Coturnix Quail Colors -- Quail discussion thread

[orloffer]

It will take time and paitence, Scrappy is nearly 4 years old and is only as tame as he is because of near enough daily handling and coddling as he is essentially an unofficial emotional support bird at this point, even when he was all fighty, I handled him and his late brother Bambi daily and let them walk around outside the cage during the day and put them away at night... If they didn't go back in the cage himself. XD

Bambi was a rebel, he was as tame as Scrappy, but one time he hopped up the stairs where he wasn't allowed and he wanted to stay in a particular room... I had him 'cornered' eventually, where his only option, or so I thought, was to leave the room so I could close the door... He jumped over my head and then stood all proud and mighty in the middle of the room.
I gave up and let him stay in that room until bedtime.

4 years old? That is impressive in itself. Thanks for sharing the story about Bambi! It is funny when quail stand up very tall and look proud of themselves.
Do you keep holding them even if they are struggling?

 

[MageofMist]

4 years old? That is impressive in itself. Thanks for sharing the story about Bambi! It is funny when quail stand up very tall and look proud of themselves.
Do you keep holding them even if they are struggling?

Depends on how much they struggle, usually they settle after a few seconds of being held, but if they are really freaking out, I let them go and give them a break for a bit, probably offer highly valued treats like sunflower hearts or bits of cheese.

 

[orloffer]

I went outside just a bit ago and held out a small piece of watermelon to Aurelius through the wire of his cage. He went into panic mode for a number of minutes, pacing the walls, jumping up, trying to escape. After a while, he calmed down *a bit,* and and after another while, he finally pecked at the watermelon a few times, then a few more times. That was good enough for me, because crouching down and holding a piece of watermelon up against a metal cage for more than several minutes is surprisingly tiring. Plus, I had to look away the whole time so he wouldn't think I was about to attack him.

 

[orloffer]

It is another story, however, if I open the cage door and put my hand with the watermelon into the cage. Then he promptly panics and will not even consider it.

 

[orloffer]

My male quail has been overbreeding his 3 hens. Funny thing is, one of them seems to be trying to get back at him by chasing him around and around, and trying to grab his neck feathers. Has anyone else seen this behavior?

 

[Pandaisy]

Maybe she is trying to dominate him? My hen would sometimes jump on to the rooster and pretend to mate with him. He let her and went flat on his belly like a hen. He passed away three days ago.

 

[Fenrisulfr]

Oh no. How old was he?

 

[Pandaisy]

2 years, he suffered from severe nerve damage for quite some time and would fall over randomly. Vet said that he can't help him and that my rooster had almost no feelings in his feet anymore. He humanly euthanized him.

 

[Fenrisulfr]

Sorry for your loss

My Charlie is also allmost 2 years. Don't wanna think about it ...

 

[Pandaisy]

Oh don't worry, I bought him and 3 hens from a terrible breeder. They were all sick and eventually died. I have one left, his mate. She is recovering from an inflammation of the joint. I heard roosters can get much older than 2 years.