Hi everyone, I've got 2 quail, both boys, each housed in their own cage so they won't kill each other! And their cages are placed so they can't see each other, either, otherwise they obsess on how they wish they could kill each other. They are lonely boys who need some girls (and I'll probably be getting them some hens in June).
One thing that has been constant with these two fellows is that they have been very squawky. I used to have to apologize to people who phoned us because the birds would scream the whole time I was on the phone. We would make jokes about how much their squawks sounded like they were cussing at me. But they would start squawking before dawn and keep it up until all hours. They would get very squawky with me whenever I was up late working, it seemed to help them quiet down if I covered their cage with a dark cloth to block the light.
As you can imagine, living with these noisy guys inside my house has been unpleasant at times, but these birds are my daughter's pets, so we basically were just biding our time until spring so we could get them outside. I had intended to build each one a little coop and make a portable run for each of them (and eventually get some quail hens, too). Actually, I intended that my husband would do it, but he hasn't! Not yet. So I've been taking the boys outside in their cages everyday as long as it isn't raining, but still wanted to get them running around on the ground--so last week I threw together some basic runs for them, and now they get to roll around in the grass. They seem pretty happy with it and are suddenly very quiet all the time. I just heard a squawk from one of them for the first time in days. I am wondering if they are not squawking because they are happier with their circumstances (not only spending the whole day outside, but also getting out of their cages and onto the grass), or if there is another explanation. Can I expect it to last?
Thanks!
Laura
One thing that has been constant with these two fellows is that they have been very squawky. I used to have to apologize to people who phoned us because the birds would scream the whole time I was on the phone. We would make jokes about how much their squawks sounded like they were cussing at me. But they would start squawking before dawn and keep it up until all hours. They would get very squawky with me whenever I was up late working, it seemed to help them quiet down if I covered their cage with a dark cloth to block the light.
As you can imagine, living with these noisy guys inside my house has been unpleasant at times, but these birds are my daughter's pets, so we basically were just biding our time until spring so we could get them outside. I had intended to build each one a little coop and make a portable run for each of them (and eventually get some quail hens, too). Actually, I intended that my husband would do it, but he hasn't! Not yet. So I've been taking the boys outside in their cages everyday as long as it isn't raining, but still wanted to get them running around on the ground--so last week I threw together some basic runs for them, and now they get to roll around in the grass. They seem pretty happy with it and are suddenly very quiet all the time. I just heard a squawk from one of them for the first time in days. I am wondering if they are not squawking because they are happier with their circumstances (not only spending the whole day outside, but also getting out of their cages and onto the grass), or if there is another explanation. Can I expect it to last?
Thanks!
Laura
