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Tame Java Sparrows
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Nipper06
- Novice Nester
- Posts: 446
- Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2007 10:49 pm
- Location: Wilmington, Delaware (USA)
Tame Java Sparrows
Does anyone besides me have tame Java Sparrows?
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Nipper06
- Novice Nester
- Posts: 446
- Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2007 10:49 pm
- Location: Wilmington, Delaware (USA)
Tame Java Sparrows
Taming them initially is not so easy. It only works with very young birds, just out of the nest. The brownish bird in the photo below is a juvenile normal gray Java. It you don't get them at that age, taming is impossible - unless you hand feed them from the nest (which I'm sure is another hassle).
I tamed the original ones using the method described in the old TFH book Java Temple Birds" (1960), which involves wing-clipping and then working with them, away from other birds in a small room, like a parakeet. They definitely fight it longer than parakeets. But eventually they give up and sit on your finger. I did this initially with 3 birds all in separate cages and all tamed separately (but the cages were next to each other, except in the initial training sessions, which took place in a small room). Once they were tame, I rewarded them by letting them perch on my arm together. So eventually, they wanted to come out as soon as I'd walk into the room. Eventually, their wing feathers grew back and by that time, they were totally tame and would fly to me like a little flock.
As I have a real problem with the concept of wing-clipping any bird (but especially finches), I subsequently tried introducing a new fully-flighted baby to my flock, to see if he would become tame because he wanted to be with the other birds - and it works! But again, it must be a young baby and only one at a time. If young enough, they tame quite quickly this way because they want to be with the other bird. Now, my 3 current "second-generation" Javas were all tamed this way, one by one, with no wing-clipping. But I've also had 2 instances where taming them has been unsuccessful - I think because the birds were either a little too old or I didn't put enough time into it. And in those cases, you need to give that wild bird to someone else because he will have the effect of making your tame birds more afraid.
Once they are fully tame, they are fantastic pets with lots of personality. They get almost fearless and they do get attached to you. My flock will fly over to me when I'm watching TV and just park themselves on my shoulders for half an hour before they fly somewhere else. They have a very predictable pattern and where they like to fly in the two rooms they have access to. And mine know how to go back to their cage when it's time. When I had my original flock in my old house with the screened porch, I would leave them out there for hours in the summer and, when it was time to come in, I could literally hold my arm out and call them and all three would land on my arm and come back into the house!
The photo (in my original post) where they appear to be outside was taken on my screened porch, where I let them fly in the summer. The photos below were in my home office, where they don't fly to, too often.
I wrote an article on how to tame them and I submitted it to the Finch Information Center but I don't know if they put it out there yet. If you e-mail me, I can send you a copy. But I absolutely don't recommend trying to tame Javas unless you are really committed and you have a peaceful house without alot of noise, small children or cats. The initial taming process takes a few weeks, during which you must work at it at least once a day (but better with 2 or 3 training sessions per day).
Java Sparrows are apparently very popular in Japan, where people have them as tame pets like we have parakeets. I think they tame them by hand-feeding them for the last week or so before they fledge. Go here (it's in japanese) http://www.annie.ne.jp/~linda/ and explore - the red text seems to be hypertext - eventually you will find photos.
I tamed the original ones using the method described in the old TFH book Java Temple Birds" (1960), which involves wing-clipping and then working with them, away from other birds in a small room, like a parakeet. They definitely fight it longer than parakeets. But eventually they give up and sit on your finger. I did this initially with 3 birds all in separate cages and all tamed separately (but the cages were next to each other, except in the initial training sessions, which took place in a small room). Once they were tame, I rewarded them by letting them perch on my arm together. So eventually, they wanted to come out as soon as I'd walk into the room. Eventually, their wing feathers grew back and by that time, they were totally tame and would fly to me like a little flock.
As I have a real problem with the concept of wing-clipping any bird (but especially finches), I subsequently tried introducing a new fully-flighted baby to my flock, to see if he would become tame because he wanted to be with the other birds - and it works! But again, it must be a young baby and only one at a time. If young enough, they tame quite quickly this way because they want to be with the other bird. Now, my 3 current "second-generation" Javas were all tamed this way, one by one, with no wing-clipping. But I've also had 2 instances where taming them has been unsuccessful - I think because the birds were either a little too old or I didn't put enough time into it. And in those cases, you need to give that wild bird to someone else because he will have the effect of making your tame birds more afraid.
Once they are fully tame, they are fantastic pets with lots of personality. They get almost fearless and they do get attached to you. My flock will fly over to me when I'm watching TV and just park themselves on my shoulders for half an hour before they fly somewhere else. They have a very predictable pattern and where they like to fly in the two rooms they have access to. And mine know how to go back to their cage when it's time. When I had my original flock in my old house with the screened porch, I would leave them out there for hours in the summer and, when it was time to come in, I could literally hold my arm out and call them and all three would land on my arm and come back into the house!
The photo (in my original post) where they appear to be outside was taken on my screened porch, where I let them fly in the summer. The photos below were in my home office, where they don't fly to, too often.
I wrote an article on how to tame them and I submitted it to the Finch Information Center but I don't know if they put it out there yet. If you e-mail me, I can send you a copy. But I absolutely don't recommend trying to tame Javas unless you are really committed and you have a peaceful house without alot of noise, small children or cats. The initial taming process takes a few weeks, during which you must work at it at least once a day (but better with 2 or 3 training sessions per day).
Java Sparrows are apparently very popular in Japan, where people have them as tame pets like we have parakeets. I think they tame them by hand-feeding them for the last week or so before they fledge. Go here (it's in japanese) http://www.annie.ne.jp/~linda/ and explore - the red text seems to be hypertext - eventually you will find photos.
Last edited by Nipper06 on Sun Oct 14, 2007 10:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
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RH/WB
- Hatchling
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 1:04 am
Thanks for sharing that, Great Birds.
I have one straggler I adopted, paired up with a Society with a Beatles hair do for a while, until another Society hit the scene, then he became invisible.
Java actually made a nest. He wouldn't get on my finger, but it will try to land on my head and would jump on my feet while I'm in a chair. It fly's right next to me and sure he wants to land, but he's afraid to. He's not tame in any way, nor have I tried but he has chosen me as his new pal and he sticks close by.
I have a tall floor lamp next to my chair with a long home made swing and he'll sit there next to me swinging away hard and fast for 30 minutes at a time, then fly away, walk around after me on the floor and went back into his cage at night.
I have him imprisoned right now b/c I have 3 pair of goulds nesting on a high shelf over a window in boxes and he's mean to them, he even pulls feathers and chases them through the entire house when they get too close to me. I think it was a protection thing, he didn't want them near me I suppose. 2 male goulds who fly around freely, do touch and go's (landing fly by's) on my head but never stay more than a split second. I must have an interesting head.
From dealing with this one Java guy, I think they're extremely intelligent birds that like company a lot. Most personality I've seen in a non hook bill bird. He stuffed that nest with 2 one Dollars bills he got in there somehow. Very Larcenist bird, a real busy little thief.
I congratulate your dedication and applaud your results, plus love the pictures~!
Had I no birds, I'd go with those Java's for their inquisitiveness and intelligence. They're better than TV to watch and have an attitude.
If one only had a homing flock of them loose in a bank that could distinguish Note denominations..........one could retire. LOL. A lone bird really likes human company. Of all my birds, and I got him by chance, he's earned being my favorite b/c of personality and he makes me laugh.
Great pictures~!
I have one straggler I adopted, paired up with a Society with a Beatles hair do for a while, until another Society hit the scene, then he became invisible.
Java actually made a nest. He wouldn't get on my finger, but it will try to land on my head and would jump on my feet while I'm in a chair. It fly's right next to me and sure he wants to land, but he's afraid to. He's not tame in any way, nor have I tried but he has chosen me as his new pal and he sticks close by.
I have a tall floor lamp next to my chair with a long home made swing and he'll sit there next to me swinging away hard and fast for 30 minutes at a time, then fly away, walk around after me on the floor and went back into his cage at night.
I have him imprisoned right now b/c I have 3 pair of goulds nesting on a high shelf over a window in boxes and he's mean to them, he even pulls feathers and chases them through the entire house when they get too close to me. I think it was a protection thing, he didn't want them near me I suppose. 2 male goulds who fly around freely, do touch and go's (landing fly by's) on my head but never stay more than a split second. I must have an interesting head.
From dealing with this one Java guy, I think they're extremely intelligent birds that like company a lot. Most personality I've seen in a non hook bill bird. He stuffed that nest with 2 one Dollars bills he got in there somehow. Very Larcenist bird, a real busy little thief.
I congratulate your dedication and applaud your results, plus love the pictures~!
Had I no birds, I'd go with those Java's for their inquisitiveness and intelligence. They're better than TV to watch and have an attitude.
If one only had a homing flock of them loose in a bank that could distinguish Note denominations..........one could retire. LOL. A lone bird really likes human company. Of all my birds, and I got him by chance, he's earned being my favorite b/c of personality and he makes me laugh.
Great pictures~!
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Nipper06
- Novice Nester
- Posts: 446
- Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2007 10:49 pm
- Location: Wilmington, Delaware (USA)
Your lonely Java
Sounds like your Java wants to be friends but is afraid. He is behaving exactly how they do when I add a new baby Java to my flock. I think if you keep working with him, he might come around. You could try temping him with some hemp seed - they really like that - or a little piece of poundcake. Put some where he likes to fly to - as he eats it - put some more - and he will see you have the food - that may win him over.
Once he starts landing on your head or shoulder, just sometime put your arm up there slowly and sooner or later he will hop on. Fingers will be the last thing he will hop on because they are most afraid of them. But your taming will have to go at his pace - you be calm and still - don't chase him around or try to make him perch - let him come to you.
If you had another really tame one, this one would tame quickly - but I definitely wouldn't get another untamed Java now - even a baby, if you ever want this one to become tame. A second wilder Java will only make the first one wilder. I've learned to never get a new Java Sparrow until the others are all completely tame. And a wild adult will probably never tame if there's another Java for company.
I keep my flock in a large parakeet cage where the whole front opens like a big door - that makes it easy for them to get in and out on their own. The last thing you want to do with this one (or any Java) is grab him. Even my tame flock (who will land on my shoulders, arm, and head - sit on my nose - nibble my hair - even walk through my fist if I make a hole) still get totally frightened when I put my hand in their cage.
If you e-mail me at sparky93@verizon.net, I can send you a little article I wrote up on taming Javas.
I just realized that you are the person with the free-flying Gouldians. So I can see why you might not want this Java flying in the same room. My advice then would be to cage this Java while in the big room and take his cage to a small room (where you can close the door) when you try to tame him. Again, I really recommend the square parakeet cage where you can optionally open the whole front of the cage like a big door - it will be much easier to get him in and out.
Once he starts landing on your head or shoulder, just sometime put your arm up there slowly and sooner or later he will hop on. Fingers will be the last thing he will hop on because they are most afraid of them. But your taming will have to go at his pace - you be calm and still - don't chase him around or try to make him perch - let him come to you.
If you had another really tame one, this one would tame quickly - but I definitely wouldn't get another untamed Java now - even a baby, if you ever want this one to become tame. A second wilder Java will only make the first one wilder. I've learned to never get a new Java Sparrow until the others are all completely tame. And a wild adult will probably never tame if there's another Java for company.
I keep my flock in a large parakeet cage where the whole front opens like a big door - that makes it easy for them to get in and out on their own. The last thing you want to do with this one (or any Java) is grab him. Even my tame flock (who will land on my shoulders, arm, and head - sit on my nose - nibble my hair - even walk through my fist if I make a hole) still get totally frightened when I put my hand in their cage.
If you e-mail me at sparky93@verizon.net, I can send you a little article I wrote up on taming Javas.
I just realized that you are the person with the free-flying Gouldians. So I can see why you might not want this Java flying in the same room. My advice then would be to cage this Java while in the big room and take his cage to a small room (where you can close the door) when you try to tame him. Again, I really recommend the square parakeet cage where you can optionally open the whole front of the cage like a big door - it will be much easier to get him in and out.
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Finches4life
- Pip
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:47 pm
..
Thats cool
I don't have any Javas
But my Zeb is pretty tame. He will land on you. I'll let them out to free fly and I'll just be walknig around and plop. There's a bird on my head.
He will land on you. ANd Iv'e been lucky enough to be able to kiss him and him not fly away.
My Society is pretty tame too. She has not landed on me yet. But I have gottan planty of kisses from her.
My Spice... And you wonder why I call her Spazzy. She will freakout some time if you even walk into my room. But I guess having two calm finches around hewr all the time has REALLY calmed her down.
I don't have any Javas
But my Zeb is pretty tame. He will land on you. I'll let them out to free fly and I'll just be walknig around and plop. There's a bird on my head.
He will land on you. ANd Iv'e been lucky enough to be able to kiss him and him not fly away.
My Society is pretty tame too. She has not landed on me yet. But I have gottan planty of kisses from her.
My Spice... And you wonder why I call her Spazzy. She will freakout some time if you even walk into my room. But I guess having two calm finches around hewr all the time has REALLY calmed her down.
New Zeb Progress: Finally after a week sleeps in the nest with the others. Has taught the others to eat their veggies!
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kenny
- Weaning
- Posts: 1778
- Joined: Sat Jul 15, 2006 3:45 pm
- Location: East Yorkshire,England
hi nipper
i would love to be able to do this but i dont think my dogs would like the birds flying around...they seem to want all the attention in the house so any birds would not stand a chance...i do however sit in my aviary after mixing the eggfood and they will fly down to where i am they will not land on me but i suppose you cant have everything
ken
i would love to be able to do this but i dont think my dogs would like the birds flying around...they seem to want all the attention in the house so any birds would not stand a chance...i do however sit in my aviary after mixing the eggfood and they will fly down to where i am they will not land on me but i suppose you cant have everything
ken
you can always tell a yorkshireman,but you cant tell him much
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Geordie
- Callow Courter
- Posts: 194
- Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:25 pm
No I, inherited it a while back after a neighbour died, it wasn't very friendly at first, I assume the neighbour didn't pay much attention to it. Anyway, I am a soft touch when it comes to birds and I couldn't allow it to be turned out. It only took about a week to feel comfortable with me, I just let it see my face everyday and left it's cage open all the time so it could fly around at will, now it will not leave me alone. I work from home so it is with me all the time. When I use the computer it sits on my mouse hand and gets a free ride, other times it is either on my hand, knee or shoulder, even comes outside with me when I hang the washing out and never flies away.
Best mate
Best mate