reason or another. Mostly because of noise level or dreaded behavior issues if I mess up. This will be my 1st bird after all.

This leads me to why I am posting in this section however.

By chance I saw a green aracari for sale in my local craigs list about a year or more ago. (Gives you an idea how much thought I have truely put into this). I researched as much as my brain could stand and read every thing I could, looked at photos, contacted breeders (one of which is Jerry Jennings) and mulled it over in my brain time and time again to the point that is become a near obsession. This lead me to also looking into other aracaris and toucans as well. And while I believe I would ADORE a toco, it's just too far out of my foreseeable price range, and I don't believe I could provide one with the full space and enrichment they would need, even if I was home all day every day. So, I stayed pretty sold in greens. That is until I stumbled upon the curl crested a bit more recently.

From the research and reaching out to breeders, THIS may be the bird I end up with. Far more expensive than a green, but, according to those who have experience with both, over all a better aracari. Especially when affection, bomding, and intelligence is concerned.

Why am I here then? (You may be asking)

Well, becauseI am looking at a future date of 2018-2019 before I get one. I will first be building a 10 foot by 10 foot half oval exterior aviary that will be just off of my office window for free flight and enrichment (and when the bird isn't using it, a kitty jungle gym) this project will then be followed by me building a custom 4 foot long, by 6 foot high, by 2 foot deep (maybe 3 foot deep) indoor cage. Only THEN will I get the bird of my dreams. But...I want to really make sure I have fully considered or am aware of just about EVERYTHING possible for a pwrson to consider. I will be honest that even if my aspirations of having any aracari falls through, I would do this for any bird outside of those tiny birds like finches, canaries, parakeets, ect. (All of which I have ZERO interest in).

So....to wrap this up a bit (thank you for sticking with me this longif you are still reading this!). What are your thoughts? Green or Curl? Or other parrots?

My real requirements for any bird are noise level (since they will be with me in my office while working, and alot of my work is on the phone), affectionate but not nurotically clingy, and easy with strangers or friends and family. (No one person birds if possible).

All righty then... LET 'ER RIP!

Hi, and welcome to the forum!

It's good to hear about the time, effort, and research you are putting in before taking the plunge with your future feathered companion. I think you'd do great with any species but to help answer your question, I'll tell you a bit about my experiences owning an Ivory-billed aracari, as well as a few different species of parrot. You can read a basic description of the differences between my parrots and Kevin in the other thread @camelotshadow posted but I was hoping to elaborate a bit more on how the REALITY of owning an aracari matched up to my EXPECTATIONS coming into it.

Well first, here's some obligatory pics of the adorable bugger.

Hittin' the sweet spot. - Album on Imgur

Now for my opinion: as someone who considered Green, Ivory-billed, and Curl-crested Aracaris as well as a toucanet, I can say I am very very happy with my current choice. Like you, I had done extensive research before finding Kevin, almost 2 years worth, and believed that an aracari was everything I would ever want in a bird. Note this is before I had a larger parrot but while I had Simon my parrotlet, so I was very interested in owning a larger bird without the "problems" of a large parrot.

Some of the things that attracted me to rhamphastids in general were their reputation for being quiet, independent, cuddly, friendly to everyone, and entertaining, as well as their "uniqueness". What I found is that for the most part this reputation was well-founded, but of course, not entirely true. One thing that I do want to just throw out there is that while researching aracaris (and specifically when talking to a few different breeders about their suitability as pets - including Jennings) there is a bit of "rose-tinted glasses" syndrome going on. I think that maybe because parrots in general are more popular and more readily available, there are just more candid accounts available out there that (rightly) paint each species in a positive AND negative light. You will hear that cockatoos are cuddly, but loud and potentially overly needy. Conures are playful and affectionate but also nippy. Not so much of this exists with aracaris so I am happy to provide what I think are the "downsides" to aracari ownership.

The first is space: to people interested in owning an aracari I usually recommend either a green or ivory-billed only because they are the only ones (IMO) that are suitable for living indoors. Personally, I cringe at the idea that some people keep tocos or keel-bills indoors considering Kevin can easily cover 2-3 feet with one lazy hop. I currently have Kevin in a Prevue Hendryx X-LG flight cage but he also spends 6-8 hours each day with completely free range of the apartment. Luckily your situation does sound like it would be suitable for a larger curl-crested, given you will have the outdoor flight.

The second is diet: yes it is relatively "simple" (i.e. I'm not cooking up elaborate mashes or grain/seed/legume/veggies mixes all the time like I do for my parrots), but it can be challenge for people who at times rely on the convenience of easy to serve dry foods. Every morning I spend 15 mins or soaking Kevin's low-iron softbill pellets, chopping up his low-iron fruits and veggies, and brewing his tea. In terms of cost his diet is the most expensive out of all my birds, and requires a reliable supply of exotic fruits, another thing that can be difficult for some people. Yes you can feed cantaloupe or grapes or apple but these birds really do thrive better on (and seem to highly prefer) the specialty fruits like papaya, prickly pear, pomegranate, dragon-fruit, blueberries, etc. But probably the biggest issue I've had with it so far is the fact that it makes traveling/bird sitting extra difficult. It simply is not realistic to ask most people to come and chop up fruits every day so it really limits how easy it is to find a sitter for any real length of time.

The third is the mess: right now Kevin's cage is wrapped on 3 sides with an old sheet that I remove and wash every couple of weeks. Within that time it becomes absolutely filthy with sticky flung fruit, poop, splashed tea, etc. I've heard people say "I prefer aracari poops over parrot poops because their are easy to clean" but personally I'd take my parrotlet OR BH pionus's poops any day over Kevin. Yes, they are a bit easier to wipe up but they definitely do stain (why Kevin only gets his blueberries an hour before bed) AND they are very wet. Not to mention that for his size they are very large (bigger than my Pi's even though she probably out-weighs him by 100g) and he goes very frequently (every 10-15 mins or so usually, more than any of my parrots). Overall, if you get one try to not get attached to your carpet, couches, chairs, TV, monitors, keyboard, etc.

Finally, I can tell you a bit more about Kevin's personality. He is an absolute goofball which I love. He is also VERY chill for an aracari (from what I've heard from others who own greens), and can easily spend 75% of the day perched on top of his cage just watching the world go by. When he does play it is silly like a puppy. He is too curious for his own good and will boldly investigate any available crevice, box, hole, or random object in his line of sight. He is affectionate but not super cuddly anymore (he was better as a baby but seems to have outgrown it), though I have heard of many green owners that say their older birds still love to crawl down their shirts for naps. He is extremely quiet, and very independent. He probably only comes actively seeking my boyfriend or I once or twice a day, but instead seems to enjoy just hanging out in the same room with us doing his own thing more.

In conclusion I don't think you could go wrong with a green or a curl-crested. I've heard that the curl-crested are supposed to be much less hyper than the greens but as you can see with Kevin it is more likely just a personality trait of individual birds. All should be relatively quiet. I think one of the biggest differences will simply be a curl's space requirement, appetite, and the size/amount of their mess. As for the intelligence factor, I personally don't think you will necessarily find curls to be more "intelligent" than greens/ivory-bills/toucanets. Mainly because the mind and behaviors of a rhamphastid are just so completely different from that of a parrot. They are trainable to an extent but not super food motivated (and have short-attention spans for their size). They also don't express emotion or seem to crave a certain social connection as much as my other parrots. Sure I can tell when Kevin is upset vs content vs excited, but it is nowhere near the extent that I can read even my littlest boy Simon. With Simon I can feel the love and connection he has with me; it is more like a bond, where Kevin's relationship is more like good friends. Simon is constantly wanting to cuddle up to my neck, ask for scratches, and make little happy noises/faces when I praise him or give him attention. Kevin is happy to see me come home, but seems more content being a "lone wolf".

So if you are looking for a bird that is more easily trained, that is more likely to bond with you, and that requires less specialized care then maybe a parrot would be best. When it comes to noise there really is a huge spectrum to consider; for example my BH pionus is far less noisy than my parrotlet, and only makes truly loud noises for 10-15 mins a day.

Hope this helps a bit, and feel free to ask more questions! I know it is a lot already but I'm sure it just gives you that much more to consider!

 

[MinkFeathers]

According to the breedes I have spoken with, the curls actually bond more readily and more deeply than the greens. I have considered in my plans for the custom indoor cage to be covered on 3 sides with a fan (or 2) for air flow. I can lay down that thick plastic that most people put under desks to make rolling chairs roll easier to protect the carpet. Buuuut....still not sure that all of those precautions will actually work.

I have confidence about the space issues, and love the sound of their personalities more than anything...oh, and the sounds they make! I know that no birds are silent after all.

Also, I am not a traveler. I am very much a home body, so worrying about traveling plans isn't a concern for me. I don't even have anyone long distance that I would visit for any reason, and my only family is my mom, who will be living with me. Soooo...no real reason to go anywhere.

Though, depending....if anything DID happen, I could probably figure something out. There is one pet store who boards birds (usually large macaws). If it's just for a few days, I could see myself dropping by there. (If they accept him of course).

What about traveling with them? Is that even an option? I have a station wagon as it is, and plan for a midsize SUV as my next vehicle, so a good sized cage could easily fit in the back. Just not sure about the time spent in a hotel or something.

If NOT an aracari (curl or otherwise) what other birds would fit my description? (Quiet, cuddly, but not nurotic)

 

[Calpurnia]

According to the breedes I have spoken with, the curls actually bond more readily and more deeply than the greens.

Trust me, I'm definitely not trying to sway you one way or the other here, I just don't think saying curls bond more deeply than other aracaris (or toucans or toucanets) is very accurate. Personally, I take what breeders (of ANY bird species) say about their birds with a grain of salt. On one hand there are those that just want to make a sale. And then there are those that may be biased towards one species or the other.

IMO a bird's ability to "bond" with it's owner is less dependent on some intrinsic quality of a species, and more on how it was raised as well, how you interact with them, as well as it's individual personality. I know that Kevin is "bonded" to my boyfriend and I. On a recent visit to my immediate family he was content interacting with other people, but would become antsy if we left the room. Even if others were present he would come flying to find out where we had gone, probably because being in a new place with new people made him a bit nervous. He recognizes us as his "flock", and he shows this in his desire to be with us as well as him comfort when we handle him. As we speak he is climbing over my legs to burrow under the blanket on my lap while stopping every once and a while for neck scratches. But to some people this is not what "bonding" really means. To them a bonded bird wants to be on your or snuggling 24/7. They cry when you leave the room and want nothing to do with other people.

So it really is up to you to decide what you consider a "bond" to be. Is it physical? Emotional? Do you want to feel like your bird's "mate" or more like a close and trusted friend? Sorry if this isn't making much sense. I guess it just ruffles my feathers a bit when people try to say that some species aren't capable of the same connection with humans when this is just not the case. The smallest budgie, finch or even canary can bond deeply to a human, in the same way as a macaw or cockatoo. How they express that bond can be vastly different, but it shouldn't be considered "less" because we humans want to consider true bonding as physical affection, intelligence, etc.

Basically my advice is to choose a species of aracari because you love their appearance, or size, etc. Not because of a quality that is hardly set in stone and that may be completely out of your control.

I have considered in my plans for the custom indoor cage to be covered on 3 sides with a fan (or 2) for air flow. I can lay down that thick plastic that most people put under desks to make rolling chairs roll easier to protect the carpet. Buuuut....still not sure that all of those precautions will actually work.

By fan do you mean screen? Or one that actually blows air in? If you are going to go all out to build a custom indoor cage on top of carpet I suggest something a bit sturdier, maybe cheap vinyl flooring? Something that will last a few years and not cost an arm and a leg?

What about traveling with them? Is that even an option? I have a station wagon as it is, and plan for a midsize SUV as my next vehicle, so a good sized cage could easily fit in the back. Just not sure about the time spent in a hotel or something.

Going on vacation is not impossible with an aracari (I do it 2-3 times a years, often for a week or more), just that is is more difficult than with a parrot. I'm lucky enough to have two very committed bird sitters that adore Kevin and don't mind putting in a little extra effort to make sure he has plenty of fresh food and a clean cage when we do leave him home. But this winter we actually took our first road trip with all the bird kids in tow. It was a 2-day 26 hour affair each way. Finding a pet-friendly hotel was easy enough but the actual car riding was less than ideal. Kevin was very scared by all the cars zooming past and so stayed on the floor most of the time. It was also a pain to lug around a cooler with his fruit for those day. He also got a little stir crazy since he was forced to stay inside him kennel for many hours. Overall I think it was a little too stressful to be worth it most of the time.

If NOT an aracari (curl or otherwise) what other birds would fit my description? (Quiet, cuddly, but not nurotic)

Well I don't want it to seem like I'm trying to dissuade you from an aracari. As I mentioned before I just wanted to give both sides of the coin in terms of how they are as pets since I felt like I wasn't given many candid descriptions myself when I was researching them. I really do think you have the space, time, and love appropriate for any aracari you may end up with. But if you do decide you'd rather have a parrot because of their particular qualities I'd have to say that many species could potentially fit your bill.

Some questions you would have to ask though are: would you mind a noisy (but not necessarily loud) bird? One that chatters all day but rarely screams? Do you have a particular size preference? Cuddly can be more difficult because it is so dependent on the individual.

 

[MinkFeathers]

You raise very good points about how anything has it'sown way toexpress bonding. I definitely don't want an overly clingy bird as I donlike my own space sometimes, and respect my animals when they wish for the same.

As for the cage, my idea is to have it made of wood with heavy duty screen. The fans would be positioned one at top and one in the front at the bottom to make sure the air flow in the actual cage is ok. They would be smaller fans though so as not to give him a chill. They would both be the safety, enclosed fans. I can also put a ceiling fan in the room, but I feel that may invite trouble (and would be why he wont be allowed to 'free fly' in the living room).

The eventual plan for the flooring is to have that really nice wood looking laminate laid down theough most of the house. Depending on how things work, that may be done before I even get a bird.

I do still really feel that an aracari is right for me. But the 'messes' still worry me a bit. But, to answer your question about noise level, I think I would be ok with constant sounds so long as they aren't actually loud (screaming, ect) since I will be on the phone.

I also do NOT want a one pwrson bird. I can put the effort in to socialize just about any bird I get, but I know that some are more predisposed to singling one person out and hating all others. This would not be acceptable for me as I have a partner and my mother living with me, and they do not deserve to be attacked for any reason. And something 'medium' in size. No bigger than an amazon, no smaller than a sun conure. I miiiight make an exception for a rose brested cockatoo, but as much as I really like those, the nurotic issues I seem to hear from just about every too owner I have met or talked to, really turns me off of them.

 

[Calpurnia]

The idea for the cage sounds good but the fans might be overkill. I can't imagine that airflow would be THAT bad inside the cage and you would avoid the possibility of drafts.

And I agree that it does sound like an aracari would be a good fit. Especially given your noise requests. The mess can seem intimidating, but honestly once we got into the routine (check for poops around the room when Kevin leaves, put towels or sheets over nicer furniture, place paper under popular poop destinations, and use sheets to protect the walls/floors for less scrubbing) it is relatively stress-free. I'm a pretty big clean freak but don't have to do more than 5 or 10 mins of spot cleaning a day usually. And it's definitely helped to not get super worked up about accidents when they do occur.

Regardless it might be worth swinging by the other forums to get some more advice from owners of other species. Good luck!

 

[MinkFeathers]

Ah, hearing a time anount helps me a bit! 5-10 mins a day is nothing! I spend more than that just on my reptiles daily, and more once a week when I do more thorough spot cleaning, and up to hours once a month when I change all substrate and whipe the sides down! Ok, I feel better about that now lol.

I did try other forums first actually, and was getting some really crazy things thrown at me. It seemed that no matter how well I explained my set up, that everyone was against me getting an aracari and just kept telling me what aweful pets they are and that I should just get a parrot. Also weird things like the bird carching salmonella from my reptiles, or me stressing the bird out if I put their cages near eachother (bird next to a snake enclosure) and how the bird would eat my geckos....

I was getting ZERO positive feedback or actual suggestions on things to consider. (This is why I thought of the fans in the first place!). I can certainly take steps to make the mess easier to clean. The important thing is that we fit eachother.

Thank you for your insite and suggesrions. I will probably be coming back with other questions in the future. Like...what are good toys for a larger aracari? Would yougurt be a fun treat for them? And probably more 'newbie' questions like that lol.

^___^

 

[Calpurnia]

Yep mess prevention is key with ANY bird I think. Sure my house looks kinda strange with towels everywhere but it's easy enough to just throw them into the wash at the end of the week!

Wow... I've never heard of such hostility towards aracari's in general so I'm really surprised anyone would say they make terrible pets! At the most I get "Oh I don't want to deal with the mess or space" but that's TOTALLY dependent on the owner and not the fault of the bird! I mean I definitely never want a cockatoo because of the potential noise but that doesn't mean I go around saying they are terrible pets...

To be fair your bird WILL try to eat your lizards if they end up in the same space lol. Kevin is a stone-cold killer to any insect or similarly sized animal that ends up in his domain.

I'll look forward to seeing who you eventually end up with, as well as to any questions you have for us.

 

[MinkFeathers]

I figured the geckos wouldn't be safe if left in the open with the bird. But it was kind of HOW it was said. I have a cat that just about maimed one of my leos because he's one of those smart cats that know how to open things....like doors...cabinets..apparently tank lids... i didn't hold it against the cat (who is my 'lover butt' lol), but you better believe I secured all tanks and he is no longer allowed in my reptile room without supervison...period. I expect it to be the same with a bird. ANY bird. Because while even a conure or macaw might not see a lizard as food, they may be a potential play thing...and soft gecko skin is nothing compared to the beaks and claws of just about any bird.

But the hostility was very unnerving. Perhaps it's because I'm new, admitting my 'no bird experience', and how I didn't want a 'beginner bird'. I'm sure talk like that may raise some flags. But I kid you not that I have more than a year's research into green aracaris, and will have more research on the curls. Also, I know this won't be happening soon. A curl is an EXPENSIVE animal. It will take me 2 years just to save up for it! If I still want one by then...why would I not want to make sure it's cared for properly?

Anyway, I'm glad I found this place! I will probably post every so often with further questions and sharing plans of the future builds. =)

While I'm at it, I actually do have some questions.

What would be considered a 'treat'?
Would yogurt be ok? I figure it may helpnwoth digestion, but no idea if this is acceptable for an aracari.
I am also planning to have a sizable chicken coop area with about 3-5 chickens and some golden pheasants. Plans are 8foot by 20foot. Would an aracari do ok with chickens? I figured the space could be used as just extra flight space every once in a while, but I don't know if outdoor fowl should mix with an indoor pet.
I have heard that aracari can be potty trained to an extent (having a designated area in each room that they can use as needed). Is this something anyone has experience with? How easy/hard was it?
What are the absolute DO NOT DO things I should know? (Other than feeding iron rich foods or citrus).

 

[Calpurnia]

A "treat" is just any food that my bird's value over all others. So it can vary between individuals. For Kevin it is probably a tie between grapes and blueberries.

As for the potty training thing.... really, really don't get your hopes up here. Not trying to be a downer, just that it is a topic I have discussed with other aracari owners and the reality is, potty training is hard enough with a bird that is relatively focused and food motivated (i.e. many parrots). Aracari's on the other hand can be food motivated to an extent, but seem to have very short attention spans and get full very quickly. They are designed to eat smaller amounts of food frequently throughout the day, which means if I'm trying to train Kevin with even his favorite food (blueberries), after just 4-5 he is already full and could care less about what I'm trying to teach him. I've tried cutting them up into little pieces (like halves or quarters) but then, even if he is not full after a few minutes he usually gets bored and just hops away.

So far I've taught Kevin how to "target" and fly to me on command, but even simple tricks that my parrotlet picked up immediately (like spin around or wave) have proven difficult.

So in conclusion, their lack of decent training ability PLUS the fact that they poop so often makes it super difficult to potty train them.

To finish with your other questions: No I don't think yogurt is acceptable for an aracari. All birds are lactose-intolerant for one, so it actually has a greater chance of causing digestive upset than aid. Yogurt is significantly lower in lactose than milk (which is why many people feed it in small amounts to their parrots), but because I can't really see any true benefit to feeding it to an aracari I would avoid it. If you are looking for a digestive aid simply feed papaya (something that is recommended to be fed daily anyway).

Personally I would keep your aracari and chickens separate. You're right in being wary of mixing outdoor and indoor birds. You do not want to risk exposing a hand-raised aracari to a multitude of poultry related diseases or parasites. On top of that, not all aracari's are going to be bird friendly. Kevin was raised with Simon and so is gentle and non-aggressive towards him, but is very confrontational with my BH pionus and budgies. If your curl was raised with chickens it might be ambivalent towards them but since this also isn't recommended.... I would just go ahead with separate flights for everyone if you want an outdoor aracari space.

Hmmm.... Do not do things.... well I could say do not leave an aracari out unsupervised unless you know the room/space is tidy. This means making sure there aren't little odds and ends laying about (unless they are bird-safe). We learned the hard way that an aracari can and will try to eat inedible things after Kevin swallowed an earplug and a hair tie on separate occasions. Luckily he has a nifty habit of coughing up things that can't be digested but if this is not the case with your bird you run the risk of serious medical emergencies. Now that we've learn our lesson we make sure to keep the bird room clean and uncluttered. Also NEVER EVER clip an aracari's wings. They cannot climb with their beaks and so if clipped are severely crippled. Kevin also isn't the most graceful chicken (the foot definitely doesn't help) so he needs to be able to fly to get around as well as catch himself during a fall.

 

[MinkFeathers]

Thank you so much for tis info!!!

Would it be ok if O quoted this answer and put it in my other thread to keep all my Q&As together?

 

[Calpurnia]

no problem!

 

[Macaw Lover]

What about traveling with them? Is that even an option? I have a station wagon as it is, and plan for a midsize SUV as my next vehicle, so a good sized cage could easily fit in the back.

I would recommend getting a mini van instead. You can take the seats out and have a heck of a lot more room and the back gate gives you much more access and the sliding side doors are just so much more convenient to use in my opinion. The floor is also lower so you can get taller things in there too.

When I go bike riding I take the front wheel off and the fork on the bike attaches to a bar and the bike rides upright in my van. With SUV's, unless you are a really short person with a short bicycle frame, you do not have the clearance for the frame unless you remove the seat and that is not something you want to go messing with on a consistent basis.

Chrysler is coming out with a redesigned model for 2017 and an electric hybrid is coming out next fall, but unfortunately the seats will not fold down in the hybrid as the batteries are along the floor. I wish I could have both in one because puling the seats out is a pain in the back.

 

[MinkFeathers]

Thabks for the suggestion!

 

[riddick07]

Hey now I don't remember being hostile towards the aracari I'm just one of the ones who don't like the mess and just couldn't deal with it Glad there was people on here that could help out with info

 

[MinkFeathers]

Lol, no, but you are also from another forum and brought me to this beautiful place! Thanks a bunch! So much better than the others I told you about lol.