- A feeling for keeping livestock: ie, a sympathetic attitude and a very observant disposition.
- Enough time to properly care for the number of Parrots you keep.
- A limited number of pairs.
- Being strong-willed enough to specialise rather than to add species just because you like the look of them.
- Not starting too ambitiously but with free-breeding species that mature quickly to teach you the basics of Parrot breeding.
- Making up pairs from young birds.
Experience does enter the success equation to a degree, but many beginners are successful while others keep Parrots for years with very poor breeding results.
Take a look at our breeding and handfeeding food here.
This is not only because they have too many birds and not enough time to devote to each pair, but because they lack the ability to identify with the Parrots in their care. Yes, it is all about caring and that derives from careful observation and trying to work out what is best for each pair.
It is wise to specialise?
While luck plays a part in any endeavour, would-be breeders who continually complain of bad luck should probably be substituting that term with “bad management” and lack of knowledge of the species.
The breeders, who specialise in one group or genus of Parrots, or in a few selected species, generally have much better results than those with a wide diversity of species. The knowledge of those who are continually changing the species they keep tends to be superficial.
Another advantage of acquiring two or more pairs of each species is that eggs and chicks can often be fostered, should the need arise. This is preferable to hand-rearing which is work-intensive and often, or usually, problematic for those with limited experience.
However, more importantly, parent-reared birds are usually superior for breeding purposes. Hand-reared birds, unless socialised with their own species as soon as they are weaned, usually have behavioural problems. Also, they are fearless and thus often very aggressive towards the keeper when they are breeding.
Without potential foster parents, you are more likely to need an incubator.
My recommendation to the beginner would be to buy a small model and upgrade to a more expensive one if this is eventually warranted.