Please help- Java Sparrow is afraid!

[Rothe18]

Hey, everyone. A lot of things have happened recently, most of it having to do with my birds. This post is long... BUT PLEASE HELP.

As I`ve said in other posts, I had two, female white Java sparrows, perfectly hand-tamed and very close to me and each other. They shared a cage with little issue and were always happily coming and going from it as they pleased, while flying freely about the aparment when I was home.

However, about a month ago, one of them died suddenly due to illness. That was a week before I went to Hawaii and I couldn`t cancel the trip. So my remaining bird, Pitter. I got her checked out just to make myeslf feel better, although I already knew the illness of my other bird wasn`t contagious. She was given a clean bill of health.

However, I can see signs of lonliness and stress. She stays much closer and longer with me than she usually did, though she was with me often. She also has moments where she just calls out, shrilly, for a minute or so. This seems to have started before, and lasted during, my trip to Hawaii, when she was with a trusted friend that she is comfortable with. Thankfully, this shrill calling seems to have ceased.

But another behaviour that I have never seen has started- she now throws herself onto the cage door when I approach, clinging as if begging to be taken out.... it`s very distressing.

And... on top of all this, I just moved. Now, her cage is in a different place. The inside hasn`t changed, but her surroundings are new and are obviously causing her stress.

My HUGE problem is- she`s afraid to fly back to her cage. She will speed out of it as soon as I open it up, stay with me or fly to the familiar furniture nearby. But she won`t come and go from the cage. Which means she isn`t eating during the whole time she`s out, which is hours. I see her poop is a little or all watery- not diarrhea, but not solid all the time. She has an appetitie, and eats ravanously when I take food out and put it on the table for her. She also drinks from her bottlecap, and even tried to take a bath in it... and I can see she hasn`t been bathing in the cage. So she WANTS to do these things, but it seems as if she can`t trust her cage.... she won`t even let me put her back in it without flying away, and this has NEVER been an issue.

ALSO... eh heh... I just bought a new java sparrow yesterday. It`s in a separate cage and room until I can get it to the doctor on Saturday. She heard the CHEEP CHEEP of the baby begging for food- it`s about a month 1/2 old, and responded by flying into the room and landing on my head.

She`s lonely, scared and stressed... how can I help her besides sitting queitly with her and giving plenty of kisses and pets, like I always do?

[cindy]

Some javas tend to bond to their preferred cage mate. She definitely wants companionship. Sounds like in the beginning she was morning the loss of her friend, call out. She is also bonder to you and looks to you for comfort.

You mentioned you have a baby java also. Is the baby in a small cage, is there a way to place that cage next to hers. It may give her comfort to see and hear another java again and it will give her a chance to become comfortable with it. Will this be her new cage mate?

As far as the droppings go... stress for a bird can change the ph in the gut....sometimes yeasts take advantage of that and start to grow. Are the droppings becoming more white or are they remaining the same color just watery?

If she is going long period without drinking and then when given water does she sort of gorge on it?

[Rothe18]

They're the same color. She doesn't gorge on the water so much as the food, but she seems more thirsty than she would be if she was freely going to and from the cage.

I don't know if she's drinking while I'm at work, though she must be, because she's not fading like she would be if she wasn't drinking. But I can tell by the water level that she hasn't bathed.

I don't think she's sick... Just really stressed.

The new bird is going to be her cage mate, but I haven't brought it to the doctor yet. The vet said keep them in separate rooms until then- that's another 2 days. After that, there should be quarantine, but I think it will be best to do it in the same room- I want her to know she's not alone. I know different room quarantine is best, but I'm so worried about her mental state....

[cindy]

I find that javas are a bit more sensitive "emotionally" than some of the other finches. They do thrive on companionship and as a family unit or for the ones in my walk in aviary they ten to all stay in one area or sit as couples or a small group.

I 100% agree with quarantining any new bird, better to be safe than sorry.

It is hard to see your pet go through this, so sorry you both lost a loved one.

I have not tried this and you can ask the vet if this may help her but perhaps a small mirror so she can see her image until the new baby is ready to meet her. Seems to work for budgies. Just a thought. If the vet thinks it is worth a try then introduce it to her while with her, some do not take to change to well and may become frightened of a new object in their cage. Maybe show her it she is out with you, she trusts you. Ask the vet also besides keeping her nutrition up is there any supplements or probiotics he recommends to help with what the stress may be doing to her.

If she is not drinking as much you would see it in her eyes and skin. The eyes squint and the skin gets sort of a darker color to it, on some it is like a dark red. If she is passing fluids, she is drinking, I would not worry too much about the baths in the cage if she is happy bathing while out.

[jimenezl]

Electrolytes will help with stress.

[Sally]

You've gotten good advice already. I offer electrolytes anytime a bird is stressed (new home, new companion, etc). I happen to use Dr. Marshall's NV powder, but Morning Bird also makes one called Vitalize.

[cindy]

Keep us posted on her and her new little friend.

[Rothe18]

Ok, I've looked at everyone saying "electrolytes"! So I'm going to try this recipe I found in another post by a forum member named Sally, who says she posted this as a sticky from another member named Debbie.

To: 8 oz of warm water (about 103 to 105 degrees F)
Add: 1/2 Tablespoon sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon baking soda.

Does everyone feel this is OK? I'm going to give her this tonight .

[Sally]

I don't think electrolytes can hurt her, and it may help.

[Rothe18]

Hey, small update! Pitter LOVES the electrolyte mix, so if nothing else, she's enjoying drinking it. She's still not willing to go back to her cage, but she's eating and drinking when she is inside, so I suppose time will tell.

She's interested in Tuk, who is now in the same room but still under quarantine- she tries to fly to him and I have to keep shooing her away.

The vet says a 2 week quarantine is totally sufficient (my birds are not wild caught or raised outside) and she did a thorough check of his little baby body. Once Tuk is eating on his own, he can go in the cage with her. I think this will calm her down.