JAVA TIPS PLEASE!! would love to tame them!!

[Maddogg]

I have had my javas for nearly 18 months and I love them heaps but I don't really know how to catch them or clip their nails or let them out to fly etc (obviously I know how to let them out but getting them back is hard). So basically I know nothing!! If anyone can offer me information on these things (especially catching and clipping their nails!!! can you use normal nail clippers or do I need special ones from the shop?) it would be appreicated.

I know that you can hand raise them from young but is there any way to make them more tame once they are a bit older? I would love to be able to catch them in the cage without stressing them out too much and clip their nails etc but I am so scared of hurting them or making them freak out!! They are usually curious of us especially the female but sometimes they both just start flapping around and I worry I am stressing them

TIPS AND OTHER HELPFUL SITES WOULD BE AWESOME!!! Thanks folks!!

[Nipper06]

Maddog,

Taming adult Java Sparrows is next to impossible. You have to start with juveniles right out of the nest, that still don't have adult plumage. They can be parent-raised however (you don't have to hand feed them) but you need to get them as soon as they are self-feeding. Having said that, they are pretty smart and you can probably get wild adults to where they know how to go in and out of their cage - but they probably will never be finger-tame. To do this, you'd probably need a cage where the whole front opens like a big door (that's what I have anyway).

I wrote an article on how to tame them. It is posted on this UK-based Java Sparrow web site:

http://www.justjavas.co.uk/ronsjavas2.htm

Please read it and let me know what you think.

These 3 were my first Java Sparrows - which I had back in the 1990s. All 3 were obtained directly from a breeder as very young birds. I tamed all 3 at the same time, by keeping them in separate cages until they were 100% tame. Unfortunately, I had to use the "wing clipping" (wing feather trimming) method, as mentioned in my article, because I had no other tame Java Sparrows to act as decoys - but by the time their wing feathers grew back, all were completely tame and would fly to me if I called them. But this only works with very young birds! Never wing-clip older Javas with the expectation of taming them - you will just terrify them and you will probably never succeed.



These are 2 of my 3 current Java Sparrows. All were tamed by the "decoy" method mentioned in my article (i.e. they were never wing-clipped). Once fully tame, Java Sparrows are a lot of fun. They are virtually fearless but, like all finches, they are happiest in a "flock" with 2 or more. But if one adult bird is untame, it can make your other previously-tame birds avoid you.





I hope this helps!

[Nipper06]

Here are the same 2 birds a few months earlier - note the normal gray bird is still in juvenile plumage. This one tamed very quickly because the other white one was already very tame. The white one would fly to me and the brown baby was afraid but eventually came to me. In a couple days, he was as tame as the other one. But it worked because he was a baby and the only other Java Sparrow around was this very tame white one. So, rather than be alone, he flew to me and "got over it".



NOTE: It will be impossible to tame any Java Sparrow - even if young - if they are in hearing range of any untame Javas - because they will call to the bird you want to tame and "warn" him/her that you are dangerous. You can only tame even young Javas when there are either no other Javas around or the other Javas are all completely tame.

When I tamed my original 3 birds, I took each cage to another room when I first worked with them. Only after they were all perching on my arm easily did I reward them and let them come out together. This made later taming sessions a positive thing because they could visit together on my arms. Eventually, thery all wanted to come out whenever I came into the room! When they were in their cages, I had them all in the same room so they wouldn't be lonely. Once they are really tame, they can all go in the same cage.

[Geordie]

Very good advice. I have 2 young Javas, 5 months old now and finger tame, my older Java is also finger tame, they actually prefer to spend their time bouncing around on me and one of them loves going inside my t-shirt and popping its head out of my collar. They all have a special preference with food, just like us, I like steak, my missus likes pork chops...So my Silverback loves rice seed where as my fawn doesn't really care for it that much, but my Silverback was the most difficult to win over so I took the rice seed away from the tray and left the aviary open, as usual my fawn would come straight out for it's playtime and when the silverback realized there was no rice seed in the food tray it started to venture out and now the both of them love interacting with everyone, give it a try, but don't grab them and force them into something that they don't like, also don't surprise them too much with new things, they generally don't like that. I installed a new heater which was different from the old one and they went crazy for about a week.

Nipper, could you PM me, I have a bit of a problem with one of my Javas aggression, I thought you would be the best bloke to ask about it. Strange head movements, with an open mouth and not allowing the other to eat...and more.

Cheers

[FeatherHarp]

Nipper06....What nice photos of your Javas....they look so pretty and healthy!

I also like the Cat clock in the background....looks like he is interested in the birds too...