I get upset about the domestic foxes because so many people think, "Oh, cute!", get one, and treat it like a dog.
Foxes aren't dogs. Quail aren't chickens.
Oh, you can definitely breed for temperament. I do with my coturnix, and I remember that it only took about 60 years to breed a line of domestic foxes.
FYI, button quail do best in pairs, so you may not have as many extra males as you think. They are beautiful, make charming noises, and are fun to watch. If you put them in a place like you describe in your living room, they will probably get plenty of human activity around them, so they won't...