anyone keep button quail

[moon.walking.duck]

hi just wondered does anyone keep actual button quail not the chinese painted quail but actual hemipodes and how common are they what are they like to keep? thanks

 

[NeoRoey]

I think chinese painted are actual button quails.

 

[xxSonja]

The Chinese Painted Quail / Buttons most of us talk about here are NOT 'true' button quail.
As far as i know they are pretty rare in captivity, if at all. No one here in Australia has them that im aware of.
Im hoping someone who knows more about the 'true' button quails can give you more info.

 

[Quail's Hollar Farm]

I keep the button quail, I wouldn't say they are rare but they aren't that easy to find. For the most part they are just like any other quail just, really really really small! I'm talking about the size of a bantam chick! They can be a bit flighty but to me there is no difference in their care from other quail.

 

[FeatheredObsessions]

The TRUE buttonquail aren't even a quail at all. They have just three toes and are part of the crane type of bird family.

What so many call button quail are really just Blue Breasted Quail like the original poster mentioned. They have been nicknamed button quail cause of their size but the true Buttonquail is a hemipodes.

I think that Garrie Landry had some at one point??? Not sure if he still does cause his web sight is out of date. He mentions that they are VERY hard to raise in captivity. Female aggression being high and chicks refusing to eat unless the male feeds them.But since they aren't quail actually a quail I'm not sure that a quail forum would be best place to start??? Not sure....


These are Buttonquail the true Buttonquail not the quail affectionately called Button Quail

 

[Stellar]

The Chinese Blue Breasted Quail (aka button quail) that we know are not true button quail per se. They just got the nickname because of their size. Here is an excerpt from the most correct book on the market. A Closer Look at Button Quail by Jodi McDonald


"The nickname "Button Quail" soon caught on and spread throughout the world, but there was a problem. There is a true species of birds with the nomenclature "Button Quail," that make up 15 species of the order Guriformes, family Turnicade and genius Turnix. True Button Quail are native to many parts of the world including Africa, Asia, India, Sri Lanka and Australia. To further complicate the issue, True Button Quail, are not quail at all.

The little Chinese Blue Breasted Quail are easily distinguished from True Button Quail by looking at their toes. True Button Quail are hemipodes (Greek word meaning half foot.) They have only three toes, all of which point forward, they completely lack a hind toe, whereas Chinese Blue Breasted Quail have four toes, three that point forward and a hind toe that faces backward."

The hemipodes are found in some zoos. They are very hard to own in captivity. I know someone who had some (not anymore) who had a few and their eggs were never fertile. It is very difficult to raise. Some birds are not meant to have in captivity and should just stay in nature.

 

[Stellar]

Quote:
Garrie Landry lost his when a storm hit. They are very difficult to raise and he doesn't recommend it.

 

[Quail's Hollar Farm]

Wow that's a true button quail? I knew the 'button quail' were closley related to cranes and takahes but I had no idea that's what the real ones looked like. I have to do a little more studying then!

 

[moon.walking.duck]

right ok thanks knew they werent that common as otherwise the nickname for blue breasted/chinese wouldnt have stuck but didnt know they were so hard to raise