As a breeder myself, I ask questions to the people that contact me. I ask them what they expect life with a bird will be like and about any experience they have with parrots. I also ask them questions to see if they know about the species they are wanting to purchase. Essentially, I interview them to make sure the bird will have the best home possible. I keep extensive records and I have yet to have a single customer contact me saying they want to return or sell their bird. About 90% keep in semi regular contact ( about once to twice a year). I do not mind questions, but I will not respond to aggressive attitudes or ones that ask questions designed to test my knowledge.
Why are you specialized mostly in amazons? How did they get your heart?
It’s hard to say. I have always been in love with this group of parrots. They are middle-sized birds, very intelligent and attractive. Of course, you need to consider them as parrot breeders and not as a trader. Many species are not easily bred and that’s what attracts me. Then you can get some rare experience which can be shared with other parrot breeders.
They would ask if they have a picture of the parents (so you can see how the parents are kept and if they pluck or appear unhealthy). If the babies are handfed, They would ask what age they pull babies at (generally a good breeder will keep the babies with the parents for at least 2-3 weeks if possible). They would ask when the babies will be weaned and ready to go – the breeder may give you a date or estimate, but a responsible breeder will always say that it can vary with the individual bird. Generally the breeder will want to keep the baby for a minimum of 1-2 weeks after it has refused all handfeedings. I’d ask what foods they are weaned to as well.
Ask if babies are allowed to fledge before being clipped and if it’s possible to request your baby not be clipped. A good breeder will let babies learn to fly and land safely before gradually doing a light clip, if they clip at all.
Also ask how often the babies are handled and how they are socialized. There are many different good ways to socialize babies. What IS important is that babies are given attention beyond just feeding (although too much attention and cuddling is not ideal either); they be allowed to interact with siblings or a similar age baby when possible; they are exposed to different toys and environments and provided chances to explore and make decisions. They should familiarize the baby with being gently handled all over, which will help with future grooming, harnessing, and medical care.
Most importantly, a good breeder will ask YOU questions to be sure you will provide a good home for the baby they are spending so much time raising.
What was the first amazon you started with?
My absolutely first amazon was the Cuban Amazon (Amazona leucocephala). If I remember well these birds were that time brought to the Czechoslovakia by import company Zverimex. It was in 60’s and they were sold for 2 000 CZK (=75 euro) each. Zverimex imported them legally but our authorities declared them as illegal.
Today you have 144 aviaries with outside flights more than 8 metres long and 1-2 metres wide. I guess that your first facility had to be more modest.
You are right. I started breeding of parrots as most of other parrot breeders since I was 6 years old. My first birds were budgies, cockatiels, rosellas and I had only few aviaries. By the time my facility has been growing.
Parrot Feeds
They asked specifically about their diet, MOST important I did NOT want clipped babies, I wanted mine to learn and experience flight and to be able to be confident birds as they grew up. Both had a slight clip of a few flights but were able to fly, just not like they can today, with speed and skill but they could still fly.
They asked about their sexes and both were correct as males. I went and got both of mine so I was able to see their existence in the cages they were in, the cleanliness of where and how the were raised. Both were healthy birds.
I guess in a nutshell, with PBFD and other diseases, I guess we go with the notion that this should not be a thing we see ever but just like that bird store in NJ that is not the case. I am not sure how you can ask for proof that the birds are disease free, the issue is People grow an attachment to them and there is not really any recourse with an ill bird.
Now you have a parrot farm. When was the turn?
There was no turn, the change has happened gradually.
But now you live at different place.
Yes, earlier I was living in a near village where I had only 65 outside and 50 inside aviaries. To new house I moved 6 years ago and I built here bigger and better facility.
They would ask fir references. They would also ask around to see what type of experiences other bird people have had with the breeder. How much time to they spend playing with babies. Do they let the babies out to fly. Can you get them unclipped. If the answer is no then they are most likely not letting them fledged properly.
Ask for pictures? You want to see the conditions they keep the birds in. Don’t tell them that is what you are looking for. Some breeders will let you visit the parents others will not. From the customer perspective you may feel that they should let you visit the parents or unweaned chicks. If you ask a vet or someone who is looking out primarily for the health of the flock they will tell you it is actually better that a breeder only lets you see feathered chicks and weaned babies. Adult birds are often unsocialized and babies have undeveloped immune systems so it is better for the birds to only have a limited number of humans. I would also just ask the breeder all about how to care for the babies and most likely they what they tell you is the way that they take care of the perents. If you don’t think their advice is sound then you might want to steer clear.
Ask lots of questions that you already know the answers to and see if you can learn what kind of person they are. This is what I do. It is difficult to protect your self from someone who is trying to be deceptive but if people are honest it will be easy to find someone who you like and agree with. I also always go for someone who responds to email and calls promptly and is willing to answer questions and acts in a business like manner.
Apart from amazons you have been breeding other parrot species as well. How do you choose species you are going to breed? According to their rarity, difficulty to breed, price, ..?
I like breeding parrots which are difficult to breed. In the past (during communism) only few parrot breeders had any amazons. Officially were imported Blue-fronted Amazons (Amazona aestiva), Orange-winged Amazons (Amazona amazonica) and Yellow-crowned Amazons (Amazona ochrocephala). These were available. Later, when I achieved some successful breedings there was an opportunity to get more species.
You have several caribbean amazon species which are very rare in Europe. I can mention for example St. Vincent Amazons (Amazona guildingi) and St Lucia Amazons (Amazona versicolor). Do they have any specific requirements for breeding compared to the others?
I would say the are very different. They can be dominant and it’s hard to work with them. When the pair is eating, males have to be the first at the feeder and they eat the best food. Then the female is allowed to access to bowls. Consequently males get easily fat, females are skinny and their clutches can be small or infertile.
Do they display any different behaviour patterns?
All of them are wary. Maybe that’s because their very limited populations on caribbean islands are threatened by predators and people. When any bird of prey flies over my aviries, caribbean amazons react as the first ones. They always hardly tolerate any changes in their environment. When I try to give them new kind of fruit or other foods it can happen that they will be sitting scary in the corner of the aviary for three days. So they get used to changes very slowly.
So they behave like imported African Grey Parrots?
Yes, but my birds are bred in captivity and still keep their vigilance.
Caribbean amazons are rare in the wild as well. How do you see their future? You have already visited these islands so what’s your opinion?
Because of some „ecological activists“ their chance to survive in the long term is problematic. It seems that local people understand their uniqueness nowadays but few years ago they were trapping them and eating them. What is more their biotopes are small and their size is still reducing. On St. Lucia people built highway across a forest where these birds are living! Finally, only small living space will remain for them. Somebody says there is only a small number of surviving amazons on this island. I would say there are more birds than local conditions can preserve. If authorities had allowed export of 10-20 birds per a year they wouldn’t miss there at all. Of course I assume no hurricanes which can totally decimate whole population. Birds bred in captivity can save the survival of the species for future. Look at Martinique Amazon (Amazona martinicana) or Guadeloupe Amazon (Amazona violacea). These birds are now extinct because the human completely destroyed their habitat and didn’t keep any in captivity.
Was this breeding season successful? I heared you have bred Blue-cheeked Amazon (Amazona dufresniana).
You are right. But unfortunately, I had 2 males. That is actually the worse alternative as there are less females. Otherwise we hadn’t many youngers this year. Maybe it’s good because generally the interest in amazons is in decline.
I would say it’s best to ask about food they feed, how they socialize, how they let the chicks fledge, and I’d also ask questions about weaning and how they do it.
As a breeder myself, I ask questions to the people that contact me. I ask them what they expect life with a bird will be like and about any experience they have with parrots. I also ask them questions to see if they know about the species they are wanting to purchase. Essentially, I interview them to make sure the bird will have the best home possible. I keep extensive records and I have yet to have a single customer contact me saying they want to return or sell their bird. About 90% keep in semi regular contact ( about once to twice a year). I do not mind questions, but I will not respond to aggressive attitudes or ones that ask questions designed to test my knowledge.
There are a few other questions I will not respond to. If they call with these I politely tell them a bird is not for them. If they email I will just not respond.
1) Does it/Can it talk?
2) Can I put it in the same cage with my _______?
3) Is my old parakeet cage good enough?
4) Will you trade for a ______?
4a) I’m wanting to upgrade to a _____ so can you hold it until I sell my _________?
5) Does it/will it make a lot of noise?
Those are all questions I get regularly.
