button quail head injury

[neontreefrog5]

my male button is absolutely insane. I don't know why, but at night and through the day, for no reason, he will fly straight up and boink into the top of the cage. nothing will be near the cage or no one will be moving about, but he continuously does it. he's developed a nasty injury on his head from repeatedly doing this, and I've tried everything to keep him from doing it. I have towels lining the top but i don't think it is helping. I'm really unsure what to do, his female in with him hasn't done a thing like it and she looks perfectly fine, so obviously nothing has been spooking them or she would be flying up too. I'm in desperate need of advice.

 

[dc3085]

Environmental sights and sounds can greatly disturb them. Running water, flapping platic, etc are noises that will literally drive them crazy. He may also be seeing something that bothers him move. Humans are tri chromatic meaning we have 3 channels in our eyes to process light, quail are tetrachromatic meaning they have 4 channels. Basically they see a lot more colors than we do and sometimes that can lead to an object scaring them. All night lights or the tv playing all night are also no nos.

 

[neontreefrog5]

Environmental sights and sounds can greatly disturb them. Running water, flapping platic, etc are noises that will literally drive them crazy. He may also be seeing something that bothers him move. Humans are tri chromatic meaning we have 3 channels in our eyes to process light, quail are tetrachromatic meaning they have 4 channels. Basically they see a lot more colors than we do and sometimes that can lead to an object scaring them. All night lights or the tv playing all night are also no nos.

thank you for the info. my concern is just that it is extremely quiet here. we don't leave anything on near them and cover their cage, and I would imagine if something was spooking them it would scare my female, but she is absolutely fine. she hasn't been boinking and is unscathed, I just can't figure out why my male is so jumpy. and should I try to clean his head or just try to let it heal on its own?

 

[GrandmaBird]

Unless it is really bad and looks infected I would just leave it, some folks would have you put blu kote or the like on it but I don't think it is necessary if there are no signs of infection. As for him boinking do you keep a cover on top of the cage during the day? this might help him get used to the fact he cannot escape by flying up. Also be sure there are no other reasons for the head injury. Good luck.

 

[neontreefrog5]

Unless it is really bad and looks infected I would just leave it, some folks would have you put blu kote or the like on it but I don't think it is necessary if there are no signs of infection. As for him boinking do you keep a cover on top of the cage during the day? this might help him get used to the fact he cannot escape by flying up. Also be sure there are no other reasons for the head injury. Good luck.

yes I put a towel over their cage, and it doesn't look infected to me so i will leave it be. boinking would be the only cause for this since I can hear him doing it, and I from watching him and his female companion she does not bother him at all. I have started covering their cage entirely at night so as to minimize them being startled by movement in the room. thank you again for your help!