No dust baths - detrimental to health?

[BibbelBop]

Hello! So I have a button quail and he's my best friend, haha. I love him to death! He just turned 3 in October. Since I house him inside (My room) I've not really had a dust baths available for him. I did bring in some dirt from the yard one year and he had a very nice bath in it but then proceeded to get dirt all over my room (from shaking his feathers out all over the place lol) so I haven't really regularly offered dust baths to him. He does however bath in fabrics. For some reason he goes nuts over different textured materials or very soft blankets and does the bathing motions. I also have a little bed area filled with the small animal bedding (Made of bits of paper so it's safe) and he likes to bathe in there as well. I'm just worried if him not actually having dust baths could be detrimental to his health in any way. He is completely indoor so it's not like he would be dust bathing to prevent bugs or anything but perhaps it would be better for this feathers if he had more frequent dust baths? i hope this makes sense I'm pretty tired aha.

This is Bibbel!

 

[Andkingquail]

Yes, you should definitely provide a sand bath they are quite important for their health and well being. I would also get your button quail a partner it is not recommended to keep only one button quail as they are very social birds so please try to get a partner or a group of buttons for your button quail.

 

[Nabiki]

Dust/dirt baths are how they keep their feathers clean. It also reduces the chance of mites and makes them happy.

3 is quite old for a button quail, especially for one that has not had companions. If you should decide to get buttons again, I recommend getting at least a pair, and make sure to accommodate their bathing needs.

 

[Susan Skylark]

No dust bath will not make your quail sick, more prone to disease, or shorten his life therefore it won’t ‘hurt his health.’ But it does improve quality of life, and makes them happy. Mine don’t have a dust bath (I tried but they just poop in it and bathe in the bedding!?). If dust is an issue you could just offer it occasionally, perhaps a Rubbermaid tub with some sand in another room a couple times a week? When I had chinchillas I’d just toss a dust pan in three times a week for a couple minutes, they loved it and it minimized mess/waste and everybody was happy. My quail haven’t figured it out yet, totally not smart!

 

[Nabiki]

No dust bath will not make your quail sick, more prone to disease, or shorten his life therefore it won’t ‘hurt his health.’

What are you basing this on? I mean, technically, we don't need baths or showers either, but being clean does keep us healthier and less prone to disease.