Toys for quail???

[someusername]

So I have quail, and would getting parrot toys without the perch work to keep them happy? I know they can’t perch, but what toys are there for quail and does anyone have ideas? From all i’ve seen, they just like to play with string and roll things around, so would parrot toys(maybe slightly modified) work? Or should I make something?

 

[le_bwah]

When I gave mine toys, they seemed alternately disinterested and scared. More than toys, I find quail enjoy having things to play in. A sandbox, a dustbath, a bunch of deep bedding: stuff they would encounter if they were living naturally on the ground. I've observed mine spend literal hours digging holes and making little nests. Scatter a handful of seed and you can keep them busy scratching for a whole afternoon.

 

[Erkenstein]

Sandbox, wood shavings, greens hung up keeps mine happy. I've seen people use stuffed toys in the brooder. As le_bwah points out, natural is what probably makes them most happy: branches, tunnels, rocks, etc.

 

[Fishkeeper]

Quail need a dustbath to help keep mites off and as enrichment. They love anything they can dig in. A big heap of wood shavings or clean dirt would be great.
Other things they like are other natural things. Rocks and branches to hop on top of, tunnels to run through. Strings they can't swallow may get their attention, balls to push around may be especially good. If you can find a way to get seed inside a ping-pong ball so that it falls out when they push it around, I suspect they'll love it.
Any kind of safe-but-novel food is great enrichment for all animals. Seeds to scratch for, greens to peck at, live bugs to chase.

 

[fishforbrains]

LOL. The feed store had these plastic green things for chickens that you fill up with mealworms and the birds are supposed to push them around and the mealworms fall out holes in the sides. Kind of like one of those treat-dispensing balls for dogs. Well, my birds love mealworms so I bought one. They never seemed to be able to figure out how to get it to work and unless they accidentally bumped into it the mealworms just stayed in the thing.

 

[someusername]

Lol, my male quail are scared of anything that looks like/feels like a ping pong ball(because he’s been accidentaly hit by one) so I don’t think those ping pong ball treat dispensers will work. I put grass in their cage and let them to run around in my basement daily and I am going to put sticks and branches in their cage

 

[CapricornFarm]

I put lofts in my quail cages, with ramps leading up to them. The lofts are made so they have walls to hold in the sand that covers the floor. Also they use nest boxes. I like the idea of adding branches and i am going to see if they like bells.

 

[Lady_Bat]

I went on Chewy.com & raided the rabbit/guinea pig section as well as the bird section. All the bird toys scared them or they didn't care. But the grass huts are a HUGE hit with all of them!!!! They love to pick at them, run in/out of them, & climb on top of them. We have 45 coturnix that are 5 weeks old right now & I plan on getting more grass huts for them as soon as these start looking rough.

 

[someusername]

ty guys

 

[Chalupathequail]

Our pet quail, Chalupa, loves toys! Anything she can walk under or peck at. I've been getting very creative and crafty with my toy ideas for her. I got cheap mops from the dollar store, took off the stick, drilled a small hole in the plastic part and attached a paperclip so I can hang it in her home. A few of those in there and she LOVES to get cozy underneath them. Anywhere we can put small wash cloths (aka "blankets"), she'll get cozy on those.

I have also found inexpensive bird toys that hang long with bells on the ends, she likes to peck at those. Anything that's shiny or with lettering she'll peck constantly! I found some pom poms that are shiny.

Mirrors are also fascinating to her. She could stare at herself forever. Hahaha I got a "fun house mirror" that I set on the ground. That's been her new favorite thing.

And of course anything else that she can hide in or near are good when she wants to nap. Our local bird shop actually have bird tents! Yes, it's silly, but that's the whole point! Put a blanket in there and she'll be content until she needs to stretch out her legs and eat!