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Green Touraco?
- Thread starter Jess
- Start date
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You should absolutely email Kateri ( dlaviaries@aol.com )
I have been in correspondence with her regarding keeping a pet turaco. She is SUCH a wonderful softbill breeder & her book "Turacos in Aviculture" should be published soon!
Turacos (Davis Lund Aviaries)
P.S. Here is the most recent email she has sent me:
"As to your questions, yes, it sounds like a turaco would do fine in an indoor such as you describe with its own room and lots of perches. There are always pros and cons about everything so here are some things to think about:
Turacos will not stay on a stand like parrots, and fly and run much more than toucans. They have strong legs and wings. I would never recommend a turaco to live in a cage, even a macaw sized one. They are horizontal movers. Mess-wise, they are about the same as a toucan. Parrots fling seed and feathers around but that can be cleaned easily enough with a vacuum. The difference is that softbills, including turacos, fling their fruit, which sticks and dries hard. They wipe their fruity bills on surfaces to clean them. All this can ruin walls, carpets, etc and is harder to clean up. Also the feces are softer and larger, and get moldy very quickly. Behavior-wise, turacos get very tame (coming up to you, taking food from you, etc) but do not like being petted or snuggled like toucans and mousebirds do when handraised. Adult turacos can get very aggressive and moody, and when handraised have no fear of humans so can attack faces and heads when in such a mood. Although they don't bite, their claws are very sharp and can do damage.
I don't tell you this to purposely discourage you, but to make sure that this type of bird is a good fit for you and your lifestyle. Forewarned is forearmed. As a rule, I generally recommend against turacos as household pets. Turacos can live 20 plus years, and I want to owner and bird to be happy. You are wise and doing the right thing to ask questions, do your research, and consider things carefully. If you did decide that a turaco would work, contact me."
This is all regarding keeping the turaco indoors, though. I have decided to wait to get mine until I can build an aviary.
I have been in correspondence with her regarding keeping a pet turaco. She is SUCH a wonderful softbill breeder & her book "Turacos in Aviculture" should be published soon!
Turacos (Davis Lund Aviaries)
P.S. Here is the most recent email she has sent me:
"As to your questions, yes, it sounds like a turaco would do fine in an indoor such as you describe with its own room and lots of perches. There are always pros and cons about everything so here are some things to think about:
Turacos will not stay on a stand like parrots, and fly and run much more than toucans. They have strong legs and wings. I would never recommend a turaco to live in a cage, even a macaw sized one. They are horizontal movers. Mess-wise, they are about the same as a toucan. Parrots fling seed and feathers around but that can be cleaned easily enough with a vacuum. The difference is that softbills, including turacos, fling their fruit, which sticks and dries hard. They wipe their fruity bills on surfaces to clean them. All this can ruin walls, carpets, etc and is harder to clean up. Also the feces are softer and larger, and get moldy very quickly. Behavior-wise, turacos get very tame (coming up to you, taking food from you, etc) but do not like being petted or snuggled like toucans and mousebirds do when handraised. Adult turacos can get very aggressive and moody, and when handraised have no fear of humans so can attack faces and heads when in such a mood. Although they don't bite, their claws are very sharp and can do damage.
I don't tell you this to purposely discourage you, but to make sure that this type of bird is a good fit for you and your lifestyle. Forewarned is forearmed. As a rule, I generally recommend against turacos as household pets. Turacos can live 20 plus years, and I want to owner and bird to be happy. You are wise and doing the right thing to ask questions, do your research, and consider things carefully. If you did decide that a turaco would work, contact me."
This is all regarding keeping the turaco indoors, though. I have decided to wait to get mine until I can build an aviary.
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