Newly arrived Java Finch

[30 Seconds to Bob]

I use a fortified "garden" budgie mix for my javas that contains dried fruits, veggies and pellets. I also mix in little of a quality canary blend for a bit more variety. The eggfood recipe on that javafinch uk website is simple to make and is readily gobbled up. My javas love fresh corn on the cob, broccoli, bok choy, kale, apples and cooked sweet potato. I was surprised to hear that yours died so quickly as they are really hardy birds. I'm tempted to believe that not only was your bird stressed during the capture, but probably injured as well. Hope you have better luck with the new one. Bob

[jack91]

Thanks for the food tips I have seen some of these available so will get some !

P.S

Thank you everyone they are now back as a two and seem very happy

[Tammy]

Hey Jack, sorry to hear about your loss, I love the pictures of the new one, hope things work out for you. java's are sweet birds. -tammy

[Sally]

Just catching up with this thread, and so sorry to hear you lost one of your new Javas. Glad the breeder was able to provide a replacement. One thing with finches, they can hide illness so well that we often don't catch it till it is too late.

Javas are a species that has always fascinated me. If I had room for yet another species, this is one I would love to have. The link Debbie gave you is an excellent one.

[jack91]

They are certainly an interesting species, they are very curious if you put something new in the cage straight to it oh what does this do .

One thing I have noticed is the new one, sometimes sits there with it's beak wide open. It's not breathing any differently from the other but sometimes sits there with it closed, or will decide to keep it open. I thought it was something to do with the heat, but it's only 20 degrees C in the room. The other finch doesn't do it, and I don't keep them in direct sunlight I just put part of the cage in the sun so they always have shade.

Anyone had anything similar?

Cheers!

[Ginene]

jack91
It may be from stress. Give your new Java some time to settle in. My newly acquired Ribbon Finch was doing the same thing today. Just brought her home Friday night and she is very skiddish. Hopefully you will see a decrease in this behavior over the coming days .

[jack91]

Ah right OK obviously doesn't take much to stress them out, but I suppose we are giants to them. Yes they are both very skiddish doesn't take much to make them jump. Hope you enjoy your newly aquired Ribbon finch

[30 Seconds to Bob]

Open mouth breathing is often a sign associated with stress, air sac mites or respiratory infection. That being said, I do find my perfectly healthy javas doing it from time to time. I believe it may be part of their "posturing" as a territorial or warning display. JMO Bob

[Diana]

One of my javas was also displaying open mouth breathing when I bought him. I got very worried then treated him for a week with antifungal medication. Poor baby, he hated me for this. That did not seem to help but in time, the open beak breathing stopped, he only does that now when the room is very warm, sometimes 20 degrees can be too warm for them. The breathing improves when I open windows. I guess they were raised in an aviary and had cooler temperatures than my hot flat. The other java does it too but more rarely and it is certainly not associated with stress as they do it as I sit on the sofa reading and they sit in their cages or outside undisturbed.

[jack91]

Sorry for the late reply only just got back on! Yes I have started opening windows and have a few bird baths which they love, so hopefully that will cool them down also. Thanks for the tips folks!

Since posting the original picture I invested £80 on a flight cage, because I like the idea of them being in a decent large cage being able to fly around and get exercise and I have 4 of them now. I haven't had much luck with the birds themselves though.

One pair sits to the left and one pair sits to the right, and I have situated water and food on both sides. I had to do this because they started fighting, clinging onto eachother and falling to the bottom fighting. If they remain at their side of the cage all is perfectly fine, but if one pair for example flies to the bottom perch underneath them oh my word the noise. So if they have food and water on both sides they don't need to interfere with each other, I have also moved perches around so they are less likely to meet.

I may have to give my birds back to the breeder because of possible dominance, and instead have 4 females. I can only presume they would be more passive, because I also thought of having 1 male 3 females but then the females may fight if more than one of them like him? Will get there in the end, I don't want to replace them by any means but they both pairs need to be happy.

[Zebrafincher]

How are the Java finches going?

[jack91]

Hi Fincher,

I seperated the two pairs today, and will see how it goes. It's weird at night they had a truce but in the daytime is a different story. They do this thing with their beaks and the pairs make noise at one another and move their heads around like a don't come near us sort of thing.

I put a few perches at the top of the cage and a few down the bottom, and it worked 60% of the time. One pair stayed at the top and another pair near the bottom perches, but then one from the top would start chasing them. Very strange behaviour I just couldn't solve it, even though I invested in a new big cage for four of them I may just stick with two after all. Ideally I would like four and he offered to swap a pair out for me, but It could happen again so not sure.

[Diana]

I know what you mean.
When I bought my 2 javas they were still babies and still molting. As they grew up I found out they were 2 boys. they used to preen each other and sleep on the same perch as they were small but as they grew up they started fighting like pitbulls, clenched beaks and going for the jugular so I had to separate them. They still chase on another while they fly free in the room but at least they have the space to run in case they need to, unlike in the cage.
They do become more mellow towards the evening, like all birds do and they can sit at a small distance between each other but otherwise, during the day they just fight and make the funny fighting noise to each other. I love them though. And could not part with either of them. They were lucky to get me and I don't think anyone could offer more love and care than I do. That is why no matter how annoying they are, they will always be my babies.

[Ginene]

Hey Jack,
They are really beautiful...Sorry you're having trouble...My zebras get super aggressive when housed in m/f pairs. I had to split them up into all male and all female cages. This was not the solution I was hoping for...more cages to clean . I hope you are able to find a solution. Maybe keep the 2 females and get a different type of bird to house with your Java's. You can check out the compatability chart on the Info Center link. Good luck...

[Diana]

Hey Jack,
They are really beautiful...Sorry you're having trouble...My zebras get super aggressive when housed in m/f pairs. I had to split them up into all male and all female cages. This was not the solution I was hoping for...more cages to clean . I hope you are able to find a solution. Maybe keep the 2 females and get a different type of bird to house with your Java's. You can check out the compatability chart on the Info Center link. Good luck...

I would not house javas with any other bird as they are quite aggressive and have caused injury on my other finches in the past.