Should I take the tank?

[pringle]

Hi everyone,my brother has a kingsnake and has an old aquarium thats too small for it.Its huge!Its about 5-6 feet long and 3 feet wide.Do you think that would be ok to raise buttons in?I want to get a dozen eggs so would it be ok to raise them together in that tank since they know each other fom birth?I understand they usually like to me in pairs but I thought I heard from someone as long as they hatch together they will be fine in a cage together.

 

[Valley quail breeder]

Would be ok for that just a pain to clean up. If Buttons poop as much as Coturnix I'd avoid it....LOL
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[mhwc56]

what i have read is that they MUST be pairs as they will fight over females and territory ,sometimes killing each other over it all....So if you were to hatch 4 females and 8 males as an example, there would be BIG trouble....

 

[pringle]

I guess I can always give the excess males to my bro.But would it be ok to have 2 pairs or so in the tanks?Or would it be best to make a divider and put it on there?

 

[shelleyd2008]

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Buttons are no way near as nasty as coturnix. A friend of mine had 2 pair of buttons in a long reptile tank and almost never had to clean it. I've kept multiple buttons together that were from the same hatch but I did have a lot of feather picking. The last group of buttons I had like that I ended up having all the hens die. But I think that was more a problem with genetics than housing because others that had bought birds from the same breedings suffered losses of hens as well.

Maybe you could divide it with wire? That would work. You could divide it into at least 12 different 'pens' with a tank that big. Buttons only need about 12" square foot of floor space when housed in pairs, to have more than one pair in the same area you'd need a lot more space than a 5x3 tank

 

[shelleyd2008]

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I've never had buttons kill on another, especially buttons from the same hatch that have been raised together. It is possible, but highly unlikely. If I ever do get birds that kill other birds I'll get rid of those, I don't have and don't want to start having aggressive buttons

 

[Stellar]

I am very happy the correct information on button quail are getting out there

to mhwc56

Now, a divider like Shelleyd2008 mentioned could work to separate pairs. Pairs can live up to 7 years

Colonies 2-3 years tops, sometimes more but not so much. I would use the tank if you are being offered it

 

[Rozzie]

Take it if it's free or cheap.

Then, measure and get class cut to serve as dividers. Any glass shop can do this. Get something break resistant and have them smooth the edges. Or, cut plexiglass yourself. Remember, though, plexiglass scratches easily and discolors.

Buy a tube of aquarium caulk. Make SURE to get aquarium caulking. It has fewer fumes or something - don't ask me the details. It's been years since I did this type of thing and it's not on the edge of my memory.

Have a helper hold your glass or plexiglass dividers in place while you silicone them in. This basically serves to glue them in place. Just MAKE SURE you have them where you want them. Once the stuff dries it's horrific to get the divider out - you'll be cutting for hours with a thin edged blade and still may not get it out.

Hold in place until it's not going to fall, or have something rigged to hold it in place.

Voila! Divided tank. If it's six foot long, I'd divide into thirds & put a pair of buttons in each 1/3. I would not try to put enough for a dozen in, though. You might be able to do 4 compartments. Depends on the tanks measurement from front to back.

How wide is the tank from front to back? If it's 20+ inches you might be able to squeeze an additional divider into it.



One problem I do forsee is cleaning this sucker. It's going to be a (language probably not acceptable here.) If it's a TALL tank then it won't be easy. If it's a short tank, it won't be bad. Aquariums of this length can be a foot tall or 3 foot tall...if it's on the taller end, forget the whole dang project.

You'll want to make your own top for this, too. You'll need to be able to open the individual compartments SEPARATELY. DO NOT expect to take the top off this thing otherwise. Buttons will pop out of the various compartments while you're trying to work in another. Then you're going to hate button quail really quickly.