The Japanese sparrow: who is he? How to raise this bird at home?
The Japanese sparrow (Lonchura
striata Domestica) is a small sparrow that does not exist in nature, since it
was created by man in the 18th century. Pleasant to live and easy to raise, it
is a sociable bird, not too noisy, and a perfect nurse for its young as for
those of other species. Learn about the characteristics of this small animal
and how to raise it at home.
Who is the Sparrow of Japan?
Originally from Japan and China, the
Japanese sparrow has been raised and domesticated since the 18th century.
However, it should be noted that several crosses have been made to
"perfect" this breed by assigning it characteristics intended to
facilitate its breeding. The modern-day Japanese sparrow is not wild at all but
is the result of a mixture of species such as the large-mesh Checkernel and the
long-tailed Domino. You will never find it in nature, it is an animal entirely
"created" by the hand of man. The closest wild sparrow is the Capucin
domino, or Sparrow domino (Lonchura striata). Introduced to Europe in the
mid-19th century, it quickly became popular.
This adorable little bird of the family Estrildidae is appreciated for its sweetness, but also for its ability to incubate and raise eggs and young chicks of other species. This makes it a very suitable feeder bird, especially since it is aware of and does so very naturally that it breeds offspring that is not it's own. It should be noted that the Japanese sparrow is a bird that raises its young in the community.
Thus, within the same cage, several pairs share the nests and the parents can
take care of chicks from other pairs.
Beyond this practical aspect, it is a
peaceful, calm, sociable, clean little bird that loves to play and have fun in
peace. He spends a lot of time scratching and grooming himself. It lives very
well with birds of other species and gets along with all. It is recommended to
adopt at least one pair of Japanese sparrows to avoid boredom with a single
animal. However, two males or two females will get along very well.
From a height of 10-12 cm to 18-20
grams, the Japanese sparrow has an average life expectancy of 6-8 years. Very
curious, he enjoys observing what surrounds him and discovering new games. In
the Japanese sparrow, only the male sings; the female only makes small,
discreet noises that are not melodious. However, it is not a good singer, it is
content to push some varied and sometimes grating sounds. On the other hand,
the male likes to seduce his female by singing a few serenades and inflating
his feathers during the love season.
The Japanese sparrow comes in several
colors and variations, including black-eyed white, albino white, pearl,
variegated, mocha, beige-gray, brown-black, and red-brown. Its plumage is
either smooth or curled according to the subspecies, with a single or double
tuft. Its beak is short and very strong.
Reproduction of the Japanese Sparrow
If you want your Japanese sparrows to
breed, adopt a female at least one year old and a male at least 8 or 9 months
old. A female can lay between 4 and 8 eggs each time, and even 10 in rarer
cases, at the rate of three annual broods.
After 15 to 17 days of incubation,
the chicks are born entirely naked. They may leave their parents’ nest at 3
weeks of age but remain fed by them until 5 weeks of age.
How to raise the Japanese sparrow at home?
The Japanese sparrow is a small bird
that is easy and pleasant to raise at home.
A well-equipped and spacious cage
For the Japanese sparrow to feel
comfortable, it needs a cage with a minimum size of 60 cm wide and 40 cm deep
and high per pair.
Place an absorbent litter on the bottom
of the aviary and be sure to remove the soiled parts every day.
Equip the cage with a drinker, feeder,
and one or more shallow tubs. Change the water every day, because the Japanese
sparrow likes to be clean. Install several perches high up, a coconut fiber
nest, mirrors, swings, bells, and small plants.
A varied diet
The main diet of the Japanese sparrow
consists of mixtures of seeds for exotic birds (millet, moha, alpine, etc.). To
this base, you can add some fruits and vegetables in small amounts. Apple,
pear, banana, apricot, courgette, carrot... vary the pleasures, but make sure
to serve them always fresh and to quickly remove what is not consumed.
Once a week, outside the breeding
season, you can add to your diet a pie made with a mixture of eggs and cooked
semolina.
For a good calcium intake and to
promote good digestion, leave a cuttlefish bone at the disposal of your birds
as well as a little grit, which is sand composed of pieces of shells or crushed
eggs.
Impeccable hygiene
The Japanese sparrow likes to be clean and spends a lot of time grooming itself and others. Indeed, he enjoys being scratched and being scratched by his neighbor.
Leave a large bathtub available for your Sparrows, but shallow to avoid drowning. These little birds like to swim with others, even if it means squeezing in!
Once the toilet is finished, they
gather in small clusters and go to sleep for a good nap in a group.