How to tame/ let quail be house pets

[maadroj]

It takes a whole lot of patience…. especially if you did not raise them from hatchlings. I have loads of experience raising Bobwhite Quail and Chinese Painted. Only a little experience with Coturnix though. If you just let them exit the cage on their terms, you may get good results. Some enticing treats placed just outside can help. A quiet area is a good idea as well. I currently have 4 male House Bobwhites (the 3rd generation). They are a joy being part of our family. I’ve had good results with paper training a few as well (believe it or not…. it can be done). Also, let them get used to your hand by using slow movements more from the side of them and not directly at them. Lay your hand near them, open with their favorite treats.
God Bless you for going the distance with them. They may never calm completely down, but don’t give up. You can maybe try to hold them in a blanket on your lap and pet them if you want to handle them. I have a wryneck quail that’s very scared due to being picked on by another Bobwhite. I keep him inside our home in a different room than my 4 House Bobs. He has to be watched closely. I make a blanket cave on my lap, put him inside it, and place my hand inside and pet him. That calms him, so it may work for your girls too. It does take a very patient person to work with a quail that retains a lot of its prey instincts.
—— My experience——
I am raising…. or have raised…. Quail (4 types), Chickens, Turkeys (multiple types), Pheasants (3 types), Parakeets and Conures…. among numerous other species on our farms most of amy life. I have a small amazing family, I’m a farm girl, an anthropologist, and I cherish living a peaceful life surrounded by nature.

Good Wishes!

How did you paper train your bobwhites? We have a valley quail living indoor with us. She's very comfortable with us, follows us, and snuggles all day long if we let her, but she doesn't like to be held. She tells us what she's comfortable with or not.

 

[WoDia]

Paper training began when I used to place a training pad inside the cage for him to do his business on (quick and easy cage cleanup). Well, I would let him wander outside for exercise and time with me. I always placed a training pad on the stone tile floor for him to lay on. And, if there was an accident here or there, I would pick him up and put him back on the pad. One day, he began to wander, came back to the pad and did his business. I gave him his favorite treats. It took some more accidents before he did it on a fairly consistent basis, but it actually worked. During that time, I’d place him on the pad a lot trying to avoid any accidents if possible (you know they poo often). He finally began to associate going back to the pad, doing his business, then receiving the treat reward.

It sounds like your little girl does everything on her terms only, and it’s really incredible that she feels the need to be with you even though she’s not comfortable with being held. To her…. you are accepted, so important and regarded as one of her own. They are very social and do bond deeply with their humans…. especially if you’ve raised them from chicks in very small groups of them or just one alone.… close to you every day. Of course, I can speak only from my years of personal experience with raising my own from hatch to adulthood. Sometimes, we come across a few very different little birds that don’t behave in their natural ways.

 

[maadroj]

Paper training began when I used to place a training pad inside the cage for him to do his business on (quick and easy cage cleanup). Well, I would let him wander outside for exercise and time with me. I always placed a training pad on the stone tile floor for him to lay on. And, if there was an accident here or there, I would pick him up and put him back on the pad. One day, he began to wander, came back to the pad and did his business. I gave him his favorite treats. It took some more accidents before he did it on a fairly consistent basis, but it actually worked. During that time, I’d place him on the pad a lot trying to avoid any accidents if possible (you know they poo often). He finally began to associate going back to the pad, doing his business, then receiving the treat reward.

It sounds like your little girl does everything on her terms only, and it’s really incredible that she feels the need to be with you even though she’s not comfortable with being held. To her…. you are accepted, so important and regarded as one of her own. They are very social and do bond deeply with their humans…. especially if you’ve raised them from chicks in very small groups of them or just one alone.… close to you every day. Of course, I can speak only from my years of personal experience with raising my own from hatch to adulthood. Sometimes, we come across a few very different little birds that don’t behave in their natural ways.

Yes, we're very lucky! She's wonderful. We raised two together but sadly lost her sister earlier this year. I wish I knew what she thinks about us and herself. We have an outdoor aviary with valley quail, but she doesn't get along with them and wants to stay with us. I think she knows we aren't quail but still sees us as family. I've noticed the aviary quail don't really preen each other and often step away if they feel another quail is touching them too much, plus as prey they must have a strong aversion to getting grabbed, so I think it's her natural instinct to dislike being held for more than a few seconds. I thought it might be particular to the species. I did meet someone else who raised one alone that allegedly enjoyed getting petted, but maybe that one was unique.
I'm going to have to try your training technique. I'd read about folks potty training other kinds of birds by anticipating when they need to poop and moving them over, but I can't move her fast enough for them. I should be able to move her after she poops, though. Hopefully she'll learn to associate it. We'll see.

 

[WoDia]

So sorry about her sister . When I lost my last bird babies…. a Chinese painted female (2+ years old and a male bobwhite 8 years old) I was crushed… really crushed. There was an empty hole in my heart for a long time. When we spend our lives viewing a sweet little pet as a part of our families, it’s so devastating when they pass. I continue to accept the very different and special ones…. always will. There’s a great amount of joy in every single experience…. the bonding, caring, companionship, love. I like what you mention about the differences in behavior between house-raised versus outdoor. I, too, see the differences in behaviors between mine. Left alone for a greater amount of time, they retain a bit more of their wildness. But, every once in awhile, a little bird comes along that we know is different than the rest. That’s special .

 

[raingarden]

Why do you want your house to smell like ammonia?

 

[yakitori]

Why do you want your house to smell like ammonia?

Because it smells awesome

 

[WoDia]

Why do you want your house to smell like ammonia?

Actually, if YOU knew anything at all about taking PROPER care of a house pet, there wouldn’t be an ammonia issue.

 

[little-beep]

I have a wee button quail who is now 3 weeks old. I spend a good deal of time with my chick who cries for me to come get it and actually flies to me since it views me as it's mama and follows me everywhere. The chick LOVES getting chin/cheek pats and will close it's eyes while being patted .. so adorable.. been doing this since day 3.
I also spend many hours with the chick nestled under my chin while I work on my computer. When it was very little I would wrap it in a small fluffy blankie and sit it on my chest or lap. The chick is super tame and comes to me when I put my hand in the brooder. I think it's easiest to tame them this way when they're alone as they become dependent on you as 'mama'.

 

[WoDia]

I have a wee button quail who is now 3 weeks old. I spend a good deal of time with my chick who cries for me to come get it and actually flies to me since it views me as it's mama and follows me everywhere. The chick LOVES getting chin/cheek pats and will close it's eyes while being patted .. so adorable.. been doing this since day 3.
I also spend many hours with the chick nestled under my chin while I work on my computer. When it was very little I would wrap it in a small fluffy blankie and sit it on my chest or lap. The chick is super tame and comes to me when I put my hand in the brooder. I think it's easiest to tame them this way when they're alone as they become dependent on you as 'mama'.

That is soooo adorable! I had a similar experience with my female Kiki. The only difference is that she was raised with siblings and would call out until I went and got her. She’d get louder and louder until I did! When she was to the point of egg laying, she wouldn’t lay an egg unless I was holding her in a blanket 99% of the time. She layed one right in my hand more than once. Cherish this special relationship with your super-special little one!

 

[little-beep]

That is soooo adorable! I had a similar experience with my female Kiki. The only difference is that she was raised with siblings and would call out until I went and got her. She’d get louder and louder until I did! When she was to the point of egg laying, she wouldn’t lay an egg unless I was holding her in a blanket 99% of the time. She layed one right in my hand more than once. Cherish this special relationship with your super-special little one!

This baby LOVES my TEETH... when it's hanging out on my chest while I use my laptop in a reclined position, if I happen to smile or laugh, the chick will come over and peck at my teeth (yes they're clean) .. lol.. it's so funny. Sometimes it will peck or pull at my lips, or stick it's beak up my nose (not so cute). Antics are very funny.