What to do with Lone Button Quail!

[AQuailNamedFrancis]

Hello everyone!

I have one lonely button quail who doesn't have a mate. She seems very lonely, all she does is sit in her corner of her big cage just sits there....

Any thoughts or ideas on how to make her less lonely??

I have a another pair of buttons that are mated and fine. Should I put her in with them?

 

[ButtonGuy]

I would NOT put her in with the other mated pair. That most likely would ruin the tranquility among the already mated pair. The Best thing you could do is to either:

1. Hatch out another set of buttons so she can have a friend.
2. Hatch out Coturnix quail and but them in with her so they can be raised together! (I did this and It worked perfectly, I now have a male Coturnix and a female button living very happily!)
3. Also another good idea (what my friend did when she was in the same situation) she bought a budgie from just a simple pet store and that helped the lonely button.

Do not leave her alone though, Quail are very social animals and need other birds around.

I hope this helped.

Good luck with your Button Quail!

 

[ILUVQUAIL]

I 100% agree with ButtonGuy.

He said it out perfectly. The only thing I would change would be, If you get Coturnix Quail to help with the lonely button quail. DO NOT get Texas A&M coturnix. I had a bad experience with those quail. They were meaner than a snake to my buttons and to my doves.

Other than that I 100% agree with him.

I hope this helped.

 

[AQuailNamedFrancis]

Thank you for the help!


Also ButtonGuy What worked the best?? Getting more Buttons or ? just wat works the best?

 

[ButtonGuy]

Well, Since I went the Coturnix Quail Route, I would recommend it. But, Its your choice. They all do work.

 

[DK newbie]

Some people make it work with cots and buttons together, but at other times the cots will suddenly turn aggressive and start pecking the buttons, so I wouldn't go that route. Besides, they are different species - where as they can keep each other company so they won't be too lonely, it's never going to be ideal. And a coturnix roo trying to mate with a button quail can't be pretty - it must be horrible for the button if he does it..

With regards to putting her with the pair, they'll probably try to kill her. Buttons are monogamous and in anything smaller than an aviary they are unlikely to accept a 2. hen.

I'd get another button for her. The sex doesn't really matter, so you can even get one that's too young to sex. Or just find a pet shop that has them and buy one that looks docile but healthy.
When putting the new one in with her, be aware she might not like it right away. Buttons are territorial, so whereas she wants someone to live with, she will likely consider the newcomer a threat at first and attack it. It might also be the other way round, and the newcomer attacks her, but that's more rare. In order to avoid attacks, keep them separated by a single layer of wire for a week or so - that way they can see each other and get used to each other without being able to hurt each other. Once you put them together, rearrange her cage to prevent her from being territorial.

 

[RosieR]

Some people make it work with cots and buttons together, but at other times the cots will suddenly turn aggressive and start pecking the buttons, so I wouldn't go that route. Besides, they are different species - where as they can keep each other company so they won't be too lonely, it's never going to be ideal. And a coturnix roo trying to mate with a button quail can't be pretty - it must be horrible for the button if he does it..

With regards to putting her with the pair, they'll probably try to kill her. Buttons are monogamous and in anything smaller than an aviary they are unlikely to accept a 2. hen.

I'd get another button for her. The sex doesn't really matter, so you can even get one that's too young to sex. Or just find a pet shop that has them and buy one that looks docile but healthy.
When putting the new one in with her, be aware she might not like it right away. Buttons are territorial, so whereas she wants someone to live with, she will likely consider the newcomer a threat at first and attack it. It might also be the other way round, and the newcomer attacks her, but that's more rare. In order to avoid attacks, keep them separated by a single layer of wire for a week or so - that way they can see each other and get used to each other without being able to hurt each other. Once you put them together, rearrange her cage to prevent her from being territorial.

I would think it very risky to but a male coturnix with her. A female maybe, but I’d go the button route personally.

 

[Fishkeeper]

Coturnix are flock birds and should be kept in groups of at least 5. Even if you get one that works out personality-wise, it's not going to have the right social environment.
Get her another button as a companion, or find her another home.

 

[jaymean]

Hello everyone!

I have one lonely button quail who doesn't have a mate. She seems very lonely, all she does is sit in her corner of her big cage just sits there....

Any thoughts or ideas on how to make her less lonely??

I have a another pair of buttons that are mated and fine. Should I put her in with them?

The opposite happened to me. My white coturnix's cagemate suddenly died and she would cry constantly. She ended up taking a liking to 2 of the female buttons that I have.

My buttons are very social with each other. Always together. Get your button a friend!

I hope it works out for you! Keep us posted.