Eye issues

[SSPK]

Hi!
I rescued a single coturnix quail a couple months ago, and for the last few days she won’t open her eyes. She is still eating and drinking normally, and not puffed up at all, but she is a little less active than normal. (That could be because she can’t really see.)
There are no vets anywhere near me that will even look at her, so I'm not really sure what to do. I have been gently cleaning her eyes with saline water (that’s what the internet suggested) but it does not seem to be helping. I can’t see any injuries and her eyes do not appear to be swollen but when she does happen to crack then open, they do appear slightly red/irritated.
Any other ideas on what to do for her? I have attached a picture in case it helps.

 

[Nabiki]

@007Sean ?

The saline wash is a good thing. It will wash out any irritants and looks like it's clean enough to get a good look.
The eyes look a bit swollen. How long has it been like this?
What are you feeding her?
Is she eating, drinking, and pooping?
What does her poop look like?
What is her housing like?
What bedding are you using?
Does she have a dirt or sand bath? If so, what are you putting in it?
Do you have any other quail?

 

[SSPK]

Today is day 4. She eats a mix of wild game & turkey food, and she still eats, drinks, and poops normally. I have her in a large Guinea pig cage, with different areas of bedding - straw on one side to hide in, some wood pellets in the middle, and sand on the end with a small amount of diatomaceous earth mixed into it. (I am really just going off what I could find on the internet!) I do not have any other quail.

 

[Nabiki]

Today is day 4. She eats a mix of wild game & turkey food, and she still eats, drinks, and poops normally. I have her in a large Guinea pig cage, with different areas of bedding - straw on one side to hide in, some wood pellets in the middle, and sand on the end with a small amount of diatomaceous earth mixed into it. (I am really just going off what I could find on the internet!) I do not have any other quail.

I would get rid of the sand and DE and give her plain old garden dirt for now. The DE might be irritating her eyes or she might have gotten some sand in there if the sand is very fine. I am guessing at this point, though, so that might not be the cause.

If you can, you will want to get another hen to keep her company. If you get a male you will need another three or four hens too. Quail aren't meant to be solitary and they need other quail.

Has her condition changed all in the four days? Either better or worse?

 

[SSPK]

Thank you, I will do that!
The first day she was squinty (but her eyes were open), and the second day they’re mainly closed. But since then she’s been the same…not getting worse but also no improvement.

I have been trying to get her a friend, but so far I haven’t found anyone in my area who sells them unfortunately. But I am travelling next weekend and I’m going to look while I’m there!

 

[Nabiki]

Let's see if she improves over the next couple days. I hope so.

 

[SSPK]

Me too! I haven’t had her very long but I am already pretty attached to this bird.

 

[CliftonQuail]

Me too! I haven’t had her very long but I am already pretty attached to this bird.

What location and what resources are you using to look for other birds? Have you checked Craig's List? Once you get her eye issue resolved, it's definitely a good idea to find her a companion. As @Nabiki indicated, quail need company so another hen would be great, but you'll need more hens if you decide to bring in a male. The ideal ratio is 1 to 5, male to female for coturnix. I also suspect the DE and sand may be the cause of the eye issue.

Edit to add: when you say you're feeding a mix of wild game & turkey food, do you have the nutrition labels for those feeds? I'm curious if she's getting enough protein and other nutrients.

 

[007Sean]

It might be mycoplasma, it's contagious and there are no drugs that will cure it. It may get over it , recover, if it isn't severe but will be a carrier of the disease for the rest of it's life.

The saline flushes may help but I wouldn't over do it.
Sorry I can't be of better assistance, but these type diseases are very hard to diagnose by photos and discussion.