Quail upward mobility!

[Quailerino]

Hi There! I know that coturnix quail are known to not to like using ramps, but I read on here somewhere (can't find it again/remember where I read it on here) that quail will sometimes be amenable to using steps/stairs. I'm trying some experimental quail stairs in my enclosure, to see if I can get them to hop up the stairs. I'm putting a few mealworms on each step as a reward/motivator, because those are their favorite. I can't wait to see when I get home from work if the mealworms are still there or if they managed to get to them.

Does anyone here have stair-hopping quail? If so, I would love to find out about you quail stairs! For example, what rise height and tread length seems to work for your quail?

 

[le_bwah]

I've never tried them on full stairs, but mine took to a simple ramp (a piece of bark I hauled out of the woods) without trouble. They also have to "step up" over some logs and 2x4s to get in and out of the aviary sections, which they manage no problem—they will definitely "hop" if motivated.

Even the chicks are curious enough to climb.

This might give you an idea of their preferred step-up height (notice how they chose the big step over the little ones).

 

[Quailerino]

I've never tried them on full stairs, but mine took to a simple ramp (a piece of bark I hauled out of the woods) without trouble. They also have to "step up" over some logs and 2x4s to get in and out of the aviary sections, which they manage no problem—they will definitely "hop" if motivated.

View attachment 2279027
Even the chicks are curious enough to climb.

This might give you an idea of their preferred step-up height (notice how they chose the big step over the little ones).

Wow!! Thank you so much for the info and the detail! A tree-bark ramp would look sweet in my enclosure! I can't wait to go foraging in the woods

Off topic, but you have some lovely little blondie quail with brown/cinnamon details around their necks/heads. Does that plumage pattern have a name?

 

[MageofMist]

When Scrappy was younger and more adventurous, he used to literally jump up each step of the stairs of the house to explore what was up there, same with my late quail Bambi, his brother and partner in crime. They were both little butts who practically turned feral once up the stairs and knew they were gonna be brought back down before they were satisfied with their exploration. Even jumping right over my head to stay in a particular room!

Now he hops up maybe three steps, then sprawls out and starts dustbathing on the carpet of the step.

 

[le_bwah]

Wow!! Thank you so much for the info and the detail! A tree-bark ramp would look sweet in my enclosure! I can't wait to go foraging in the woods

Off topic, but you have some lovely little blondie quail with brown/cinnamon details around their necks/heads. Does that plumage pattern have a name?

You're welcome! Just be careful when foraging not to pick stuff that wild birds might have spent a lot of time perching on (I let mine have some "wild" branches, I'm sure that's how they got leg mites )

I believe that pattern is a variant of the "Manchurian" color mutation. Italians tend to be more speckled-y. I have three hens who look like that—only difference is their density of back speckles and completeness of the "headband."

 

[Quailerino]

Oh, thanks for the heads-up on the mites. That would not have occurred to me, but mites are def something I'd prefer to avoid.