Long Quail limping

[LoneQuail]

We have a single California quail, his name is Q, he was rescued out of a street drain newly hatched on 8/1/24. He has since imprinted on us and lives in a rabbit hut on our front porch.
Though I have a million questions and things I'd like to discuss in this forum, my main concern right now is that he has a limp. I've read everything I could find as far as bumblefoot and different illnesses I've checked his feet for injuries and watched him for other symptoms. I see no signs of an injury, he's eating and he's very boisterous, he has however been laying down more than usual but I think he could just be soaking up the warm weather. When he first gets up the limp seems to be worse but after he walks on it for a while it gets better. He does hold his foot up a lot but he still playful and active and eating. We first noticed a slight limp a few days ago and only today doesn't seem to be more pronounced especially after he gets up from laying down. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Nabiki]

Can you record a video and upload it to YouTube or somewhere, then post a link? Pics of his leg and foot would also be helpful.

If it is injury, he is likely to heal quickly.

I am a bit concerned that he's alone. Quail are social creatures and prefer to have company. California quail also require a permit to keep in most states.

 

[LoneQuail]

Can you record a video and upload it to YouTube or somewhere, then post a link? Pics of his leg and foot would also be helpful.

If it is injury, he is likely to heal quickly.

I am a bit concerned that he's alone. Quail are social creatures and prefer to have company. California quail also require a permit to keep in most states

Can you record a video and upload it to YouTube or somewhere, then post a link? Pics of his leg and foot would also be helpful.

If it is injury, he is likely to heal quickly.

I am a bit concerned that he's alone. Quail are social creatures and prefer to have company. California quail also require a permit to keep in most states.

Here is a video of him limping some. Hopefully this link will work, I'm new at this.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3sRA8Qq81PvHBjjm9

I'm trying to get pics of his feet & will post asap.

I know it's not recommended to raise a single quail & trust me, it was not something we planned. We have California quail in our yard every day some times a couple and sometimes 25 - 50 they have actually gone into his cage to eat his food though he just ignores them. We had no idea about imprinting or that it would be bad to release him after he'd been with us for a while. He will go out into the yard with the wild Quail but he always comes back to his house. There is no way he would survive as a wild Quail now. We understand that's not ideal and we try to keep him company & interact with him as much as possible, we adore him! As of lately he has fallen madly in love with the shoes that you see in the video. He will go wherever the shoes go and if I put them on he'll follow me anywhere but he doesn't like it when I wear them. There are a couple other pairs of shoes he's partial to and then there are some he absolutely can't stand and will attack as soon as he sees them. LOL He is so hilarious!! We have to put the shoes right outside his cage when he's in there and take them out in the yard so he'll follow, he prefers them to be right next to his dirt bath while he takes one. It is not illegal to own a pet quail in the state of Oregon where we live.

Thank you for your reply, I will post a foot pic as soon as I get a good one. Please let me know if that link to the video doesn't work.

 

[Nabiki]

I think I misunderstood. It sounds like he's not confined to rabbit hutch, and since he has visitors of his own species on a regular basis, he's probably not too lonely.

I see that his foot is raised and he isn't standing on it. At this point my guess is injury, but I'm not a vet and a diagnosis from a short video should always be suspect. Unless a vet is an option, there's probably not much you can do other than what you are, which is making sure he has food, water, and shelter. Hopefully he will heal up quickly, but if he ends up with a permanent limp, at least he has a safe place to stay.

 

[LoneQuail]

I think I misunderstood. It sounds like he's not confined to rabbit hutch, and since he has visitors of his own species on a regular basis, he's probably not too lonely.

I see that his foot is raised and he isn't standing on it. At this point my guess is injury, but I'm not a vet and a diagnosis from a short video should always be suspect. Unless a vet is an option, there's probably not much you can do other than what you are, which is making sure he has food, water, and shelter. Hopefully he will heal up quickly, but if he ends up with a permanent limp, at least he has a safe place to stay.

Thank you for your advice.
Have you no experience with shoe loving quail? Q is obsessed.... Not sure if he thinks they're birds or he's a shoe! LOL Perhaps that's a topic for another post.
Thanks again!

 

[Nabiki]

I'm not very familiar with California quail other than them running wild in my area, but I do know that coturnix males will mount just about anything that moves or doesn't if it's about the right shape and size.

 

[LoneQuail]

I'm not very familiar with California quail other than them running wild in my area, but I do know that coturnix males will mount just about anything that moves or doesn't if it's about the right shape and size.

So Q's Limp seems to be more pronounced at times and not as bad at other times. He definitely favors his right foot & holds it up and only stands on his left a lot

I'm not very familiar with California quail other than them running wild in my area, but I do know that coturnix males will mount just about anything that moves or doesn't if it's about the right shape and size.

 

[LoneQuail]

So Q's Limp seems to be more pronounced at times and not as bad at other times. He definitely favors his right foot & holds it up and only stands on his left a lot. He seems to be eating & still loves his dirt bath however he is laying down quite a bit. I am leaning towards injury but don't see anything unusual with his right foot. I have taken a couple pics though it wasn't easy and I don't know how much help they'll be.

 

[Nabiki]

It looks like there's some swelling on one foot. It looks like it might be an infection after a small wound. If he doesn't mind it, you might let him have a warm epsom salt foot bath. You can put a shallow layer of warm water in the bottom of a container and let him soak for 10-20 minutes at a time.

 

[LoneQuail]

It looks like there's some swelling on one foot. It looks like it might be an infection after a small wound. If he doesn't mind it, you might let him have a warm epsom salt foot bath. You can put a shallow layer of warm water in the bottom of a container and let him soak for 10-20 minutes at a time.

We did try to soak both his feet but weren't very successful at anything but pissing him off the container is a great idea. I'll do that now. The one that looks swollen isn't the one that seems to be the problem. He babies his right foot. I'm going to do the Epsom salt in a container though.
Thanks again for your help!!