Are button quail harder to tame than Coturnix/Tips?

[Quailaholic131]

I have been attempting to tame my Coturnix quail, but every batch, they always end up skittish no matter how much time I spend with them because I want them to be tame so I can handle them easier. I've just bought some button quail eggs, and I was wondering if they would be easier to tame? Also, are there any tips to taming quail that could help me?

 

[Nabiki]

Buttons are much flightier than coturnix. How are you trying to tame them?

 

[Quailaholic131]

Buttons are much flightier than Coturnix. How are you trying to tame them?

I spend a ton of time with them and holding them when they are babies, and hand-feed them treats, but after they get about 4 weeks old, they start getting skittish. I know when they start to mature they would be more independent, but mine start running from me.

 

[Xouie]

I found coturnix to be easier, but both required a huge amount of socialization time. Others may have different experiences of course.

From hatch we use a lot of hand time, Hand fed treats, and gentle vocal mimicry when we’re interacting — predators are quiet, so we try to reinforce that we’re not predators. Even doing that we only get a few really hand tame birds. The rest are calm but don’t like to be picked up.

warning— if you end up with super calm quail you really need to be careful where and how you step in their pen (this is the voice of sad experience).

 

[Nabiki]

I spend a ton of time with them and holding them when they are babies, and hand-feed them treats, but after they get about 4 weeks old, they start getting skittish. I know when they start to mature they would be more independent, but mine start running from me.

Hmmm... It sounds like you're treating them like a puppy or a kitten rather than like birds. Instead of forcibly picking them up, you might try tapping near them when they're chicks (they'll come to you) and when they get older offering treats. Offer the treats where they have to climb onto your hand to get them.

It's normal for them to start running away at a few weeks old, but keep trying. Handle them when they start to trust you, but don't grab them, especially from above. Remember they're prey animals so their instincts are to run and hide.

 

[CascadeQUAIL]

I think buttons are hit or miss. Out of 9 I have 3 that are still totally tame. They're still young though. I know they aren't really lap pets, but some of mine don't seem to know that.

In my limited experience, Coturnix almost always outgrow it. I handled my most recent grow outs a lot and as soon as they went out into the larger pen they were done with me touching them.

 

[GreedySeedFeedy]

You might feel silly doing it, but Xouie has a good point about mimicing their sounds. When my wife and I feed them, we make their 'special treat' noise (It sounds like b-b-b-b-b-b-b) and they come running to get some food. Predators don't do this. We also join in on their evening scream, but it's mostly for a laugh! Also talking calmly to them at a low volume is a near constant around here.

Have you tried eating with them? That's something else we do here at home. We sit on the floor with them and feed pieces of apple or whatever fruit we're eating. If they won't approach to take food from your hand, simply put it on the ground a short distance away. They'll start competing for it sooner or later, and you'll have them trying to steal food out of your mouth if you're not careful.

I'm sorry they get skittish for you! I have noticed that ours do go through a phase when they don't want to be held around puberty. I've just never stopped to consider it! They always go back to being lap-warmers after a week or two.

When you do hold them, make sure they are at eye level, and pointed toward your face, eye to eye. This seems to be the most comfortable way for them to be held in my experience. They also like having their heads loosely cupped, as if they are in a hand tube.

Reading over this it all sounds incredibly weird! But please try it, it works. Coturnix quail, out of all the birds I have ever owned, are the number one tamest, most cuddly around. I'm really frustrated for you, I wish you could enjoy it!

 

[FloorCandy]

My first batch of chicks that I hatched, the kids and I held and tamed them constantly. They eat out of our hands. With any prey animal, taming from an enclosure that opens from the side is better. Prey animals are programmed to fear death from above.

I don’t tame or really handle any of the chicks now, but all my outdoor pens open from the front. The birds in general don’t fear me and I can usually reach in and pet them. They are not hard to catch if they happen to get out. Many of them come up and peck my hands when I’m reach for eggs because they are looking for treats. I just lost 2 of my original birds, and they often came up to me when opened the pen, giving me the head tilt look to ask if I had anything for them. If you’re good to them, move slowly, and handle gently, I don’t find them to be that skittish, however, if I need a certain one and I bring out the net, it’s pandemonium haha.

 

[TeePants]

Parrots also are harder to handle during puberty, but are sweethearts before & sometimes after (unless they’re male, lol).

The point about not forcibly handling them is a good one - birds reeeeally don’t love that, no matter the species. It’s better to get them on your side with bribery and mimicry and just being present.

All that having been said, my coturnix are pretty wild except for the two runts, but I didn’t make much of an effort to ensure they were friendly; now that I’m weeding the boys out though I am also going to try bribing them with treats etc.

 

[little-beep]

I think it's likely easier to tame a lone button quail than if there's a group.... I have 1 very sweet 5 week old button who cries for me - since I work from home, it's with me much of the day. I have ordered little quail diapers for it so it won't poop on my computer keyboard... not sure how that will go though.... LOL