Where have all the Java's gone?

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lovezebs

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Any luck?

No, I haven't heard anything yet. I'm sure everyone is busy so I'm hoping to hear back from someone soon.

If the paucity of Javas is because of the Lacy act, no shipping over state lines, and breeders have lost interest because of it, it’s a real shame. I’m considering starting a breeding program myself so these lovely birds don’t vanish as pets. Of course I’ll have to find Javas first!!!!

[w.l.]

I’m considering starting a breeding program myself so these lovely birds don’t vanish as pets.

Nice, but what will you do with all the offspring if you can't sell and ship them?
Are there enough finch fans in your area to buy them all?

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w.l.
Good point! But seeing as I’ve had so much trouble finding them, I would think other people have too. And, on the other hand, not many people have ever seen a Java because they aren’t in the pet stores anymore. I’m going to have to look into that. Maybe pet stores don’t allow them either.

I was thinking of breeding on a very small scale, a few clutches a year and see how it goes from there.

[lovezebs]

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Haven't heared yet of Pet Shops not allowing them, but who knows.
Here in Canada there are no such laws, so you see them everywhere.
Thought about you yesterday, when I came across this an ad on kijiji here in Calgary. The fellow has bunches of them, sigh....

[Sheather]

I know you don't want pieds but my local store (Merrillville, IN) has a solid white male Java. He's been there a long time.

[w.l.]

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If you want to breed them for sale, you might increase the buyer pool by breeding different color varieties, not just wild colored ones. Though maintaining several unrelated lines of each color would assume having quite a lot of breeding pairs!
Not to mention finding them to start with.
I suppose there are no controls on state borders when driving?

Of course, here in Java getting them is no problem either, tons of pure wild colored ones available on the markets for ca $8/pair. As they ate now rare on Java itself, most come from the introduced populations on Borneo.
The silver, light brown and especially white varieties are also bred and available regularly. Maybe get an import licence? (just kidding)

java.JPG

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w.l.

No fair! CAGES full of Javas!!!!

I am going to try to breed normals, silvers & fawns to start. But like you said, this may be a pipe dream as I really don't want to set up for so many birds to have unrelated pairs. Baby steps...

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I know you don't want pieds but my local store (Merrillville, IN) has a solid white male Java. He's been there a long time.

Poor little guy. I wonder why someone hasn't bought him yet, is he terribly expensive?
I haven't done enough research yet, but I read that white Javas are 100% Pieds. I wonder if that's true in all cases?

[Sheather]

He's $60, and has been in store for over a year.
Another store got in babies recently that sold out in days.

[wildbird]

Just what I need! I've been looking for a male Java in Florida. The few that are for sale are either sold or in Miami. That stupid law has forced a lot of breeders out of business.

[Sally]

The Lacey Act certainly has an effect on breeders in the U.S. When you can't exchange bloodlines with breeders in other states, pretty soon you decide to move on to species that can cross state lines. A while back, there was talk about some of the Java groups trying to get the Lacey Act changed to allow Javas across state lines, but I haven't heard any more on that.

[wildbird]

Some of the breeders in Florida were selling and shipping them to New Jersey and Pa. where prices were a lot higher. If they can't ship them out of state, they stop raising them. They will disappear, if this law isn't turned around. Get the government out of our life.

[w.l.]

The Lacey Act certainly has an effect on breeders in the U.S. When you can't exchange bloodlines with breeders in other states, pretty soon you decide to move on to species that can cross state lines.

Javas were listed in that act back in 1967.
So why have they become scarce just recently?

[wildbird]

It is my understanding that the law concerning shipping over state borders was just recently added.

[Tweet]

The Lacey Act certainly has an effect on breeders in the U.S. When you can't exchange bloodlines with breeders in other states, pretty soon you decide to move on to species that can cross state lines. A while back, there was talk about some of the Java groups trying to get the Lacey Act changed to allow Javas across state lines, but I haven't heard any more on that.

This makes a lot of sense to me, breeders not being able to get new bloodlines for their program would certainly put a dent in healthy, vigorous birds. I saw the group talking about changing the Lacey Act, but it was a few years ago I think, and it just petered out it seems.