New Male Button Quail Problem....

[SavageChick]

Looks like I've gotten myself into a pickle with a new button quail that was given to me for free. So, this little male bird is around 9 months old. The lady who gave him to me originally bought him as a single bird from the pet store, and was told that the female(s) he was with died, so he was the last one remaining. I've had him home with us for about a week now, keeping him separated but within view of our other birds. I have a couple of females that are around 3 months old now, so I thought I would try and pair him up with one of the ladies. I have a separate cage that I thought I could use to introduce new partners to one another, so I have been trying this with the new male bird. Yet, with every female I've introduced, he immediately attacks them - grabs their neck by his beak and holds a vice grip on them. Holy crud, I've never seen a male button quail this mean and aggressive. I'm kind of wondering now if this guy may have been the reason why the former female he was with died under suspicious circumstances. Anyone have any suggestions on how to introduce such a bird to another female with better success, or have any experience with this kind of situation?

 

[GrandmaBird]

well this is worry some for me as my female died this week and I am getting a new female tomorrow for my male. shoot hope this doesn't happen to me too. I will let you know what the breeder suggests to make the meeting easier. My male is all alone now and calls to attract a female so I figure if I keep them out of sight for a few hours they well call and then I can move them closer and closer until I can see if they bond through the cage bars then place them together. I really done know...

 

[SavageChick]

Thank you GrandmaBird. I hope you are more successful with your male-female introduction. Please let me know how you go about the introduction, and what the breeder may suggest. This is the first time I have introduced a new male outside of my hatching groups of males and females, so I'm not sure if I am doing it right by this guy. He's a beautiful bird, so I'd like to give him a chance. Yet, wow....he's really shown himself as quite a brute compared to what I am used to. As soon as I place him with one of my females, he makes a B-line for her and attacks her neck. I'm not quite sure if he is actually trying to mate with her immediately, or if he is trying to kill her. In any case, he's certainly lacking etiquette in the courtship behavior. Good grief, I'm kind of frightened to even try another female with him until I find out more how to go about this and what I may be doing wrong.

 

[GrandmaBird]

Okay I talked to the breeder and she suggests putting them in a cage that is unfamiliar, and partially covered, for ten minutes or more so I have got them together in a small cage with a wad of newspaper so they can hide behind it. Anyway they are talking now and then I will move the female into the old enclosure and then replace the male. We shall see what happens. so far so good....

so looks like try putting them in a new cage with hiding space for a while then place the new bird in the old enclosure first then reintroduce the old bird to it. it is because they are very territorial birds and will fight even male female.

good luck

 

[SavageChick]

Thank you for the information, GrandmaBird. I am going to try it again tomorrow, and will put some plants in there as kind of a divider between them. I'm so glad to hear that your two are getting along so well already.

 

[Quailsong]

I'd keep them in separate cages, with both cages right together so that they can see each other but not be harmed. Keep that way for a week or two at the least. When you do put them in together make sure there are lots of hiding places (for both of them).

Watch them carefully, if there's any aggression move them back to their separate cages.

 

[GrandmaBird]

I changed the layout of the old cage and added a new hiding place then put the female in and reintroduced the male. They are doing fine no fighting at all. I did dip the females beak in the waterer as I am not sure what she was drinking from before and I use regular pet bird waterers. I also placed her by the food dish so I know she saw it. Now the male is in the new hiding place and the female is behind it. I have heard them talking so guess all is well...tomorrow is another day.

 

[SavageChick]

That's great that they are getting along so nicely, GrandmaBird. I've kind of chickened-out for the moment with trying another attempt with my male. I'm going to take Quailsong's suggestion of waiting another week. I have all the females in one cage, and the male in another. They are placed right next to one another. I'll watch and listen over the next week to see which one of the females communicates with him the most, or seems interested (I think they are still all terrified of him after their previous "introduction" a few days ago.) The girls are all huddled on the opposite side of their cage, staying far clear and away from him.

 

[Stellar]

The male likes to pick up things and court the female he wishes to mate with. I supply my cbbq with mealworms so the male can do his role. The female, if she accepts the invitation will cower and accept the gift. My males will pick up anything they find in their cage to suit their hen. This is what they do in the wild, the courtship.

 

[SavageChick]

I was hoping he would actually do that with a lid of freeze-dried worms and wheat-grass clippings in there. My other adult male offers these to the female. Yet, this guy basically ran over these while making a straight B-line to grab the female by the neck. I'll try live meal worms next time to see if that makes a difference. Thank you for the suggestions.