Buttersquash
Meeting neighbors
- Joined
- 5/27/15
- Messages
- 48
Not at all, I am always thrilled to talk aracaris
And you have all very good questions!
I just want to keep in mind of course that some of my observations are necessarily limited to my bird, who is a juvenile. And I agree with you, there are definitely differences in individuals and blanket statements for any species can often be inaccurate. It sounds like your Amazon is a super healthy happy guy, from his activity level! Yes most adult Amazons I have seen (mostly in pet stores though) were rather sedate.
But as far as climbing around, no these guys (aracaris, toucans, toucanets) don't climb about their cage like parrots do. They hop and fly pretty much exclusively, hence the emphasis on the need for a large cage (although I have seen mine easily scramble up the bark of a vertical piece of wood, and hang off the side of the cage or objects at times, and hang upside down). They have zygodactyl feet just like parrots (and woodpeckers!) but they don't use their beak as a "third" foot like parrots can do.
I was also so curious as to how these guys play. Well no, he doesn't chew like a parrot (grind/obliterate things, for example), but he can tear things (any toys with paper/thin wood or bamboo strips like the Planet Pleasures toys), and often hammers things. Again, alot of woodpecker activities (I swear, I just have a woodpecker in my house.. lol)
Mostly he likes to mouth things with his beak. He loves stretchy things (nylons) which he will hold in one foot and stretch with his beak. Also, he can catch things, and loves holding and mouthing little sticks. He will also grab objects and whip them against the perch with a vicious twist.
Many of his actions I find highly predatory in nature - he has lightning fast reactions and if you are holding something that catches his interest (today, it was a strip of purple plastic), he will lock eyes on it and follow it relentlessly, trying to grab it. As fast as you swing it left and right, so will his head. And then once he gets it, he will often bash it on the perch. He also gets very excited about and tries to catch ANY insects he sees - anything that moves Really grabs his attention. He reminds me of a lot of scenes in Jurassic Park actually... lol.. like how the velociraptor would lock eyes on his prey and stalk them, jerky primitive movements and all.
He does go into his Carrier (the Celltei backpack) very happily. I think being cavity nesters (and sleeping in cavities) they just love going into any dark small places. I don't really take him for walks in it, but use it as a carrier when I need to take him somewhere, and it is great to buckle into my car. Unfortunately keeping him there for an extended time would just result in him sitting in poop, I'm afraid!
That is so awesome that you use reusable cloths for bird stuff cleaning!! Props to you. The aracari poop is like baby food or pureed fruit (very wet and splatters). I'm thinking of using a plastic scraper to scrape if off the bird stand floor and putting in my compost pile, down the road, bc it does pain me to not only see how much my paper towel consumption has skyrocketed, but also how fast my garbage gets filled!
And you have all very good questions!I just want to keep in mind of course that some of my observations are necessarily limited to my bird, who is a juvenile. And I agree with you, there are definitely differences in individuals and blanket statements for any species can often be inaccurate. It sounds like your Amazon is a super healthy happy guy, from his activity level! Yes most adult Amazons I have seen (mostly in pet stores though) were rather sedate.
But as far as climbing around, no these guys (aracaris, toucans, toucanets) don't climb about their cage like parrots do. They hop and fly pretty much exclusively, hence the emphasis on the need for a large cage (although I have seen mine easily scramble up the bark of a vertical piece of wood, and hang off the side of the cage or objects at times, and hang upside down). They have zygodactyl feet just like parrots (and woodpeckers!) but they don't use their beak as a "third" foot like parrots can do.
I was also so curious as to how these guys play. Well no, he doesn't chew like a parrot (grind/obliterate things, for example), but he can tear things (any toys with paper/thin wood or bamboo strips like the Planet Pleasures toys), and often hammers things. Again, alot of woodpecker activities (I swear, I just have a woodpecker in my house.. lol)
Mostly he likes to mouth things with his beak. He loves stretchy things (nylons) which he will hold in one foot and stretch with his beak. Also, he can catch things, and loves holding and mouthing little sticks. He will also grab objects and whip them against the perch with a vicious twist.
Many of his actions I find highly predatory in nature - he has lightning fast reactions and if you are holding something that catches his interest (today, it was a strip of purple plastic), he will lock eyes on it and follow it relentlessly, trying to grab it. As fast as you swing it left and right, so will his head. And then once he gets it, he will often bash it on the perch. He also gets very excited about and tries to catch ANY insects he sees - anything that moves Really grabs his attention. He reminds me of a lot of scenes in Jurassic Park actually... lol.. like how the velociraptor would lock eyes on his prey and stalk them, jerky primitive movements and all.
He does go into his Carrier (the Celltei backpack) very happily. I think being cavity nesters (and sleeping in cavities) they just love going into any dark small places. I don't really take him for walks in it, but use it as a carrier when I need to take him somewhere, and it is great to buckle into my car. Unfortunately keeping him there for an extended time would just result in him sitting in poop, I'm afraid!
That is so awesome that you use reusable cloths for bird stuff cleaning!! Props to you. The aracari poop is like baby food or pureed fruit (very wet and splatters). I'm thinking of using a plastic scraper to scrape if off the bird stand floor and putting in my compost pile, down the road, bc it does pain me to not only see how much my paper towel consumption has skyrocketed, but also how fast my garbage gets filled!
