Button Quail Dilemma

mzkitty

Hatching
Aug 11, 2015
4
0
7
Hi,

I found a button quail in my backyard, pretty rough and untamed. I've kept him for a little longer than a month. I feel horrible that he has no females or no one at all. I live in southeast Houston and I've looked around everywhere to buy him a female. I found a breeder pretty far away but they aren't willing to meet me part of the way for a 3 dollar button quail. I don't trust that if I take him to a shelter and pay the 35 dollar fee that they will give him to someone who can provide him with friends.

I'm at a loss at what to do. He's really pretty, silver and the crest. He calls out for females all the time, doesn't care too much for my company. Real jittery. I just graduated so I don't have a whole lot of money to buy eggs and incubate them and all that either. Plus I have a rabbit and turquoise green cheek conure. I'm afraid to ship him out as it's been in the 100F's here lately. Am I overthinking this?
 
Thanks, he's actually the one who I mentioned who is pretty far away. 50 miles from me, and he was kind of rude.
 
can you [post a photo of the bird? It doesn't sound like a button quail to me maybe just a wild quail? Buttons do not have a crest.
 
Hi
I purchased eggs and hatched them from a breeder in Tucson Arizona,Phils best button quail,phone is 520-579-8295.email is [email protected] know its along ways but they may be able to help.real good breeder to deal with. I live up in northern Maine, so shipping quail to you would be expensive.They are very social so he will call until he gets company. sorry i could not help you more
Doug
 


He's definitely not wild here in Houston, TX. I did a search on wild birds around here. After some research someone ID'd him as a Chinese silver button quail. He's a pretty one.
 
Definitely button :)
I'm noticing that most of the food lying around him is way too big for a button to eat. Obviously some of it is small enough, as he has stayed alive for a month, but I would probably run the mix through a sieve to avoid wasting the large pieces.. Most buttons are best off with a friend, but I can't really help you when it comes to finding buttons in Huston. Though.. This bird must have come from somewhere. I doubt it has traveled 50 miles. So there is probably some pet shop or backyard somewhere, not quite as far from you, that has buttons.
Good luck with him!
 
check craigslist in your area. He is indeed a pretty silver male button and you need to fed him high protein turkey/gamebird food. You can buy it at most farm supply stores. ask for turkey or gamebird sometimes even chick starter IF it is not medicated, medicated chick starter is too much medicine for quail and will make him sterile. I would look at the neighbor hood and see if anyone has them for pets as surely he is an escapee try putting up posters on phone poles even if they don't want him back maybe they have a female or know someone who does.
He also should be on a better floor try using wood chips like for hamsters or even sand or dirt, he would love that as they take a bath in the sand and love it!
good luck!
 
Thanks, the picture was from when I first found him a month ago and he was in my conure's carrier. I've since moved him to a new cage with finch food, mealworms, and grits. He loves that bowl of grits. I've looked around for gamebird but I've only found them in huge bags.
 
yep..MannaPro has a 8 pound bag but you might have to order it online or others including Purina have turkey, duck, gamebird and it is sold in 40 and 50 pound bags I just freeze zip type bags of it and then donate about half the bag to a friend who has turkeys and peacocks. He needs more high protein try hard boiled chicken egg smashed up shell and all. the shell has added calcium, the hens need it more then the cocks but it wont hurt him at all. Do try to get some form of crumbles for him if you plan on keeping him.
There is a button quail page on facebook where you might find someone in your area.
 

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