About
I met Chester in 2021 when I was at a bird store hoping to play with parrots. We ended up bonding and before I knew it, I was researching everything possible about owning a pet toucan so I could incorporate him into my life. On May 31, 2021, I officially adopted Chester and took him home.
My goal is to give Chester the best, most enriching life possible. I bought a leather harness so I could take him with me outside to dinner on patios and other bird-friendly activities. I moved into a bigger apartment to provide him plenty of space to fly, hide and enjoy sunlight throughout the day. I work from home and we spend our days together. From when we wake up to when we go to bed, Chester and I are together. We've created little routines and have learned how to communicate with each other.
Chester went viral in 2021 for his "happy honks" that I put on TikTok. Since then, he's ended up with more than half a million followers on TikTok and a quarter million followers on Instagram. We are not motivated by being "famous" but rather about sharing our special story, providing education on pet toucans (and birds in general), and giving people a dose of serotonin through Chester's adorable happy honks.
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I am incredibly honored to have such a special relationship with a bird, but owning a pet toucan isn't glamorous and it certainly isn't for everyone. I created this website for a variety of reasons, but one of the biggest being to put helpful information up about how difficult toucans are as pets. And birds in general!
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You can read a blog post and watch a video about the story of getting Chester by clicking here.
Chester's Timeline
2017
2018
2020
2021
May 31, 2021
Chester is born in San Diego, California at Emerald Forest Bird Gardens.
Chester is purchased and shipped to a couple in Alexandria, Virginia.
Chester is given to a bird store in Falls Church, Virginia to house him until his owner finds a suitable re-home owner to adopt him.
Maria meets Chester in the bird store
Chester goes to his forever home with Maria