Button Quail Chat

[muddy75]

my 4 buttons share a “rat cage” with my 2 zebra finches. The cage is approximately 29”x14x29” that I found on sale. DS decorated outside with silk flowers/greenery and they have a chinchilla house that they love. DH has plans to build custom wooden cage for them when time permits. This one is really messy as they throw bedding, feathers etc out. i have not figured out a good cleaning method either as my buttons are still really skittish when i reach into the cage (also don’t want finches to possibly escape as would be very difficult to catch). any tips on cage cleaning would be appreciated!! i’m trying to figure out a good system to incorporate into the custom cage!!

 

[mixedUPturk]

Oh yeah I have a dish of pulverized eggshell, oyster shell and granite grit for them in one of the feeders. She's not laying yet, so she has only had a few nibbles.

Indeed, I come from the side of only having pet birds and no livestock but I still find this one of the most helpful and enjoyable forums to discuss them on regardless.

Im glad to have you! Alot of the info overlaps and i appreciate seeing anyone who is a good guardian of their critters

 

[mixedUPturk]

Well my cage isnt real clean either. The waterer looks alot worse than it is. I swear it was made fresh this AM (and the shavings make it look real yellow) but its Olllllld and so it always looks ratty. The feed also being low is fresh every AM and i know about how much they want for so i only give em a lil more than that and its always fresh. Theyve been in there about a week and i wanted em to stay a bit and get settled in before i pull em out to clean it. Thats the only way i know how Muddy. It upsets the hen into not laying everytime and we did good while she was outside and i jus moved the whole pen to fresh grass but now back inside its gonna be harder. The aquariums that i was thinkn id use are Heavy but i want the viewing experience so i was willing to sacrifice my back to enjoy it more.

Thats one of the reasons i was looking for a new plan. Also though, i need to outcross into new blood if im going to sell chicks and hatching eggs (even though im not having issues --i dont want issues) and so i wanna set up a rack of 3 tanks to keep more pairs. Maybe 2 racks of three tanks? Dont tell the DH!

 

[Serin]

Too cool! And i dont feel so bad now that their tanks too big for where id tried to cram it

Lol.. the bins are so light they can just go wherever. This little dresser in a spare room was the best place to put their enormous, 4 foot long gerbil condominium thats twice as wide as the dresser.

 

[Serin]

View attachment 1931483 View attachment 1931484 View attachment 1931485 View attachment 1931486 my 4 buttons share a “rat cage” with my 2 zebra finches. The cage is approximately 29”x14x29” that I found on sale. DS decorated outside with silk flowers/greenery and they have a chinchilla house that they love. DH has plans to build custom wooden cage for them when time permits. This one is really messy as they throw bedding, feathers etc out. i have not figured out a good cleaning method either as my buttons are still really skittish when i reach into the cage (also don’t want finches to possibly escape as would be very difficult to catch). any tips on cage cleaning would be appreciated!! i’m trying to figure out a good system to incorporate into the custom cage!!

I'm new to keeping the species but everything I read on their husbandry and natural behavior says that button quail are monogamous and you cannot keep four of different sexes together once they grow up without some very bad fighting, so I'd recommend pairing them off once they are older (they look young, or are they all girls? If the latter you may be okay..)

That cage will be hard to clean with finches and quails in it. Mine are pretty calm, I can just scoop bedding out and they run to the other side and kinda pace but don't freak out. You'll have to try and scoop out through that door, maybe clip a towel over it so they dont fly through? The quails will freak out but you'll have to work around them unless you can herd them into a box to take them out each cleaning. But that will stress them.

I have a lot of finches too but I keep them in a larger cage with a pull-out tray. For yours I'd recommend some more perches, some silk greenery to hide in and a swing or two. Only keep a nest in if you want them to breed, otherwise it encourages zebra finch hens to lay eggs constantly and males to get aggressive.

I have 7 society finch in here... 30 x 18 x 36 high. They do have a nest as this species is much more good natured and I switch their eggs with fakes for population control or is have dozens.

 

[mixedUPturk]

I'm new to keeping the species but everything I read on their husbandry and natural behavior says that button quail are monogamous and you cannot keep four of different sexes together once they grow up without some very bad fighting, so I'd recommend pairing them off once they are older (they look young, or are they all girls? If the latter you may be okay..)

That cage will be hard to clean with finches and quails in it. Mine are pretty calm, I can just scoop bedding out and they run to the other side and kinda pace but don't freak out. You'll have to try and scoop out through that door, maybe clip a towel over it so they dont fly through? The quails will freak out but you'll have to work around them unless you can herd them into a box to take them out each cleaning. But that will stress them.

I have a lot of finches too but I keep them in a larger cage with a pull-out tray. For yours I'd recommend some more perches, some silk greenery to hide in and a swing or two. Only keep a nest in if you want them to breed, otherwise it encourages zebra finch hens to lay eggs constantly and males to get aggressive.

I have 7 society finch in here... 30 x 18 x 36 high. They do have a nest as this species is much more good natured and I switch their eggs with fakes for population control or is have dozens.View attachment 1931511 View attachment 1931512

Awwwwwe! My goodness what an adorable little flock! Are these also look but dont touch birds? That beetles mop top oh my goodness

 

[Serin]

Awwwwwe! My goodness what an adorable little flock! Are these also look but dont touch birds? That beetles mop top oh my goodness

Generally, but mine do come to me if I have treats... at least some do, and usually the others will follow the lead of the bold ones. I've raised all but one here and gotten them used to me.

 

[muddy75]

I'm new to keeping the species but everything I read on their husbandry and natural behavior says that button quail are monogamous and you cannot keep four of different sexes together once they grow up without some very bad fighting, so I'd recommend pairing them off once they are older (they look young, or are they all girls? If the latter you may be okay..)

That cage will be hard to clean with finches and quails in it. Mine are pretty calm, I can just scoop bedding out and they run to the other side and kinda pace but don't freak out. You'll have to try and scoop out through that door, maybe clip a towel over it so they dont fly through? The quails will freak out but you'll have to work around them unless you can herd them into a box to take them out each cleaning. But that will stress them.

I have a lot of finches too but I keep them in a larger cage with a pull-out tray. For yours I'd recommend some more perches, some silk greenery to hide in and a swing or two. Only keep a nest in if you want them to breed, otherwise it encourages zebra finch hens to lay eggs constantly and males to get aggressive.

I have 7 society finch in here... 30 x 18 x 36 high. They do have a nest as this species is much more good natured and I switch their eggs with fakes for population control or is have dozens.View attachment 1931511 View attachment 1931512

i just hatched these buttons in august and it looks like mostly girls........none really stand out as males yet. they all still cuddle together....no signs of breeding or fighting. my female finch laid a couple eggs at first but havent found any recently nor any signs of breeding. i keep their houses in there because my family keeps our house pretty cool so it gives them a place to cuddle. i would probably let them sit on eggs thanks for the tips!! yes i have been able to scoop some of the bedding out around them, but i’m trying to design something more efficient for the new cage like a partition to clean half then shoo them over and clean the other half.

 

[seespotbitejane]

I love society finches so much. They are lovely. But I do not have the space right now.

Re: cage cleaning , take this with a handful of salt because I don't have buttons yet, but I want a naturalistic cage setup and I've been watching a lot of hamster videos on YouTube. For those cages they typically put spacers in the cage floor that section it off so you can make different levels. I think birds will be messier than rodents (who only potty certain places) but the sectioning makes it easier to spot clean every couple days. And I think the deeper litter might help as well, so you can scoop the dirty stuff off the top without having to also replace it constantly.

Ya'll feel free to tell me if I'm wrong. I'm making assumptions about quail behavior.

 

[seespotbitejane]

Ooh, another rodent thing that I would love opinions on from people who already keep quail! For animals that aren't happy being handled, I've seen owners train them to go into a cup on its side and then you can pick up the cup to transport to another cage. Rodents are smarter than quail I think but I bet it could work with some persistance.

If you put the cup (or whatever vessel, a box would be fine too) in maybe before feeding time everyday with the best treats, meal worms or millet or whatever they like best and they got used to going in to get good treats I bet that would be much less stressful for everybody than chasing them around. And the cup being a thing they're used to you bringing in and taking out would make it less freaky than if you pulled out one of their hides where they go to be safe from you.