Quail death maybe heart related?

[JeremyS]

Just been cleaning my quails out and had to pick one up that was just over a year old out to clean her, No problem normally doing this, But this time in what looks like to be a fit died in my hand, Just stopped breathing and closed my eyes, Im still unsure what this is, Any ideas? Maybe shock, It is a bit weird. I have been keeping quails for around 4 years now.

 

[TwoCrows]

Yes, quail can die from the shock of being handled. Normally Coturnix are not all that nervous to be held like Bobwhites or Gambels, but it can happen. If you hatch them yourself, they will fair much better of you handle them like crazy as babies so they aren't as frightened to be handled. Adult quail that have never been touched can go into shock and die. They can also injure themselves trying to get away and can break something internally. And yes, if this bird had a weak heart and it got scared, it very well could have had a heart attack.

I am so sorry.

 

[JeremyS]

She was fine up until i cleaned her never had any problems with her, hand reared home breed. I used to have a jumbo texas a and m called snowy, she had bad epilepsy, all the other birds would leave her alone almost as if they knew there was something wrong with her, She died having a bad fit one day, Horrible thing i have ever seen happen to a bird. Have been learning a lot from Coturnix these past 4 years.. So many individual personalities with them. and strange things they do and say..

Jezz

 

[TwoCrows]

The only way to truly know what a bird died of is doing or have a necropsy on them. Taking a look inside the bird. This needs to be done on a freshly dead bird. And even then, sometimes you still don't know.

 

[JeremyS]

Yes I know what you mean, I buried her.

Jezz