thoughts on interesting treats/snacks for coturnix quail?

[Kel60]

Iv been trying to think of unusual tasty treats I can give the feather baby's.

Things that will be both good for them and interesting for them to eat. I think they are just as deserving of enrichment as any cat or dog and need some fun tasty treats to mess around with.

One of my thought was maybe dried fruit.
Or maybe a few small cubes cut off a suet block?

Not as a regular thing, maybe once or twice a week.

I only really ever hear about worms as a treat so ideas on if these would be ok things to give them or other things. I wanted things they can peck at and such, hence my thought about the suet block. Iv seen ones that are like solid bird seed bound with honey not just the ones bound with fat. Maybe that kind would be good?

 

[Fishychix]

Fruits and vegetables. Just remember whenever you feed them anything than their regular feed to also provide grit on the side. You can try hiding it for them to find, but in my experience they are not likely to find it and its best to give it to them in their food bowl. Give them dust baths and hidey holes, also brush and or live plants.

 

[Lilyofsalen]

Fruits, vegetables, and insects like mealworms, dubia, etc. I just gave mine some pomegranates that split due to recent rains, they really enjoyed it.

 

[shrimpsilkies]

My quails’ favorite snacks are mealworms, dubia roaches, grubs and crickets from the yard, dandelion greens, and cucumber. They also love any birdseed or poultry seed mix that is mainly small grains without too much shell, and also millet sprays for parrots.
Since live insects are costly to buy or to raise, I have a short bin filled with dirt and I bury some mealworms and roaches in that, so they don’t burrow away but the quail still have to dig for it. Seeds and grain can also be buried in straw or in their dust bath and they will spend hours searching for every last one.
When I’m done pulling weeds I hang a bunch of dandelion by the root and they will nip off little bits throughout the day. Crunchy lettuces would also work well. I also hang millet sprays like this as well. A whole cucumber, sliced lengthwise, is a favorite on hot days and they will scoop out every last seed and bit of pulp, only leaving the empty green skin.
They don’t seem to like anything sweet, like melon, and also don’t like tough greens like kale. Yours might have different tastes.

 

[NY Coturnix]

if mine see me walking across the lawn with a cucumber in my hand I can hardly get the pen door open because their pressed up against the door trying to get at it. They love cucumber.

 

[2020Chickadee]

I give my girls a sprinkle of bird seed every few days (I have it in an parmesan shaker). They seem to really enjoy that as they'll spend most of the day digging looking for seeds. Otherwise I'll give them garden scraps and bugs, which are less of a hit. Cucumbers or melons will start a feeding frenzy.

 

[Cazook]

I give meal worms and cut up leftover greens like lettuce, cabbage, aragula etc.

 

[Xouie]

For a play treat I give whole Swiss chard leaves from the garden. The leaves are very big, so the quail drag them around and toss them in the air pulling odd bite size pieces. Now I’m going to try split open pomegranates and see what they do.

 

[LJHC]

I tried the dandelions and mine went bananas for it!

 

[Ravenlover]

For a play treat I give whole Swiss chard leaves from the garden. The leaves are very big, so the quail drag them around and toss them in the air pulling odd bite size pieces. Now I’m going to try split open pomegranates and see what they do.

Swiss chard leaves ?