Baby Button Quail Help Needed!!

[Zen Wildlife Rescuer]

Hi everyone, as some of you know, I am a wildlife rehabber. Today I picked up a very domestic newly hatched button quail that someone found roaming their complex. Please can any of you give me the following info:

What food do they eat?

What dishes are small enough to give it this food?

How do I get it to eat? (I have given it finely smashed hard boiled egg and it is hungry but wont eat it)

And what brooder style must I use? (I live in africa and temps are hot right now, so is additional heating required?)

Thank you!

 

[muddy75]

Food should be gamebird or turkey starter and ground up in food processor or mortar and pestle for small chicks. Parakeet waterers work well or small dish with pebbles or marbles to prevent drowning

 

[muddy75]

If it’s a loner, you can use a feather duster, stuffed animal, or mirror in the cage as company

 

[Zen Wildlife Rescuer]

Thanks a million.

 

[muddy75]

Good luck with the baby!!!! If you post a picture, we may be able to tell gender and approximate age

 

[Zen Wildlife Rescuer]

These are the best I’ve got. She’s very squirmy.

 

[LavenderDaFlerf]

Make sure the water dish is VERY shallow button quail can easily drown in even small water dishes. Good luck!

 

[Zen Wildlife Rescuer]

Hi again everyone. I am having trouble getting this little button quail to eat. I bought game bird starter and ground it up into tiny pieces yesterday (some of it is powder like). I’ve also offered her chicken starter crumble that I gave her dry and in a porridge like texture as well as smashed up peas. She ate a little of the game bird starter yesterday a few times but she isn't gaining weight and only wants to snuggle up under her toy to sleep. She sleeps all day and wont do anything else if we dont make her eat and drink. She came to us a 3 grams and is still 3 grams a day later. (We got her Wednesday it is now Friday.) If we take her toy away to get her to eat she cheeps loudly and if we dont take it away she stays under it and doesn’t budge. What do I do now? We are looking to get another baby but it is not easy in South Africa to find button quails for sale. Would she be OK with another type of quail?

 

[Nabiki]

How warm is the warm side of your brooder? It should be at least 95 degrees. Your brooder should have a warm side and a cool side.

I've had luck leading a chick around with a pipette. Tap the pipette over the food and it will peck at it.

3 grams sounds about right for newly hatched.

 

[Zen Wildlife Rescuer]

Hi all. I put wo work my normal rehabbing first aid rehydration training on her and she is now thriving. She is gobbling down her food and drinking water in between naps. We had a scare this evening when she started choking on a piece of feed that was too big but I did a normal protocol Heimlich maneuver for birds on her and she recovered instantly. I’ll crush her food down even smaller now. Her stripes are starting to show and I have a feeling she will gain weight soon. Thanks for all the help!