Urgent -- lost button quail!!!

[chickety]

I'm in the process of moving and as my friend was transporting my button quail, he dropped the cage and the quail flew HIGH away. He managed to see the general area where the quail probably landed and we have been searching that area, including asking the people to allow us to search their yards. We can't find him and I'm freaking out.

He is a lone pet and there are some bushes and shrubs he may be hiding in, my friend is still outside looking. We are in a big city with lots of cars, cats, crows, raccoons, etc., and I'm really worried he won't last long at all.

Please help - what can I do to lure him out? Any tips, suggestions, GREATLY appreciated, thank you!!!

 

[shelleyd2008]

Unfortunately, you probably won't be able to get him back. I had one of my hens dissappear (I think that's thanks to my kid) out of the cage I had them in on the porch....I never even realized she was gone until I didn't see her in the cage. I've never seen her again....

So sorry you lost your button.

 

[chickety]

I brought my laptop out there and started playing some button quail calling clips since he responds to those at home and I heard him...but it was quite faint and I kept playing it over & over again while walking around, but haven't heard anything since.

 

[patyrdz]

Awwww! I hope you find him! Good luck and keep us posted!

Good idea with the quail sounds!

 

[WriterofWords]

Leave his cage open with food in it where you heard him and watch for him.

 

[chickety]

UPDATE!

I found him!!! He's back in his cage right now, eating and drinking. Early this morning, I put the voice recorder of button quail calls and his cage beside it and kept watch. No sign of him even after hours.

I had to leave the house for a few hours and when I got back, decided to walk around with the recorder of calls again but I knew the chance was slim. Well, he kept calling back and we finally located where he was! In a very narrow space between a garage and a shed. He was in the middle of the long narrow space and we kept playing the recording and he eagerly made his way to us. It was the cutest thing ever. He was so determined and had a lot of "obstacles" such as big piles of logs, other junk, etc. After almost ten minutes, he reached the end where we were and I scooped him up into my bare hands, cupped him tightly, and ran home.

He is fine, thank goodness. When we got home, he even started preening himself in my hands and two times, laid himself really flat, turned his head sideways, and asked to be pet! Prior to this, he wanted nothing to do with hands and tried to escape from them every time.

Is he going to stay like this or is he going to forget and become scared in a few hours again?

Either way, I got so lucky and I'm very glad to have gotten him back. WHEW!

Thanks for all your help!!

 

[citalk2much]

Glad to hot him back

 

[monarc23]

congrats on finding him that was a very lucky button!!!

I really don't believe he wanted petted to be honest probably just enjoying the warmth that human hands gives off afterbeing lost on the cool ground (well i guess that is depending on where you live) buttons really arent cuddle bugs but again if he is then you are lucky with that too. Most dont like that sort of thing and being handled most are just look at pets.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Congrats on finding your button!! I wish I had thought of the quail sounds thing for mine, but I don't even know how long she has been gone

I would think that she would have hung around the cage where the others are, but the stupid dogs probably scared her away (at least). Glad you got your baby back, and I hope he stays friendly for you!

 

[Shortanddumpy]

I know this may be an old thread, however if anyone stumbles across it in a time of need, just as I did - I want you to know there is hope, thank you to the person that suggested playing button calls on a phone, YouTube has a few, thanks to this suggestion we have managed to find and bring home our lost button quail who flew over the fence and into a pasture field and bramble patch.
I honestly thought he was lost and had no hope.