Balls of poop/ food/ bedding on tips of quail toes

[Ebz5003]

Today I found hardened balls of poop/ bedding/food attached to the tips of quails' toes. I soaked them in warm water with Epsom salts, and they easily scraped off but they seem to be taking the entire nail off with them!? Does antone know what this is/ how to treat it? I am in the process of building them a house that will be less exposed to the weather. I think the wet bedding doesn't help. Any advice would be welcome. Thanks.

 

[Nabiki]

It is common with wet bedding. The best way to get rid of them is to put pebbles in the bottom of a container, then a layer of water just covering the pebbles, then let them wander around in there until the poop balls fall off. If you try to take them off yourself, you are likely to take the nails with them.

You may want to put a heat lamp on one side of the container so they don't get chilled since it can take 30-40 minutes of wandering around in the water to get them all off.

 

[Ebz5003]

It is common with wet bedding. The best way to get rid of them is to put pebbles in the bottom of a container, then a layer of water just covering the pebbles, then let them wander around in there until the poop balls fall off. If you try to take them off yourself, you are likely to take the nails with them.

You may want to put a heat lamp on one side of the container so they don't get chilled since it can take 30-40 minutes of wandering around in the water to get them all o

I will try that. Thank you!