Button Quail Butt Pecking

[Rii]

I’ve experienced this, but with toe pecking. I have a mated pair (Leo and Speckles). Things were fine for MONTHS, they were a happy, cuddly couple. Then Leo just started pecking at her toes out of nowhere. He isn’t mistaking them for mealworms. He ducks his head down, and will stalk her feet. Speckles is terrified of it, and rightfully so. It got so bad that two toes self-amputated, and she was in a lot of pain. I tried taking her to the vet to save them, but the antibiotics didn’t work. I separated them, but neither will accept another mate. They just call back and forth to each other all day long. I will allow nighttime visits on occasion because they seem to miss each other and are sleepy so just cuddle up (after mating), but when I forget to remove Leo in the morning, I usually find speckles hiding in a bush or up on a box to stay away from him.

Aw that really sucks! My hen isn’t afraid of the male that pecks her, she doesn’t seem to care at all which is weird..
Maybe Leo & Speckles would accept new mates if they can’t see or hear each other for a bit?? Might be keeping their spark alive hahah