DANDER with Indoor Quail keeping!!

[jazzybio13]

Ok folks, we keep a quail 'tower' indoors and are using the deep litter method, which has been fine thus far. The stink isn't too bad but the dander these birds produce is nearly unbearable. My poor husband is suffering through with allergy meds but I'd like to know if there is any way to keep dander down on them. Regular baths or anything out there? Open to any suggestions. Outdoors simply isn't an option for us. It's indoors or no quail. Just need help troubleshooting making the indoors work for us.

 

[SeptemberQuail]

Quail don't bath in water (they are unable to regulate their temperature when wet), so instead, they bathe in dirt, sand or even food!

I'd suggest putting a small box filled with sand or soil for them to dust bathe in as it helps keep their feathers clean and mite-free (and probably dander free as well, I presume). If you're planning on giving them soil from your garden, I'd also suggest you worm the quail as a precaution as no one can tell whats hidden in the dirt. You could also use diatomaceous earth, a better alternative to soil. The only problem is that when they dust bathe, dirt and dust flies everywhere into food, water, and outside the cage so take that into consideration.

Before I used chicken nipple waterers, I just had a regular container for their waterer and would refill it daily, but when my quail started to dust bathe, they'd get their water dirty so easily, so I moved the cage to a grassy area with no soil so they can't dust bathe, and then I'd take them out of their cages regularly to dust bathe in a patch of soil nearby. They aren't flighty, so I know they won't fly away from me. However, I don't have to do that again anymore thankfully. ^^

Good luck!

 

[jazzybio13]

They get dust baths weekly already, I can up that two more frequently, but ina deep litter system i read that it really isn't required. But hey I could always try it out.

 

[GrandmaBird]

Lots of allergy sufferers can not tolerate bird dander and this being said it means you should not keep them in the house with the human sniffler. If you can put them in the garage or a small shed it would be best. I am on oxygen and have to clean my air filters on my machine every 4-5 days I guess you could change the bedding more and see if that helps but doubt it. Sorry if I sound like bad news but dander is dander and its not easy to get rid of unless you get rid of the birds or other source. Good Luck.

 

[yallapilko]

Regarding the dander issue, do you keep the doors of this unit closed all the time? If so, how do they go on for oxygen? On another issue, have you considered putting some greenery into their units for a more natural environment?

 

[Bryam]

Yup, these birds need to be put in a garage or shed.

 

[jazzybio13]

That's not an option. I'm just looking for indoor solutions right now.

 

[yallapilko]

What made you design your set up like this? From your first picture, it looks like you just close the doors on them. As I asked previously, how do they get oxygen in there if the doors are closed? What about stimulation from activity other than themselves, and natural greenery ?

 

[jazzybio13]

Sorry Yallapilko I missed over your message earlier I think my eyes just skipped right over it, apologies. They get plenty of air flow in it, their cages are designed so that they there is a 2.5" overhang on the back per cage. It's not an entirely enclosed box, just 2 walls and the doors. However the doors normally don't stay closed all that often. Just at night time when their lights go off. Helps calm them down for the evening.

As for the greenery we are working on it, I'm still brainstorming what kinds to build/put in there. With the dander being an issue I'm wanting something I can pull in and out and spray down every week. I did have some fake greenery in there but it was a lot closer to a fabric type leaf and it held WAY too much dander in it. I snapped these photo's after I pulled the greenery out and cleaned their bedding. There currently isn't any greenery in there still as we had some family situations come up and my goal was to get to the craft store and find something for them this past week. (which didn't happen) I have been strongly debating whether or not to add it back in though, now that they seem to not care, this past week they've acted the same in fact I'd say the appreciate the more room without the fake plants taking up their space. So I'm at a toss up as to add it back in again. In either case though these little guys are spoiled rotten with affection, so tame that they come out and play with my 2yr old. Not really flighty around us anymore at all. So I don't know if hidey huts are necessary anymore either. They seem very well adjusted and at times of high traffic in the house (like when guests come over) we just shut the doors and they are pretty comfortable in there and don't get flustered with the change of pace from their normal surroundings.

 

[Sill]

If you have someone suffering from allergies you should not put your quail on shavings or any other type of bedding. They should be on wire with pans under them that are easy to clean out several times a week. Shavings will hold dander and dust in so every time they flap or bathe in it the stuff will go airborne. Wire is much more hygienic.

For "dust" baths you can use something like sifted sand with the fines taken out of it, small grit aquarium substraight, anything that will not be held in their feathers and put more dust into the air.

Fake greenery would work if you take it out and wash it in a sink full of soapy water then let it dry. You can have a couple of sets so one set can dry while you use the other.

Sorry your husband is allergic, it's no fun.