Java Rice Finch advice sought

[raymeedc]

I just started with Finches about a month ago (a pair of male Gouldians), &, as a result, am pretty much hooked. A new acquaintance of mine, who happens to breed finches, offered me a pair of male 3 month old Java Rice Finches. Needless to say, they're now residing in their new home (30x18x36 flight).
As these new acquisitions came upon me rather suddenly, I haven't as of yet had time to fully research the differences in care that might be required as opposed to my Gouldians (diet in particular).
I've only had them for an hour or so, but they seem to have a relatively intelligent, curiosity driven demeanor about them, more than I've sensed from other finches (in my limited experiences in this area), or is that just a mistaken first impression?
Anyways, I would certainly appreciate any advice concerning any area of their care that would be helpful in making them more comfortable.
P.S. - Are they more likely be happier with themselves only as cagemates, or in a larger flock of one or two more pairs of Javas (males), even though it would obviously necessitate a larger flight cage?

[FeatherHarp]

Ahhhhh.....another hooked Finch lover...they are addicting aren't they!

I am sure others will offer some good info but in the meantime...you might want to start with the Finch Information Center link located at the left side of the Forum. There is a Gold Mine of great information to be found there.

Here is the link for your convenience: http://www.finchinfo.com/index.php

[wellingtoncdm]

Javas are very social and do well in large groups and in larger cages. They can be bossy and squabble with each other bowing, beak fencing and causing a bit of noise. It's never serious but sounds it. I keep mine separate from all of the other finches except societies. Their size can intimidate other smaller finches. They like parakeet seed better than finch seed. I have never seen them eat live food but will eat greens and eggfood and millet spray. The males song is totally unique and they sometimes hop up and down on the perch while singing. Mine have bred well in parakeet sized nest boxes and are great parents. There are great websites based out of the UK on them.

[wellingtoncdm]

www.javafinch.co.uk/ is a great site.

[JohnBoy]

You are absolutely right about there "relatively intelligent, curiosity driven demeanor". Make sure cages are secure, I had a pair that figured out how to open the cage door and get out.. Also hand-raised Javas make excellent pets.

[Nipper06]

Javas can be hand-tamed too, if you start early enough. But 2 will be harder to tame than 1 and they will be more or less impossible in a large cage with other finches (because of the general panic that will happen when you try).

I have personally found the whites and fawns slightly easier to tame, though I've only tamed a few. I've had 2 instances where getting a second less tame gray Java has made the first one less tame. But I have had white ones on my finger in one day, if I had a previously tamed white one with it. I have an article about taming them that I can send or post if folks are interested.

These Javas in the photos, consisting of current and past pets, are all fully winged (not wing-clipped).





This recently fledged white one (below) was on my finger in one day because I had another tame white one already:


These 3, that I had in the 1990s, would get free flight time on my screened porch in the summer. I literally just had to put out my arm and call them to get all 3 back on my arm for the "ride" back into the house!

[lea]

awesome

[Ursula]

Wow!!

They are very cute!

Unfortunately I can't keep Javas in Georgia. (Or, maybe it's "fortunately" because I have enough birds already... )

[sierranomad]

Wow!!

They are very cute!

Unfortunately I can't keep Javas in Georgia. (Or, maybe it's "fortunately" because I have enough birds already... )

Yeah, they look like really neat birds, but they can't be kept in California either.

[raymeedc]

After a couple of days spent observing my new cohabitants, I believe they would appreciate roomier quarters (this being more or less a whim purchase brought on by a trip to a local Gouldian breeder, I didn't fully realize until I acquired them how large they are when compared to my Gouldians) than their current 30x18x36 inch enclosure allows. Consequently, I've just ordered a cage that more than doubles the length of their parameters.
By the way, I love these guys! A well balanced supplement to my Gouldians..... the same (they're both Finches, after all) but very different, with their own subtle, distinctive traits.
My original question remains unanswered, however..... is it more likely that the birds will be "happier" by themselves, or more content & secure with another pair of Java males (from the same breeder, as a matter of fact), or does this depend upon the individual personalities of the birds more than anything else? I am leaning towards leaving them by themselves.

[Finchtastic]

Wow!!

They are very cute!

Unfortunately I can't keep Javas in Georgia. (Or, maybe it's "fortunately" because I have enough birds already... )

Yeah, they look like really neat birds, but they can't be kept in California either.

Sorry but why cant you keep them in Georgia or California??

[JohnBoy]

Wow!!

They are very cute!

Unfortunately I can't keep Javas in Georgia. (Or, maybe it's "fortunately" because I have enough birds already... )

Yeah, they look like really neat birds, but they can't be kept in California either.

Sorry but why cant you keep them in Georgia or California??

They don't want escaped birds to get established in the wild because Javas are destructive & would be harmful to crops etc. They do well in most climates so colonies could easily get established like the Quaker Parrot has in many states.

[birdeatcat]

Hey I know this may be a later post but I have managed to tame a 4 year old Java sparrow O_O' Apparently from what I was researching that it's better to tame them at a young bird, rather then an older bird (because they don't respond as well). I seriously believed that it would be impossible after I discovered his real age but he sits on my hand, responds to his name, plays with me, lets me scratch his head, pat him, play with his tail etc... (what happened was I purchased him from a petsmart, and I was told that he was 3-4 months old, then later told that he was sitting in the store for 1 year and his leg band says he was born in 2007.) This was a trip and a half in my mind but Hiro, he took to me REALLY well. At first I got him eating out of my hand and the day we discovered he was older then led to believe, my mother shook him out of his cage and we clipped his wings, and started training him to sit on the finger, and that people aren't bad. He's a bit touchy when I try to get him out of the cage, but most times he flies out onto my chest.

Recently I got a 5-6 week old Java, named Ono (I believe she will be a normal Java, and I think she is a she lol) and he's alot more responsive around (I wanted to get him a friend but in some cases, as the training with Griffin the african grey and Dr. pepperberg, if a bird desires his or her owners attention, if another bird or what is believed to be a bird is around, the bird that is wanting the attention will see that acting badly doesn't get his or her owners attention, and change their behavior accordingly, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_Fpad20Zbk) and this is not my intentions with Hiro but I did notice that it can work in such situation. Hiro maybe just a Java Sparrow but he still loves my attention and to please me, same story with Ono. I don't believe that it's just in African greys but any birds, could probably live up to similar expectations.

In any case if you can't get a baby Java, it's also a good Idea to get your birds use to taking a seed from your finger and when they sit on you finger even for a short while, give them the reward, it shows them that you are praising them for being good, and the one thing that you have to have, Is PATIENCE, also it's much better if they are in separate cages or away from other birds that wig out, but can be in the same area as the others for support (the other finches almost used to cheer Hiro on).

The Society finches are starting to respond to the hand, City bird will sit on the hand away from the rest, Ryuuzaki is getting better, he still wigs out, but is better when he's been out for a while and see's city bird getting a great deal of attention (Same situation with what I mentioned earlier with the African grey only with Society finches), and Iggy, he's being stubborn but responds a wee bit, yet I am sure that he'll come around.