Button Quail Care

Button quail originally came from China, but they have become increasingly popular as pets in the United States. They are small, fairly quiet birds that can live between 3 and 5 years, though females that are heavy layers will have a shorter lifespan. They can become very tame pets, and learning more about their care will tell you if this is the bird for you.

  1. Housing

    • Button quail are ground dwellers; they do not need tall aviaries. They do very well in aquariums that are 4 feet long and 1 foot wide. A 30-gallon long tank is an ideal choice. They should be given several places in the tank where they can hide; shoe boxes, cereal boxes and plastic plants can give them the cover they need to feel comfortable.

    Diet

    • Button quails are omnivorous birds. They need a diet that is high in protein; this can be provided in the form of the bird feed known as gamebird crumble. Crumble is more than 20 percent protein, but if it is too large when you purchase it, be sure to grind it smaller so that your bird can eat it. Fresh vegetables like tomatoes, sprouts and broccoli can also be integrated into the button quail's diet, as can millet seed and hemp seed. They can also be fed live food, such as mealworms and maggots.

    Considerations

    • Button quail hens can lay eggs almost constantly, even if they never try to sit on them and brood. This high egg production can deplete the hen's body, and special care must be taken to ensure that the hen stays healthy. Button quail hens can be fed gamebird laying pellets for a better supply of protein, and their food can be amended with calcium supplements to keep their bones and muscles strong.

    Lighting

    • Button quail hens can lay eggs almost constantly, and their egg-laying cycle is related to how much light they get, not the presence of a male. To keep the egg-laying as minimal as possible, reduce the amount of daylight that the hens get. Hens will lay eggs when they receive between 12 and 14 hours of light a day, though some will lay with less light.

    Warning

    • Button quails tend to fly straight up when they are startled. When they are startled in a cage, this can mean that they hit their heads on the cage's roof very hard. To prevent injury to the button quail, secure cloth netting to the top of the cage instead of using a wire mesh cage top. This bounces the button quail down safely.