new subspecies of coturnix quail

[NatJ]

I know they already do eat insects, but I mean like medium to large insects without more than 3% plants

If they can swallow it, they can eat it. They may already be able to eat bigger insects than you realize.

The easiest way to have them be able to eat bigger insects is to breed bigger quail (or ones with bigger mouths.)

Most quail have limited access to insects. If you can arrange free-choice insects, I'm sure they will eat a lot more insects than most quail ever get to.

 

[MysteryChicken]

One negative effect from mice is the birds contracting Salmonella.

 

[therandomhatcher]

thank you for the heads up

 

[Aquira]

I know reptiles aren't the same as birds, but with reptiles that are omnivores: if you feed too many mice they can get (if I recall correctly) Fatty Liver Disease. Just a heads up, I'm not sure if the quail would end up getting it or not. But it might be something that could pop up.

Just reposting this cuz sometimes posts get lost

 

[therandomhatcher]

If they can swallow it, they can eat it. They may already be able to eat bigger insects than you realize.

The easiest way to have them be able to eat bigger insects is to breed bigger quail (or ones with bigger mouths.)

Most quail have limited access to insects. If you can arrange free-choice insects, I'm sure they will eat a lot more insects than most quail ever get to.

I'm going to keep my normal Coturnix ones, but the ones that have relatively bigger beaks i will. I did think of that.

 

[therandomhatcher]

I wonder how they would taste, but not their yet

 

[therandomhatcher]

I finally came to my senses and thought that it could hurt the quail species and I don't want that to happen

 

[FolkSonginC]

sounds like you were talking about making an entirely different species, lol. plus if you are trying to change their diet and physical features like that it wouldn't even work if it's already sufficient for their current needs, there would be no reason for adaptation. If you wanted to adapt them to eat something completely different from their natural diet, you would have to cull any that struggle the most on that diet, or let them die. If the diet met their needs nothing would happen. No way to change an animal that much without many many years of extremely heavy selection so not super realistic