Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chester an aracari or a toucan?
Both! Chester is a Chestnut-Eared Aracari. Aracaris are in the toucan family. There are three types of toucans: Toucans, toucanets and aracaris. It's a little silly because it means a bird can be a toucan-toucan, an aracari-toucan or a toucanet-toucan. But they are all toucans!
Can toucans talk?
No, toucans cannot talk. Their tongues aren't made for talking, and they are not in the parrot family. Many parrots can talk, such as Macaws, African Greys, Cockatoos, Amazons, Indian Ringnecks, etc.
How long do toucans live?
Toucans have many health problems, so their lifespans vary. In general, a toucan is likely to have a slightly longer lifespan than a dog or cat. They do not live as long as parrots (who can live to be 80+ years old!). Some toucans die before they are 10 years old, others may live to be close to 20 years old. It depends, and the research for captive bred toucan lifespan is ongoing.
What kinds of health problems do toucans have?
Bigger toucans (toucan-toucans) in captivity are known to get diabetes. The biggest concern for toucans of all kinds is iron storage disease. Toucans have difficulty processing iron, so they have to be on a special low-iron diet. This includes feeding them special low-iron pellets, providing them teas to help them process iron, and regular vet visits to check for early signs of iron storage disease. Toucans are also incredibly clumsy and tend to lose toes during their lives.Another common issue for toucans is gout. This can be managed as well, but toucans are certainly not low-maintenance pets when it comes to health issues!
Is Chester the Toucan a rescue?
Yes and no. It depends on your personal definition of a rescue. Before I met him, Chester had spent more than a year of his life in a small cage in a pet store, hopping around and being terrorized by parrots who were loose in the store. Chester has a fear of birds (ironic, I know) which is likely due to his traumatic year spent in this store. When I met him, he had lesions on his feet from not having varying perch sizes in his cage and he had no tail feathers (likely plucking from anxiety/depression). After a few months with me, all his tail feathers grew in and his foot lesions went away with x2 daily applied cream the vet prescribed! He lives a much happier life now. I'm not focused on if he was technically rescued or not. I'm just happy we met each other.
Isn't promoting having a pet toucan encouraging the exotic bird trade?
Chester was captive bred in California by Emerald Forest Bird Gardens. He was purchased by a woman in Virginia and was shipped across the country. He then was sent to the bird store when his owner could no longer take care of him. I met him in the bird store when he was 4 years old. Chester was not taken from the wild. He was not stolen from a nest. He's never been to a rainforest. He is a captive bred bird who only knows humans. That being said, I certainly agree that there is a major issue in the exotic bird trade. I used to volunteer at a parrot rescue where I encountered dozens of birds whose owners no longer wanted them and thought having a pet bird would be "cool" but quickly realized how high maintenance, loud and violent they can be. I'm no stranger to the issues with exotic birds.
I created Chester's TikTok page initially to just post my fun videos of Chester, but as his page picked up momentum, I saw a lot of comments saying "I want a pet toucan." Since then, I've been committed to making sure I post videos showing the difficult sides of owning a toucan just as much as the fun sides. I don't think most people would do well with any type of pet bird. They are extremely intelligent and emotional. They are social animals who need constant stimulus and love -- not something to be kept in a cage for viewing. That's part of why I created this website. I want to share information with people about the difficulties of owning birds in general. And hopefully to create a one-stop-shop resource to find helpful information on bird care.
What are some good resources if I want to learn more about toucans?
I highly recommend the Facebook group Toucans, Toucanets and Aracaris. I joined this group and asked tons of questions before officially deciding to get Chester. The Facebook group is full of some of the most knowledgeable toucan owners, researchers and breeders. It's also just a very wholesome group if you want to live vicariously through other people's experiences owning toucans!
What are some of the differences between toucans and parrots?
There are a surprising number of differences between toucans and parrots. I created a blog post about it, which you can read here.
When is Chester's birthday?
According to his ankle bracelet from Emerald Forest Bird Gardens, Chester was born in 2017. However, there is no record of his birthday, so I celebrate his birthday on his "gotcha day" which is May 31. Chester turned six years old on May 31, 2023.
How can I meet Chester?
Chester and I live in the Washington, DC area and can often be spotted grabbing dinner in Old Town, Alexandria. We are not currently scheduling any in-person visits, as Chester is very busy being a little toucan influencer! (I'm mostly joking) The best way to know where we are is to follow us on Instagram.
Can I send Chester a letter?
Yes! Contact me directly if you'd like to send something to Chester. He loves getting mail!