Least stinky way to keep button quail???

[blasto]

Okay quail folks--I hatched 7 buttons nearly a month ago and they are cute as can be, but OMG do they smell! I*ve had them in a 10 gallon tank and a medium bird cage (both are too small for 7 grown birds, I know, but I*m using them for brooders) with about 3 inches of wood chip bedding and after only a couple of days the whole room stinks. I was planning on keeping two pairs--one in the aquarium and the other in a cage. How often will I be changing bedding?

 

[shelleyd2008]

What are you using for a waterer? I have found that when the bedding gets wet it will have a very sour smell to it, and if they have food spilled in the bedding?

It is even worse!! I have been having the same problem with my young coturnix. It seems like every other day at least I have to clean out their brooder. I put some pine pellet bedding in their box this time, since I know it cuts down on the baby duck stink. So far it is working good

I use the parakeet waterers for my buttons, and they work really well. I actually use these for all young baby birds, until they are big enough to know better than to try and swim in the waterer! Even baby buttons can't get into these things!

My buttons don't stink anywhere near as bad as the coturnix do, so I would think it has something to do with dampness. Maybe you can take some hardware cloth and put a 'floor' in the aquarium? At least then there would be air circulation beneath the bedding. Most of the pine shaving bedding would stay on top of the 1/4" or 1/2" hardware cloth

 

[monarc23]

I never have had a problem with buttons stinking... I agree with shelley sounds like it's your waterer spoiling the bedding/food.

train em to a water bottle or a parakeet tube waterer or sumpin i bet you smell a world of difference!!!

 

[CARS]

Hate to break it to you, but poultry stinks. Just like any other thing that "poops". Just because they are small doesn't mean their stench is small.

I changed my niece's diaper today.......... cute little girl.

 

[citalk2much]

I am going to add a ditto! I use water bottles aspen bedding and a layer of straw on the top

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
Button quails barely stink. Their ammonia levels are a lot lower than coturnix. when I had a 10 gallon tank with a trio in it I barely had to clean their tank once a week. Now coturnix...that's a diff story.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
Button quails barely stink. Their ammonia levels are a lot lower than coturnix. when I had a 10 gallon tank with a trio in it I barely had to clean their tank once a week. Now coturnix...that's a diff story.

I usually forget to clean my buttons cages until they start to look dirty! They have very little stink, as long as their bedding doesn't get wet.

 

[CARS]

Quote:
Button quails barely stink. Their ammonia levels are a lot lower than coturnix. when I had a 10 gallon tank with a trio in it I barely had to clean their tank once a week. Now coturnix...that's a diff story.

Well, you would know for sure! But there has to be some stink. I have been around parrots, finches, and other "cage" birds and unless yo clean on a regular basis....

What is the size in waste difference between button and coturnix? 3X? 4X??

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
Button quails barely stink. Their ammonia levels are a lot lower than coturnix. when I had a 10 gallon tank with a trio in it I barely had to clean their tank once a week. Now coturnix...that's a diff story.

Well, you would know for sure! But there has to be some stink. I have been around parrots, finches, and other "cage" birds and unless yo clean on a regular basis....

What is the size in waste difference between button and coturnix? 3X? 4X??

Oh yes im sure there is some stink but you'd have to stick your head in and sniiiiiiiff deep lol! The difference in ammonia stink from a button to a coturnix is HUGE... which is strange since they are closely related lol!!! Then again i've been around finches and say they don't stink too but finches do have a smell that I dont notice from buttons, the dander smell.

Buttons are pretty clean!

As far as poo size

theres a big diff there too but as far as saying the exact sizes .....i'd go be strange and measure their doodoos but i'd rather not

suffice to say theres a big doo doo differnce

 

[blasto]

Could be the damp--everything here is waterlogged what with a solid week of rain. When I have them caged they drink out of a tube and ball type water bottle and I thought that would help, but it still smells up pretty quick. They also crack me up because in the cage they all want to poop in the corners--it*s like they are potty-trained bunnies. I did have them back in the aquarium this week and they do splash up in their water dish so that might be a big part of the smell issue. I*ll try to jimmy a pop bottle style waterer into the aquarium with some wire tomorrow and see if that helps.