Given that they are difficult to get but hopefully not too expensive, I'd probably get at least 2 males and one hen to have 2 pairs.
Having only one pair is always risky, if one bird dies or escapes or whatever, you must start searching again. Having 2 pairs could also enable you to sell their young in unrelated pairs.
Where have all the Java's gone?
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w.l.
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Tweet
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Re: Where have all the Java's gone?
I got my birds yesterday. What an experience!
If you remember I told you the woman I got the birds from told me she got them from a friend who got them from a breeder. Well, she didn’t mention that this happened 5 or 6 years ago. Since then she’s just let them live free. The Javas (maybe 30?) were in quite a large flight room along with many budgies, breeding and living as they please. Mainly the woman raises Cockatiels. There were cages and cages and cages filled with them in the kitchen area, dining area and on a porch, and 10 or so flying free in the house. The conditions were what you’d expect with that many birds. Think hoarding. I must say though, she was very loving toward her Cockatiels. She hand feeds them and they were all quite tame and looked healthy, considering.
Now back to the Javas. She had pulled out the youngest blue and fawn birds she could find and put them in a little carrier cage for me to look at, 6 in all. I asked their age, but her method of determining age is to see how long and curly their toenails are! (If you don’t ever trim nails, I guess it would be an indicator.) I doubt they’d been in a cage before, and they became more and more stressed out as I tried to peer at them and sex them. There was a beautiful older large blue male whose toenails did a loop-de-loop (I was sure about his sex) and a younger blue male (pretty sure about his sex) that I had my eye on. But after a few minutes of me watching them all the younger blue male dropped to the floor, closed his eyes and listed. I was worried he was going to keel right over! She said he was just stressed but removed him from the cage to look at him. He got away from her, so felt he was fine since he could fly. She couldn’t catch him amidst the trees, cages and loose Cockatiels, and I really liked the big robust tight feathers of the older male anyway, so I decided to take him.
There were 4 fawns, one clearly a male, and three undecided. They were all fairly young I think because they hadn’t colored up all the way yet, (and, of course, the nails only had half a loop-de-loop) almost looked white, but the tan was definitely there. I suppose there is a possibility they’re creams, but time will tell. I chose a female (I think) who seemed to be handling the situation and looked healthy.
Once I got them home I put them in a small parakeet cage so they could settle in (my new flight cage hasn’t arrived yet.) Immediately the male got hung up on the bars by one of his toenails. He hung upside down fluttering and finally got free of the bar. As much as I didn’t want to stress them more, I had to clip those nails! Once that was done they both went back into the smaller cage, but continued to cling to the bars and wouldn’t go near the perches.
I thought back to how their room had been set up. It was an addition to the house, like a framed in porch that had been finished into a room. It was about 8 feet x 20 feet. I believe there was one window at the far end, and a bank of windows that looked into the kitchen, but it was fairly dark overall. There were 2 blocks of connected boxes and most of the birds sat on the roof of those. About 10 feet of tied-together branches hung from the ceiling, but I didn’t see birds on it. The ceiling (some sort of hung panels) had 4 or 5 BIG holes chewed in it from the parakeets. And birds flew in and out of there. There were 10 or so separate large nesting boxes on the walls that were crammed, I mean CRAMMED with paper, fabric, straw, ceiling pieces, etc. She told me that she never sees the babies until they fledge because the birds cover them up to hide them. I don’t really remember much more. I think I have PTSD.
Anyway, back to my new birds. I though that might explain why they didn’t want to sit on perches, that or just plain fear. By the time I went to bed the female had found a perch and the male was on the edge of a seed cup next to her. This morning they were still in the exact same spots. I didn’t want to do it, but I felt they needed to be in a larger flight cage in order to find their water, etc., so I put them in with my older hen, Sweet Pea, this morning. They both flew to perches immediately. What a relief.
The older male was so stressed by this time though that he just puffed up and closed his eyes, only opening them briefly to watch the other two occasionally as they flew around and ate seed. He sat like that for 15 minutes until Sweet Pea sidled up next to him and began to gently preen around his face and eyes. That seemed to bring him around and he fluttered his wings, looked at her blandly, and then flew down and ate out of the seed cup! Then he watched Sweet Pea (who is totally smitten with him already) take a bath, and took one himself soon after. The younger fawn hen (I’ll call her a hen unless I hear her sing!) is taking everything in stride, I’m sure her youth is on her side as far as adjusting to new situations.
So… I now have 3 Java Sparrows! As I sit here Sweet Pea is grooming his head again. I think he’d prefer to be left alone in his misery but he seems to like it, and God knows she’s been lonely. I guess with all of her attention going to the blue male only, it’s safe to say I was right about the younger fawn being a hen. It’s amazing to me how the birds know immediately who’s a male and who’s a female. They need to write a primer for us!
INTRODUCING...
Sweet Pea – my older hen in foreground
Bruiser – new young-ish blue cock in the middle
Butter Bean – new young fawn hen in the back
Sorry the attached picture is sideways. I have no idea why it got that way or how to fix it.
If you remember I told you the woman I got the birds from told me she got them from a friend who got them from a breeder. Well, she didn’t mention that this happened 5 or 6 years ago. Since then she’s just let them live free. The Javas (maybe 30?) were in quite a large flight room along with many budgies, breeding and living as they please. Mainly the woman raises Cockatiels. There were cages and cages and cages filled with them in the kitchen area, dining area and on a porch, and 10 or so flying free in the house. The conditions were what you’d expect with that many birds. Think hoarding. I must say though, she was very loving toward her Cockatiels. She hand feeds them and they were all quite tame and looked healthy, considering.
Now back to the Javas. She had pulled out the youngest blue and fawn birds she could find and put them in a little carrier cage for me to look at, 6 in all. I asked their age, but her method of determining age is to see how long and curly their toenails are! (If you don’t ever trim nails, I guess it would be an indicator.) I doubt they’d been in a cage before, and they became more and more stressed out as I tried to peer at them and sex them. There was a beautiful older large blue male whose toenails did a loop-de-loop (I was sure about his sex) and a younger blue male (pretty sure about his sex) that I had my eye on. But after a few minutes of me watching them all the younger blue male dropped to the floor, closed his eyes and listed. I was worried he was going to keel right over! She said he was just stressed but removed him from the cage to look at him. He got away from her, so felt he was fine since he could fly. She couldn’t catch him amidst the trees, cages and loose Cockatiels, and I really liked the big robust tight feathers of the older male anyway, so I decided to take him.
There were 4 fawns, one clearly a male, and three undecided. They were all fairly young I think because they hadn’t colored up all the way yet, (and, of course, the nails only had half a loop-de-loop) almost looked white, but the tan was definitely there. I suppose there is a possibility they’re creams, but time will tell. I chose a female (I think) who seemed to be handling the situation and looked healthy.
Once I got them home I put them in a small parakeet cage so they could settle in (my new flight cage hasn’t arrived yet.) Immediately the male got hung up on the bars by one of his toenails. He hung upside down fluttering and finally got free of the bar. As much as I didn’t want to stress them more, I had to clip those nails! Once that was done they both went back into the smaller cage, but continued to cling to the bars and wouldn’t go near the perches.
I thought back to how their room had been set up. It was an addition to the house, like a framed in porch that had been finished into a room. It was about 8 feet x 20 feet. I believe there was one window at the far end, and a bank of windows that looked into the kitchen, but it was fairly dark overall. There were 2 blocks of connected boxes and most of the birds sat on the roof of those. About 10 feet of tied-together branches hung from the ceiling, but I didn’t see birds on it. The ceiling (some sort of hung panels) had 4 or 5 BIG holes chewed in it from the parakeets. And birds flew in and out of there. There were 10 or so separate large nesting boxes on the walls that were crammed, I mean CRAMMED with paper, fabric, straw, ceiling pieces, etc. She told me that she never sees the babies until they fledge because the birds cover them up to hide them. I don’t really remember much more. I think I have PTSD.
Anyway, back to my new birds. I though that might explain why they didn’t want to sit on perches, that or just plain fear. By the time I went to bed the female had found a perch and the male was on the edge of a seed cup next to her. This morning they were still in the exact same spots. I didn’t want to do it, but I felt they needed to be in a larger flight cage in order to find their water, etc., so I put them in with my older hen, Sweet Pea, this morning. They both flew to perches immediately. What a relief.
The older male was so stressed by this time though that he just puffed up and closed his eyes, only opening them briefly to watch the other two occasionally as they flew around and ate seed. He sat like that for 15 minutes until Sweet Pea sidled up next to him and began to gently preen around his face and eyes. That seemed to bring him around and he fluttered his wings, looked at her blandly, and then flew down and ate out of the seed cup! Then he watched Sweet Pea (who is totally smitten with him already) take a bath, and took one himself soon after. The younger fawn hen (I’ll call her a hen unless I hear her sing!) is taking everything in stride, I’m sure her youth is on her side as far as adjusting to new situations.
So… I now have 3 Java Sparrows! As I sit here Sweet Pea is grooming his head again. I think he’d prefer to be left alone in his misery but he seems to like it, and God knows she’s been lonely. I guess with all of her attention going to the blue male only, it’s safe to say I was right about the younger fawn being a hen. It’s amazing to me how the birds know immediately who’s a male and who’s a female. They need to write a primer for us!
INTRODUCING...
Sweet Pea – my older hen in foreground
Bruiser – new young-ish blue cock in the middle
Butter Bean – new young fawn hen in the back
Sorry the attached picture is sideways. I have no idea why it got that way or how to fix it.
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3 Java Sparrows, Sora the Doberman, Aspen - Friesian/Appaloosa horse
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Sheather
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Re: Where have all the Java's gone?
They're beautiful for sure!
The situation in that house sounds like nothing I'd want to live in personally, but all things considered... probably pretty nice for the birds if they had that much space! But the mess must be awful, and cockatiels are so dusty, I worry that woman will develop lung problems if she isn't keeping on top of cleaning. I have about 30 birds now counting some cockatiel chicks and it's full time job keeping my bird room tidy (I do allow free-flight and some birds don't get closed in cages at all.)
Honestly I'd be really interested to take a visit to that house, lol! Sounds interesting. So the budgies were nesting in the ceiling!? No way to even know if the babies are living or dying or what. What if they fall into the walls?
I can see how that situation could have started though, as y cockatiels recently started chewing on my walls and ceiling when I put perches too close to areas they could get a beak into, enlarging a couple small nail holes into coin-sized circles of missing plaster, but they can't get very deep because of wood further back. I've since gone back to making sure the offending pair are caged at night and only get out in the afternoon, when I can keep an eye on them, as well as hanging some cardboard as an alternative to gnaw on.
The situation in that house sounds like nothing I'd want to live in personally, but all things considered... probably pretty nice for the birds if they had that much space! But the mess must be awful, and cockatiels are so dusty, I worry that woman will develop lung problems if she isn't keeping on top of cleaning. I have about 30 birds now counting some cockatiel chicks and it's full time job keeping my bird room tidy (I do allow free-flight and some birds don't get closed in cages at all.)
Honestly I'd be really interested to take a visit to that house, lol! Sounds interesting. So the budgies were nesting in the ceiling!? No way to even know if the babies are living or dying or what. What if they fall into the walls?
I can see how that situation could have started though, as y cockatiels recently started chewing on my walls and ceiling when I put perches too close to areas they could get a beak into, enlarging a couple small nail holes into coin-sized circles of missing plaster, but they can't get very deep because of wood further back. I've since gone back to making sure the offending pair are caged at night and only get out in the afternoon, when I can keep an eye on them, as well as hanging some cardboard as an alternative to gnaw on.
~Dylan
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w.l.
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Re: Where have all the Java's gone?
Seeing so many Javas in one place must have dampened your enthusiasm to breed them to preserve them?
I still think you should have got 3 birds to have 2 pairs at home.
Now one will be pairless.
The behaviour you describe is odd.
Here even wild-caught Javas sit on their perches and feed and drink readily.
I still think you should have got 3 birds to have 2 pairs at home.
Now one will be pairless.
The behaviour you describe is odd.
Here even wild-caught Javas sit on their perches and feed and drink readily.
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Sheather
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Re: Where have all the Java's gone?
I am strongly considering getting another pair of Java finches after all this hype on this forum and everyone hopping on the bandwagon!
I have the opportunity to get a pair of pieds for just $30...
I have the opportunity to get a pair of pieds for just $30...
~Dylan
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Tweet
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Re: Where have all the Java's gone?
It was interesting to see so many when I have been looking so hard. She must sell them at the bird fairs, but I forgot to ask why she didn't have any the day I met her at a fair. I do kick myself for not getting another bird. My finances are tapped right now, but I can always drive back after the holidays and get another.w.l. wrote: Seeing so many Javas in one place must have dampened your enthusiasm to breed them to preserve them?
I still think you should have got 3 birds to have 2 pairs at home.
Now one will be pairless.
The behaviour you describe is odd.
Here even wild-caught Javas sit on their perches and feed and drink readily.
I thought it odd about the perch thing too. I really don't know what to make of it. Maybe a wild caught has better coping capabilities because of getting to experience life every day out in the world. I don't think these birds had any interaction except with each other within the walls of the dark murky room.
3 Java Sparrows, Sora the Doberman, Aspen - Friesian/Appaloosa horse
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Tweet
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Re: Where have all the Java's gone?
No, she’s not on top of cleaning, at all. The situation is probably much more intense than I described. She has several hundred birds there. (Cockatiels, Java’s, Budgies) Most of the cockatiels were in small breeding/flight cages that were maybe 30”x20”x20” and were crowded 4-5 in each cage. I didn’t get to see all the rooms, but I’m guessing 25 cages. She said the birds flying around the house had gotten loose but she must allow a good number to stay loose regularly as the ceiling fan, walls, etc. were thickly encrusted with very old droppings and dust. In general, she needs help to get things in order again.Sheather wrote: The situation in that house sounds like nothing I'd want to live in personally, but all things considered... probably pretty nice for the birds if they had that much space! But the mess must be awful, and cockatiels are so dusty, I worry that woman will develop lung problems if she isn't keeping on top of cleaning. I have about 30 birds now counting some cockatiel chicks and it's full time job keeping my bird room tidy (I do allow free-flight and some birds don't get closed in cages at all.)
I honestly think she's overwhelmed. She's not a young person, and is waiting to have knee replacement but had to wait because first they insisted she get a pneumonia vaccine before surgery, (which made her very sick!) and then she got a vein infection in that leg that abscessed out. So she's limping around waiting for surgery. I really felt for her. I’m glad I don’t live closer to her because I’m afraid I’d be there trying to help get things cleaned up, if she’d let me, and I’m still wheezing a little from spending an hour and ½ there.
I don’t think that the Java/Budgies get looked at much and besides the ceiling, the nest boxes were packed to the brim. She started to open one but we couldn't see anything at all except packed-in nesting materials. The birds must have a small tunnel from their entrance into the center. I’m guessing that if babies die in there they just get covered over with more material and the parents start over. Eventually fledglings must just "appear" in the room. Kind of like in the wild but without fresh air and sunlight.Sheather wrote: Honestly I'd be really interested to take a visit to that house, lol! Sounds interesting. So the budgies were nesting in the ceiling!? No way to even know if the babies are living or dying or what. What if they fall into the walls?
3 Java Sparrows, Sora the Doberman, Aspen - Friesian/Appaloosa horse
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lovezebs
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Re: Where have all the Java's gone?
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I'm very so happy for you, that you finally have your birds
Regarding the breeder and her house....
I can see how things can get out of hand with free flying birds who are avid breeders. I mean they could be nesting anywhere, and after a while, it would be very easy to lose track of who is with who, and doing what.
Regarding the perch thing.
I noticed with the new juvies, that they are nervous and flighty at this stage, and clinging to the walls, feeding cups, etc. when I'm in the bird room.
So it just might be that they are stessed and nervous.
I'm very so happy for you, that you finally have your birds
Regarding the breeder and her house....
I can see how things can get out of hand with free flying birds who are avid breeders. I mean they could be nesting anywhere, and after a while, it would be very easy to lose track of who is with who, and doing what.
Regarding the perch thing.
I noticed with the new juvies, that they are nervous and flighty at this stage, and clinging to the walls, feeding cups, etc. when I'm in the bird room.
So it just might be that they are stessed and nervous.
~Elana~
Linnies~ Canaries ~ Zebras ~ Societies ~ Gouldians ~ Orange Cheeks ~ Shaft Tails ~ Strawberries ~ Red Cheek Cordon Bleu ~ Goldbreasts ~ Red Brows ~ Owls ~ Budgies ~ Diamond Firetails ~ Javas ~ Forbes Parrot Finches ~
Linnies~ Canaries ~ Zebras ~ Societies ~ Gouldians ~ Orange Cheeks ~ Shaft Tails ~ Strawberries ~ Red Cheek Cordon Bleu ~ Goldbreasts ~ Red Brows ~ Owls ~ Budgies ~ Diamond Firetails ~ Javas ~ Forbes Parrot Finches ~
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Babs _Owner
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Re: Where have all the Java's gone?
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PTSD hahaha. You went from having access to no birds to HOLY COW
!
Be sure to all scatt all your birds since you've introduced them to your Sweet Pea. Everyone has a different way of treating new birds coming from unkempt conditions and I'm sure they will chime in. Since they are all in the same cage, I'd treat all three.
Did you notice any unhealthy birds in her flock?
Congratulations of getting friend for Sweet pea! I hope you'll be back for a nice male to even out your pairs soon
PTSD hahaha. You went from having access to no birds to HOLY COW
! Be sure to all scatt all your birds since you've introduced them to your Sweet Pea. Everyone has a different way of treating new birds coming from unkempt conditions and I'm sure they will chime in. Since they are all in the same cage, I'd treat all three.
Did you notice any unhealthy birds in her flock?
Congratulations of getting friend for Sweet pea! I hope you'll be back for a nice male to even out your pairs soon
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Jen
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Re: Where have all the Java's gone?
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This has been such an interesting thread and with such a happy ending for you! I'm excited for you and your new birds. I'm like you...glad I don't live close to someone like that because I'd be over there (with a mask) trying to help her clean up and get everything under control. I can't imagine what will happen to her birds if she has surgery and is slow to recover. Sounds like a sad situation. I hope she has someone to help her.
This has been such an interesting thread and with such a happy ending for you! I'm excited for you and your new birds. I'm like you...glad I don't live close to someone like that because I'd be over there (with a mask) trying to help her clean up and get everything under control. I can't imagine what will happen to her birds if she has surgery and is slow to recover. Sounds like a sad situation. I hope she has someone to help her.
Jenny
Gouldians, Red Cheek Cordon Blue family, Gold Breasted Waxbills, Fire Finches, Owl finches, Yellow Face & Red Face Star Finches, Lavender Finches, Society Finches, Canary,Rosey Bourke, Scarlet Chested Grasskeets, Cockatiels, too many Guineas, Izzy my 16 year old cute doggie dog, two spoiled kitties!
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Jen
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Re: Where have all the Java's gone?
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You are spreading the dreaded "Java Fever"....not Sheather has it! Oh my what are we going to do???
You are spreading the dreaded "Java Fever"....not Sheather has it! Oh my what are we going to do???
Jenny
Gouldians, Red Cheek Cordon Blue family, Gold Breasted Waxbills, Fire Finches, Owl finches, Yellow Face & Red Face Star Finches, Lavender Finches, Society Finches, Canary,Rosey Bourke, Scarlet Chested Grasskeets, Cockatiels, too many Guineas, Izzy my 16 year old cute doggie dog, two spoiled kitties!
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Sheather
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Shannylee
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Re: Where have all the Java's gone?
Tweet, beautiful birds! What an adventure!!
~Sharon
Orange Cheeked Waxbills, Gold-breasted Waxbills, Societies, Gouldians, Bronze Winged Mannikins, Spices, Canaries, Javas, Pin Tailed Whydahs, too many Koi to count, a husband, and a rescue puppy!
Orange Cheeked Waxbills, Gold-breasted Waxbills, Societies, Gouldians, Bronze Winged Mannikins, Spices, Canaries, Javas, Pin Tailed Whydahs, too many Koi to count, a husband, and a rescue puppy!