Seed

The basic diet for the Java Sparrow in captivity is a good quality foreign finch mix.

I have noticed that "standard" foreign finch mixes vary from different suppliers. Some suppliers add seeds that do not appear in another manufacturers mixes and vice versa.

I like to keep things simple when feeding my birds, the basic seed mix I use is from the Belgian company Versele-Laga.
 

I use their "Tropical Bird" mix (see photos left and right) this mix comprises of:

Panicum Yellow 48%
Yellow Millet seed 35%
Canary Seed 8.5%
Panicum Red 6%
Red Millet seed 3%
Niger seed 1.5%

I use this for the Java's  basic diet which provides them with essential proteins, vitamins and acids.

The photo on the right shows a close-up of the basic foreign finch mix (Versele-Laga Tropical Bird Mix).

Click on the photo for a closer look

Every breeder you speak to will have their own choice of seed mix, and many breeders may add several other seeds to create a mix that suits them and, more importantly, their birds.

One rule of bird keeping is "There are no Rules!!"

What works for one bird keeper may not necessarily work for another!!

Try various mixes and you will soon learn which your birds prefer.
 

Click on the photo for a closer look

The only additional seeds I offer my birds are shown in these photos.

This photo shows a seed that my Java's love....... Paddy Rice.

Paddy Rice is a seed that is in abundance in the Java Sparrow's natural habitat, in-fact the Java Sparrow is considered a pest in the Paddy Fields as they destroy the rice crops.

This seed has also influenced one of the alternative names for the Java Sparrow, that being the Rice Bird.

This seed is given to my birds twice a week in small dishes.

This photo shows a budgie tonic seed mix that I give my birds every 6 weeks. It contains seeds that are in my standard mix but it also contains additional seeds that the Java's take readily. I use it for one week then revert back to the standard mix.

Here is a breakdown of the Versele-Laga Budgie Tonic Seed Mix that I give my birds:

Panicum Yellow 27%
Peeled Oats 27%
Japanese Millet 17%
Yellow Millet 10%
Red Millet 8%
Rape Seed 5%
Linseed 3%
Niger Seed 2%
Canary 1%.

Giving Java's tonic seeds will help condition them for breeding and also offers additional vitamins and minerals that maintain general good health.
 

Click on the photo for a closer look

Click on the photo for a closer look
 

These photos show the type of millet sprays that I give my birds, they are known as Yellow Millet

Java Sparrow's will devour millet sprays, I usually hang up 3 sprays to 10 birds. They have usually stripped them clean in 3 or 4 days.

This is one of the first seeds that Java chicks will try for themselves when becoming independent of their parents.
 

Click on the photo for a closer look
 

Iceberg Lettuce & Broccoli

Greenfood

To try and feed birds in captivity with a diet that is close to what they eat in the wild, greenfood should be given on a fairly regular basis.

I put small amounts of greenfood on the cage floor approximately every two weeks.

I used to give my birds greenfood every two or three days but I found their droppings were very wet.

I have tried many different types of greenfood but I find that broccoli an lettuce are preferred by my birds. These are all very easy to obtain as they are sold in all supermarkets.

However, I also like to get my birds wild plants such as Chickweed, Shepherd's Purse, Ragwort or Dandelion. The only downside to this, is finding the time to go out and find them. And also remembering to wash the plants as they could have been soiled by cat, dog or rat urine.
 

Grits

I believe grit is essential for the Java Sparrow and small birds in general. Consuming grit helps the birds break down the seeds they take which will assist in healthy digestion.

Each week, after I have cleaned out my cages, I spread a handful of grit on each cage floor. I don’t use grit pots, as I believe my birds take more grit when it is offered to them more widely.

Having the grit on the cage floor allows the birds to forage for the pieces of grit they want to take rather than get it from a small grit pot.

The downside to having grit on the cage floor is that a lot gets thrown away each week when the cages are cleaned out. I don’t mind this too much as grit is extremely cheap anyway.

The photo on the right shows the grit I give to my birds.

Click on the photo for a closer look
 

Click on the photos for a closer look

Minerals

Java Sparrows should have a constant supply of minerals, trace elements and grit.

These essential nutritional elements are offered to my birds in the form of a product from Versele-Laga called "Pick Bloc".

Pick Bloc differs from the traditional solid pickstones as this is pre-granulised (see photo on the left).

It contains a balanced combination of different types of grit, sea corals, stomach grit and redstone.

I always ensure that my birds have access to these essential minerals every day, all year round.

I pay 80p for 350g packet of Pick Bloc which comes in a small clay pot.

I think this is an excellent price  for two reasons.

Firstly, it helps maintain good health, and secondly, it comes with a handy pot that can be use again and again.
 

Water

I like to keep things simple with the water my birds drink.

I religiously change the drinking water on a daily basis and I do not use additives. In the summertime when the birdroom gets very warm, I change the water first thing in the morning and then again early evening. I do this as the warm temperatures increase the levels of bacteria that thrive in the warm and humid conditions.

Java Sparrows are avid bathers and will take several baths per day.

This water is also changed on a daily basis as the water gets very dirty, especially if there a droppings in the water.

My Java’s seem to know that early evening time is “fresh bath water time”. They seem to get quite excited when I start taking off the baths, as they know I’ll be back in a few minutes with clean water.

When I hang the baths on the cage doors the birds instantly jump in and soak themselves, and then for the next fifteen minutes all you can hear is the sound of the Java’s shaking themselves down and soaking you from head to foot in the process.

Click here to see a video of a Java bathing (2.36 Mb...only advisable for broadband users)

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