Bizarre Button Quail behavior **UPDATE!**

[FlightsofFancy]

I have 3 Buttons in a 12 x 36 aquarium with soft mesh screen clipped over the top. They seem happy...how would I know different? Clean and fed, dust bath, nest. This weekend they started to escape from the cage at night. At first I couldn't figure out how, but last night after putting them back in bed after they escaped at 1:30, I sat and watched. They are jumping up on the waterer, hooking their feet on the top rim and pushing the netting off.
My question is: WHY ON EARTH WOULD THEY WANT OUT? My boxer has repeatedly picked them up and brought them to me, the Chihuahua chases them or they are getting stuck behind the washer or refrigerator. This does not seem like it would be fun....yet they keep it up.

***I have fixed the top (I think!) so they can't get out again.

 

[Plain_View_Farm]

Is that a Fluorescent Light behind the aquarium or an open doorway?
If a light do you turn it off at night?

David

 

[CoopCrazy]

Because Buttons are CRAZY.... Mine are always looking for a way out .. One thing I see is they dont have anywhere to hide at .. they love to hide in small tight dark places.. Maybe put a few hides in and see what happens ...

 

[FlightsofFancy]

That is a window. No artificial light on them....just natural.

 

[Plain_View_Farm]

Coop is right there... Perhaps a small box of some sort to hid in at night.
Also is there a light outside that window? They might be trying to get to the light..

David

 

[FlightsofFancy]

Quote:
There is a light outside. hmmmmmm...I will take care of that tonight.

 

[Akane]

They have nothing better to do than sit around thinking about how to escape. I had an agressive male seperated in his own tank and he spent all day every day plotting escape. He walked around looking up all the time. Every now and then he'd fly in to the top to see if it would work. One of the few times I've seen a button quail actually think about something.

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
KELLY HAVE YOU EVER HEARD ANYONE ACCUSE A BUTTON QUAIL OF BEING A ROCKET SCIENTIST? OR BRAIN SURGEON? LOL--- GOD ONLY KNOWS WHY THE LIL FARTS DO ANYTHING! BECAUSE THE REST OF US--- INCLUDING THE BUTTONS THEMSELVES HAVE NO CLUE!

AN IDEA THO.... CUT A PEICE OF PLYWOOD TO FIT THE TOP OF YOUR TANK AND BEFORE YOU GO TO BED AT NIGHT PLACE SOMETHING WITH A LIL WEIGHT ON THE PLYWOOD--- THAT OUGHT FIX THEM!

 

[FlightsofFancy]

Well, no escapees last night. I think Plain View had it right with the light. Since they were only getting out at night and the outdoor light was pretty bright. I put an oatmeal container tunnel for them to hide in and covered the window for the night.
I did get up a few times to check through the night........they were just looking at me like "WHAT! Stop looking at us!"

Thank you so much for all the help!

 

[smallbluejellybean]

My buttons are nuts too. They share an aviary with my canaries. When I go to entre the aviary I rattle the door and say back, back really loud. The canaries follow instructions, but the buttons run straight towards the door. I have to end up softly tapping them back in with my feet. I kind of expect they know I am in there to give them something, so they run towards me (I must have food tattooed on my forehead. I always take my shoes off before entering now, so I wont hurt them.