Are bobwhites normaly this shy?

[curious penguin]

Hey guys got a breeding pair of bobs today and they have nit moved from one corner if you go to pick one up they go crazy there nothing like my japanese quail. They seam really scared

 

[sphanges]

I'm interested in the replies to this because I got two pairs of bobs a fortnight ago and they are the same. They go crazy if I try to remove them from the cage and flutter around like mad, whereas my coturnix are easy to catch and calm down quickly when held. I assumed I just had very un-handled bobs but maybe it is their nature?

B

 

[curious penguin]

Yea mine are like that my coturnix are that tame they enjoy a back scratch lol but these bobs are the opposite im hoping that its just the new seroundings. Have yours got any better since you got them?

 

[Ntsees]

It's not the new surrounding or anything. Its their nature. Your bobwhites probably still have the wildness with them that's why they are that shy. If you want to see quail even more shy than bobwhites, try California quail or Gambels quail. Unless you corner them very well, you won't be able to catch them with your hands (and if you do, get ready for some feather loss).

 

[sphanges]

Yea mine are like that my coturnix are that tame they enjoy a back scratch lol but these bobs are the opposite im hoping that its just the new seroundings. Have yours got any better since you got them?

Perhaps a very little - I find if I purr at them then the males will puff up and come forwards to have a cautious look at me - but as far as my hands in the cage, they act like I'm about to eat them whole. I just know I am going to lose them at some point. Wondering if I should sell them on before that happens. They're not common in NZ and I was hoping to sell fertile eggs from them but I don't know if it's going to be worth the drama.

 

[curious penguin]

Dont give up have you had any eggs yet? I have one in the incubator from yesterday none yet today though. Theres not that many bobs in GB either.

 

[sphanges]

I haven't had any eggs but it's just coming up to spring for us so I imagine as the days get longer they will start to lay. I'll incubate the first batch to make sure they are fertile and then advertise them for sale. I don't even get to eat any coturnix eggs any more as I have such a high demand for fertile eggs - hoping the bobs will be the same! I'm glad I got some chooks too

B

 

[TwoCrows]

Bobwhites are very flighty birds. It is not that they are shy, they are just not as domesticated around humans as Coturnix. And handling them in attempts to tame them will only stress them badly. They can injure themselves when you handle them as well, so it is not recommended to handle them, and only do so for health reasons.

You can tame them down a bit with treats and they can learn to eat from your hand. It is also good to put cut tree branches in their pens and aviaries to keep them calm. Bobs do horrible in areas where they are exposed. They like lots of hidey places and will be less nervous and flighty.

If you hatch your own Bobs, it is good to handle them a lot as babies as this can tame them up greatly, but still they will not like to be handled and will stress.

 

[curious penguin]

Thanks TC i shall be putting some foliage in for them first thing tomorrow

 

[curious penguin]

I need a male courtnix all mine are female getting 7 tasty eggs a day