Toeballs!

[oxymoron71]

Hi- one of my girls has a couple of little poo toeballs....only small (about 1/4cm) . What’s the best way to remove them? I’m thinking soaking in warm water, but that would take at least 10 mins, & I’m not sure I could keep her still for that long!!! Any advice? Do they ever just fall off? Quails are kept indoors btw. Thanks!

 

[sarabeth485]

I put mine in a 3ish gallon bucket with about 1/2 inch of water and then covered with a mesh fabric I had lying around. She jumped and flopped periodically and complained a lot but it worked well.

 

[007Sean]

Your right it does take about 10 mins. I wash it off under a faucet running warm water.

 

[AlleysChicks]

I cut them off with goat clippers. Took maybe 2 minutes. Nails needed trimmed anyway but I cut small bits of the ball off at a time to make sure I didn't cut the actual nail yet. I did it by myself but it might be helpful to have a extra pair of hands.

 

[CoturnixComplex]

I have been giving mine extra time in the coarse granite sand runs and it seems to be helping wear them off naturally when they start to form.

 

[DK newbie]

I've only had the issue with my button quail yet, and with those I just put them in a small hamster cage or similar with some kind of heavy substrate (sand, small stones) and pour warm water into the cage so it just covers their feet. I check on them every now and then - sometimes the balls are gone after a few minutes, sometimes it takes an hour and a half but apart from the initial panic from being moved the birds don't seem too stressed about it and there is no risk of pulling the toe nails off as I have - several times - if I try to remove the poo balls with nail clippers or other tools. Guess the risk of that is not as big with cots though..

 

[ironjerry]

Hi- one of my girls has a couple of little poo toeballs....only small (about 1/4cm) . What’s the best way to remove them? I’m thinking soaking in warm water, but that would take at least 10 mins, & I’m not sure I could keep her still for that long!!! Any advice? Do they ever just fall off? Quails are kept indoors btw. Thanks!

I break up slowly with fingernail or nail clipper or small scissors check bedding needs cleaned more often? I use corn cobs no problem now

 

[oxymoron71]

I break up slowly with fingernail or nail clipper or small scissors check bedding needs cleaned more often? I use corn cobs no problem now

I soaked her feet for 1/2h this morning while I was cleaning the cage out (which I do thoroughly once a week, but I pick poo up twice a day) - man those balls are tough!! They barely softened. I managed to pick the smaller one off, she was very good & held still, but the bigger one I only managed to reduce a bit. I’m going to soak her again tomorrow. Don’t want it to be too stressful for her. Have learned my lesson- will be getting them off at the first sign in future! Didn’t realise they were such tough buggers.
What do you use corn cobs for??

 

[aart]

Didn’t realise they were such tough buggers.

I know with chicken chicks and sand in brooder, poop turns to concrete on toenails.

 

[CaloosaBirds]

This may sound odd, but I've used nail polish remover to soften them, then they are easy to pick off. (I used the kind with a sponge on a wire.) It works pretty fast, too. Maybe 10-30 seconds for softening? Though I would suppose it depends on the size of the ball.