New quail mom with a silly question...

[FowlFriend]

My kids and I hatched quail eggs for a science project. We now have 2 beautiful, week-old baby Coturnix chicks! I have this site and specifically this forum to thank, as we referred to it frequently for the first week.

Now here's the silliness: Can we keep the quail as pets? I know they're wild birds, but right now they allow us to hold them and gently pet them. Can we keep them in a cage like a parrot? Or will they become ill or depressed with that life?

Thanks!

 

[chickenwhisperer123]

Many people keep and breed Coturnix in Cages.

Good Luck!

 

[Teach97]

buttons are very common that way...

 

[peewee]

Yes you can keep them as pets. I had one in the house for a long time until hubby made me put him out with the others. Do not expect them to keep the cuddles forever but you can still have nice tame birds if you handle them every day. Just a word of warning - they stink!!! You will definitely have to change their paper or other bedding EVERY day.

 

[Friend2Fowl]

2 quail shouldn't stink too badly, just use some type of wood bedding (pine would mask the smell lol) or that paper stuff bedding (carefresh I think?). Coturnix aren't usually cuddly, but they don't mind being touched. I would think, though, if you handle them often enough, they won't mind it. Lots of mine freak when I first pick them up, but they settle down easily.
However, I would suggest that you wait until you can tell what sex they are before deciding to keep them. If they are both males they will fight, and coturnix can be very mean to each other. Also, if they are one male and one female, the male can and will hurt the female, especially since there is only 2 birds. Your best bet would be to have 2 females, but you won't be able to tell their sexes for a couple of weeks.
They would need a long, flat cage. They are ground dwellers, and don't benefit at all from a tall cage.

What color are they?

 

[First To Hatch]

If you have two males with a lot of space they shouldn't bother each other...

 

[FowlFriend]

Thanks for all the replies! After doing several hiney checks, I *think* I may have a male and a female. So I guess I need to get another female or two, right? Hmmmm. They will be 2 weeks old on Wednesday, March 3rd.

I'll post some pics later today. My USB port is acting up and my camera won't download!

 

[bisonbaby1995]

well you can keep them as pets i know i treat my dads like pets but soon well be selling them and not to get to attached sooo yup u sure can ...... id rather have females cause when u hold a female they dont get to rowdy male get very wormy