Button quail w/ jumbo quail keeper

[Oob Child]

I've wanted button quail for a really long time, but was never able to get them in my country. I got jumbo quail instead, as those were the only ones I could find.
However, I recently found out that Hazel's Hatchery (Queensland, Australia) now stocks button quail eggs.

I really want to buy them, but would like to hear other people's experiences with Button Quail. Are there many things different to jumbo quail keeping? I am aware that button quail tend to live longer than jumbo, as jumbos are bred for food mainly, and I know jumbos can't be kept together with buttons (that part is pretty obvious). I have a separate cage they could go in.

I currently have three female jumbo quail and have a dozen jumbo eggs coming tomorrow from Hazel's.
Button Quail are so cute to me, and I really want to keep them. Any advice?

 

[Nabiki]

Button quail are native to southeast Asia, so they do not tolerate cold nearly as well as coturnix do. That's the main difference in care that I can think of. They are much, much smaller, which you already know.

 

[Oob Child]

Button quail are native to southeast Asia, so they do not tolerate cold nearly as well as coturnix do. That's the main difference in care that I can think of. They are much, much smaller, which you already know.

Thanks! It doesn't snow or get below 12°c in my area, and I keep them indoors. I want to mainly keep them as pets, and I know they are meant to be more skittish.. but how much more? Are they really that hard to tame?

 

[Nabiki]

Thanks! It doesn't snow or get below 12°c in my area, and I keep them indoors. I want to mainly keep them as pets, and I know they are meant to be more skittish.. but how much more? Are they really that hard to tame?

They can be tamed, but it takes a LOT of work. Basically, you need to handle them all the time from the moment they hatch. I never spent that much time with mine. I was content to let them be living decorations that make pleasant sounds.

 

[Kiki]

They are nutty little things.

 

[Oob Child]

They are nutty little things.

Just like me

 

[The Birb King]

Buttons are more skittish and active. They lay a lot of eggs for their small size, so they need a lot of protein and calcium in their diet. I have never owned coturnix so I don't know much about them, but button quail are pretty fragile in general. They don't do well in cold temperatures, and they just don't live very long. Only about 2 to 5 years on average.

 

[Leelah]

Thanks! It doesn't snow or get below 12°c in my area, and I keep them indoors. I want to mainly keep them as pets, and I know they are meant to be more skittish.. but how much more? Are they really that hard to tame?

 

[Leelah]

Hello , I ha e both types of quail. My buttons are indoors as well and are pets . They adults are skiddish but the babies are not if handled a bit everyday . I hatched my eggs in an incubator so they don't know the difference with being with mom button quail or human . Just know that babies move pretty fast once the get used to walking after hatch.