Best Bottom base for Button Quail

[DaKid]

Ok what do think is the best bottom material for rising button quail……………………………….....


Pine shaving
Sand
Corn cobs
Or what etc…


I have hatch some button quail which are in my finish basement in which I purchase some med. To large wire cages that are sold for small rabbits or ????? . The cages are 30” long X 14” width X 16” high or so with a pan type bottom which is about 4” high which the cage sit on top .

My question is I been using pine shaving for the bottom material , but it seems like the shaving get all over the floor, I try to cover the bottom half of the cage , ( both sides and the back is not cover with the poly) with heavy poly plastic but it seems that when they try to fly or run around or what every the pine shaving seems to get everywhere from the front of the cage still ,
So I was wondering is anyone has use sand for a bottom base material where they don’t have to clean or vac . Up daily the floor .Or what is the best material to use in a home where they don’t make a mess daily and needs to be clear daily , Sand -Corn cobs - Pine Shavings -or ???????????




Thanks Al.

 

[Akane]

Corn cob is not safe to use around most animals. Even if they can't eat it (which would be bad without grit) the bedding molds easy and corn is one of the most common materials to grow toxic molds. You could kill every bird in the cage if it gets wet without you noticing. Sand can work but needs more cleaning than shavings and it will probably end up on the floor as well. The only way to avoid bedding on the floor is to have solid walls high enough to contain it (I use aquariums for all my buttons to avoid that problems) or to use wire floors and no bedding so it all falls through on to a pan you clean.

 

[becky3086]

I don't know of anything that they won't throw out of the cage. You could try hay but it mats and has to be cleaned out more often. In the bird cages in the pet store they have some sort of pellet type bedding, that might work as well.

 

[citalk2much]

I use aspen shavings with a layer of hay over it to cut down the throwing it around. Akane is very right on the corn cob never use it. I use the mat on babies and have to change it often often often don't think I would use it on adults

 

[smallbluejellybean]

Lucerne Mulch is great, but I don't know if you can get it where you are. I buy big bags of it. I keep my guys in an aviary with canaries. It is split leveled, with the upper layer made into a plant box. It self mulches the materials I put on it. I have put plenty of worms in there.
So on the top level I put a layer of Lucerne, when that starts to compact down into the soil I add a layer of straw and when that compacts down again I then put pine shavings. I keep doing the cycle.
I have dug up underneith to see how its going and it has been mulched into the soil.
It helps keep the plants roots moist and fertilised.
Then in the bottom - the part you walk into the aviary I put down straw. I like how it compacts together when soiled - easier to collect. I then put that in my veggie scrap bin to composed too.
The only thing - which isn't really bad. Well found out safe for animals, but just annoying is where I place my water dish on the straw I sometimes get tinny straw mushrooms growing around the dish, but since this is the only area I clean totally out regularly, I just move the water somewhere else and let it totally dry out.
Also my aviary is on a cement slab under my patio and easy to hose out.
I am getting some large rabbit hutches from my sister. I am going to convert for the button quail as I have about 30+. It sounds similar to what you have. I will probably get some thick shade cloth and make like a seed catcher thing (like you see on canary cages). I will probably use lucerne and then shavings on top for the bedding in them.
I also have some of the chicks I hatched myself in a fish tank (brooder). That has pine shavings.

But any way you look at it you will still have some cleaning to do regularly as they throw everything around with their feet.

Good Luck

 

[quailbrain]

Sand can be Ok but it isn't very absorbant for liquids from what I've used. Like everyone said no corn cob. It is messy and moldy and can swell when it gets wet so if your birds eat it it can cause problems once incside them. Cedar is another no just incase you see it out there.

I prefer pine shavings personally. I use a shelf liner across the bottom of the cage and cover with pine shavings. The shavings absorb liquids and with the shelving liner under neath it's easy to lift the liner up and all the shavings with it.

 

[DaKid]

thanks again everyone

 

[becky3086]

Quote:
Do you have a picture of yoru aviary? It sounds so interesting!

 

[gendwk]

What about rice hulls has anyone tried those?

 

[shelleyd2008]

I use pine pellets that are soaked to break down, then I dry them out. Basically, it's sawdust. If I'm out of the pellets I use pine shavings, but the pellets (even broken down) are more absorbent.

ETA: The pellets are less stinky too