Quail neck quiver

[Dingaling wings]

Hi, I do wildlife rescue & a few weeks ago I was brought some quails that a cat had taken home. Unfortunately the 2 males were in a very poor state & didn’t make it. A female though did come through the ordeal although she needed quite a bit of care. However I believe that the care given has made a strong bond between us, she is very happy and absolutely loves me holding and stroking her. she makes little cooing noises when she’s sitting with me in the evenings. my question is that she has started doing a kind of neck gobble where her neck kind of trembles. Does anyone know why she does this please? When she does it, she is sitting with me, her feet & body are hot (so I know she is happy) & just wondered if the neck gobbling (without noise) is another way of showing she is content. Thank you for your help.

 

[Roomi the quail]

I have only one pet coturnix quail hen so I am not an expert! Just listing a number of possibilities here.

Idk what you really mean by neck gobbling but I interpreted it as its neck feather is vibrating as if she is crying out but no sound is coming out?

1. If she is opening her mouth slightly and is kind of panting, then she is hot. Mine used to do that when she was nestled between my hand and my torso, her favorite spot, for too long and she is slightly overheated. In this situation she would also try to crane her neck forward so her head escapes human body heat, but would refuse to leave me cause she loves cuddling so much. I think it is the most likely since you mentioned her feet being hot? Usually their feet are slightly cold to human flesh in room temperature).
2. If her eyes are half drowsy and she is panting visibly, then she is too afraid, stressed, or too exhausted. Most frightened quails will sometimes be handled as docile as a kitten until they are free to go...
3. If she does small beak closing action several times while her neck appears to be trembling with the movement(I dont know how to describe this movement but imaginne it like she is eating and gulping some residue in her beak with smallest cute murmuring), then she is settling on your lap for a nap.

Again, I probably misunderstood 'neck gobbling' and it might mean completely other thing, or maybe different behaviors are applied to different type of quails(because I think the quail you mentioned is not of the same species as mine), idk. Hope you are bonding welk with your rescue quail!

 

[Chip76]

What kind of quail is she? Do you have a pic?

 

[JaeG]

Sounds perfectly normal. I'm not sure why they do it but they do. They make fantastic pets. It sounds like she's a coturnix.

She really should have some quail company, but they can be funny about who they will accept. Try to get birds the same colour as she is, or the males were if you think they were kept together. But personalities can clash and your sweet pet can turn into a little monster if she takes a dislike to a particular bird.

New birds need to be integrated carefully with a divider between your girl and the newbies for at least a week. If everyone seems to be happy then they can all be put together. If you are putting them into her cage then completely rearrange everything so it's all unfamiliar.

Don't get a cock bird unless you have at least 4 hens for him.

 

[Quailobsessed]

Sounds perfectly normal. I'm not sure why they do it but they do. They make fantastic pets. It sounds like she's a coturnix.

She really should have some quail company, but they can be funny about who they will accept. Try to get birds the same colour as she is, or the males were if you think they were kept together. But personalities can clash and your sweet pet can turn into a little monster if she takes a dislike to a particular bird.

New birds need to be integrated carefully with a divider between your girl and the newbies for at least a week. If everyone seems to be happy then they can all be put together. If you are putting them into her cage then completely rearrange everything so it's all unfamiliar.

Don't get a cock bird unless you have at least 4 hens for him.

Yes, I have a few of those little monsters. I wouldn't always give a cock four hens though. Some need that many, others (like mine) would be killed by the hens. Hens can be just as aggressive as cocks in some cases.

 

[Dingaling wings]

I have only one pet coturnix quail hen so I am not an expert! Just listing a number of possibilities here.

Idk what you really mean by neck gobbling but I interpreted it as its neck feather is vibrating as if she is crying out but no sound is coming out?

1. If she is opening her mouth slightly and is kind of panting, then she is hot. Mine used to do that when she was nestled between my hand and my torso, her favorite spot, for too long and she is slightly overheated. In this situation she would also try to crane her neck forward so her head escapes human body heat, but would refuse to leave me cause she loves cuddling so much. I think it is the most likely since you mentioned her feet being hot? Usually their feet are slightly cold to human flesh in room temperature).
2. If her eyes are half drowsy and she is panting visibly, then she is too afraid, stressed, or too exhausted. Most frightened quails will sometimes be handled as docile as a kitten until they are free to go...
3. If she does small beak closing action several times while her neck appears to be trembling with the movement(I dont know how to describe this movement but imaginne it like she is eating and gulping some residue in her beak with smallest cute murmuring), then she is settling on your lap for a nap.

Again, I probably misunderstood 'neck gobbling' and it might mean completely other thing, or maybe different behaviors are applied to different type of quails(because I think the quail you mentioned is not of the same species as mine), idk. Hope you are bonding welk with your rescue quail!

Thank you

 

[Dingaling wings]

She is such lovely bird I just hope that I am not stressing her & she is just happy

 

[JaeG]

She certainly doesn't look stressed. So cute!

 

[Roomi the quail]

Thank you

It seems she really loves you

 

[Dingaling wings]

I have only one pet coturnix quail hen so I am not an expert! Just listing a number of possibilities here.

Idk what you really mean by neck gobbling but I interpreted it as its neck feather is vibrating as if she is crying out but no sound is coming out?

1. If she is opening her mouth slightly and is kind of panting, then she is hot. Mine used to do that when she was nestled between my hand and my torso, her favorite spot, for too long and she is slightly overheated. In this situation she would also try to crane her neck forward so her head escapes human body heat, but would refuse to leave me cause she loves cuddling so much. I think it is the most likely since you mentioned her feet being hot? Usually their feet are slightly cold to human flesh in room temperature).
2. If her eyes are half drowsy and she is panting visibly, then she is too afraid, stressed, or too exhausted. Most frightened quails will sometimes be handled as docile as a kitten until they are free to go...
3. If she does small beak closing action several times while her neck appears to be trembling with the movement(I dont know how to describe this movement but imaginne it like she is eating and gulping some residue in her beak with smallest cute murmuring), then she is settling on your lap for a nap.

Again, I probably misunderstood 'neck gobbling' and it might mean completely other thing, or maybe different behaviors are applied to different type of quails(because I think the quail you mentioned is not of the same species as mine), idk. Hope you are bonding welk with your rescue quail!

Thank you it’s like