Quail nightmares?

[Kiya]

Hi, another newbie here.
I bought a pair of silver button quails (pets only) and put them in a largish indoor cage with my 2 small parrots. They seem to get along quite well. Several times each night there is a disturbance as if one of the quails had panicked. By the time I can turn on the light it's all over, on occasion with one or the other quail in an odd spot such as the parrots' food bowl from which it has to fly to the floor or be rescued.

What is causing these nighttime panics and is there any way to stop them? I'm losing sleep, but I desperately love my quails. They appear to be young still; the female has not laid any eggs yet. I can not put them outside. Feeding them recommended quail food, mealworms and fruit and veg. Please help?

 

[sourland]

They may still be adapting to and not completely comfortable in their new environment. Any chance of leaving a small 'night light' on by their cage. If they sleep better, you will get to sleep better.

 

[Sill]

I don't know how large the cage is. It's possible the movement of the parrots as they adjust sleeping positions spooks them. Do the quail have hiding places? Someplace they can hunker down in to sleep?

 

[GrandmaBird]

if they are in the complete dark it helps too. I use a old sheet that is folded over many times to block out almost all the light. It helps calm the buttons, I do not have other birds in the same cage so that might be what is spooking the little ones and in that case I can not offer much help other then trying the tiny light until they get used to the other birds moving about. Good luck.

 

[Kiya]

Thank you for the answers! In response to various people's questions:
- The room is in absolute darkness at night.
- The parrots (2 kakarikis) rarely move once asleep; they sleep very soundly.
- The quails have a small house to sleep in but they stopped using it, I don't know why; they cuddle together on the floor.
- The cage is 36" high by 66" wide by 20" deep. Mostly the parrots stay in the top area, occasionally coming down for some grit or if they think the quails have something tasty. Both have eyed up mealworms and shaken their heads in sorrow, lol.
- If I kept a light on the male would forage *all night*. He sometimes does even in the dark. He has a lot to say; his wheepling is pretty much non-stop most of the day; I remind him to stop commenting and eat the mealworm! The female is very quiet and seems fairly settled. She likes to flap her wings each day for no reason.
- They each get 5 mealworms a day, more or less. Depends who is quickest. I don't want it to sound like they are wading in the things.
I have had the quails for about 2 months; bought from someone for whom they didn't work out. They seem fairly laid-back; take the occasional appearance of my two cats quite well, not panicking at all. The cats like to sit and watch them but don't try to catch them. I have not tried to tame the quails although I think the male knows his name (Lute).

Any suggestions gratefully received.