Murder mystery...predator somehow got quail while they were inside cage?

[fiddleblue]

I was upset this morning to find that my flock of quails had been reduced by one. Last night, I'd had 4 Coturnix quails inside a 2 by 3 ft size rabbit cage, which was hanging 3 feet off the ground suspended by wires from a shed roof, and which had 1 by 2 inch welded wire sides and top, and 1/2 inch by 1 inch welded wire on the bottom. This morning there were only 3 in the cage. THere was no trace of the missing quail inside the cage: there were only a few feathers and clumps of feathers beneath the cage. I don't know if a quail stuck her head out and was grabbed by a raccoon, or whether a rat got into the cage and killed a quail and pulled it all out. A while back, I had a pigeon in a cage in the same area, and after a year of living in the cage happily, one day I came out and found the pigeon dead and the carcass had been pulled towards a small (again, about 1 by 2 inch size) opening in the cage, which to me pointed to the work of a rat.

ANyone have a clue to this murder mystery????

In case a rat got in through the 1 by 2 inch size wire openings, today I covered the entire cage in 1/2 inch hardware cloth.

 

[heatherscooby77]

Sounds like a weasel. They can get in through the door. You should put clips around the three unattached sides.

 

[SkyWarrior]

Weasel or rat. That would be my thought. Sorry about your loss.

 

[fiddleblue]

I don't believe we have weasels in my vincinity (Urban San Francisco Bay Area), so probably a rat got in. THe door is very tightly latched with 2 clasps holding it on, I can't pull it open much further with my own human strength, so I think that may be all right.

 

[speedy2020]

It sound like something use the claw and grab the quail from the side or the bottom of the pen. It best to have an extra layer of welded wire underneath the pen. Many folks mention quail and chicken loss their toes.

 

[Tony K T]

A racoon will rip a bird right thru the wire.I'm sure what ever it was will be back for more.Keep some traps ready.
In N.H.,Tony.