Two baby gambels quail...need help

[Nikki28]

The clinic I used to work for called me this afternoon and said that construction workers had just brought in two small birds that they had found. I just picked them up and they are Gambels Quail They still have their egg tooth and are "floppy" when they move around. I'm guessing that they are day olds. I ground the feed up to powder size and put a small bottle cap of water in with them. They are uninterested. I'm guessing this is normal if they are new babies and still have a food supply in them.

Any help is appreciated! When should I worry and do I dunk their beaks in water now? or wait til tomorrow after they've been in the brooder awhile.

Thank you
-Nikki

 

[ladybug4ut1]

Quote:
Give them time....i would dunk their beaks in the water so the know where it is.....they may need others to show them how to eat I do not know if they are that kind or if they know it naturally.....good luck with them....maybe a little sugar in the water

Hope that helps a little

 

[Nikki28]

Thank you, it does help. They are so tiny I hope they make it. Thanks again!

 

[citalk2much]

I would give them a little drop of light karo. Do you have them in a brooder at 99? Put shiny stones or marbles in the water to attract them to it

 

[Nikki28]

The brooder is at 96 I'll raise the temp.

They both were pretty limp and not moving, we left for about an hour came back and they were looking at me peeping and one was zooming around the place. I dipped their beaks in sugar water and after a bit they were drinking on their own. Also one is eating the other is not. Hopefully they will continue to improve, I can't get over how small they are.

So does anyone have any idea about releasing quail? I've rehabbed song birds before but this is the first time I have ever been this close to quail let alone cared for them, thankfully the feed store is down the street.

Thanks again!

 

[farmertank]

all I can say is....Where are the pics.

Julie

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
You will most definitely have to contact your local fish and wildlife people, I believe those quail are protected, so you'd most likely need a permit even to release them. They might have a rehab center for them, that can care for them and release them when they are old enough.

 

[redhen]

Hey Nikki!

 

[Nikki28]

Okay both babies are eating and drinking now.

We are getting a new battery for our camera tomorrow so I should have pics up then.

I believe the only protected quail in Arizona is the masked bobwhite but I was planning on contacting fish and game tomorrow for more information on policies anyway so I will post when I find out. If there is a local place that can take them that would be great since we are still in the process of moving into our new house. I know that technically you need a wildlife rehab permit to release any wild animal though. I worked with a wildlife rehab place in Florida and I myself dealt mainly with song birds, raptors and small mammals but am not sure on Arizona's policies yet.

I hate to think about what happened to the rest of the family

apparently the workers said they had been ripping up brush and found the two little ones so they put them in a box and went to the nearest clinic.

Redhen

HEY!

 

[ArizonaNessa]

I recently inquired about owning the gambel (sp?) quail because I think they are so cute but I thought they were illegal to own. According to the guy I spoke with at game and wildlife, you can own them, raise them, trap them, hunt them, and keep them but you can't sell them. At least that was my understanding.

I hope that yours make it because they are such awesome little birds. Sorry I don't have a clue as to how to care for them though.

There is a wild bird sanctuary on Pinnacle Peak Rd and I-17 right by adobe mountain correctional facility. Thats where I took some little nocturnal birds that we found about a year ago. They were very nice people there.

Good Luck!

Edit: I just saw you are in Prescott. The bird sanctuary that I mentioned is in Northwest Phoenix. I am sure there is a place closer to you though. I should have noticed that.