Quail Enrichment for Indoor Enclosure

[HardlyQuailified]

I'm planning on keeping my cortunix quail in a smaller indoor enclosure, but I'm not sure what to put in with them to keep them occupied. Do they like having toys? Or would hiding places suffice? I know some people give them branches, but I'm not sure if those would fit without obstructing their movement

 

[Wyorp Rock]

How many birds and how small of an enclosure?
You sure you want Quail indoors?

They would very much enjoy dust bathing, provide them with a large shallow bowl with peat moss and sand mix.

They do like hiding places too, but make sure the hiding spot has an exit on both sides, so no one gets hemmed up.

Hopefully others will chime in with their thoughts and suggestions.

 

[WildNectarine]

Oh yes, they simply adore toys. And you can never go wrong with good old hiding spots.

I just recently posted a small foraging toy guide you can read in response to DrMeow’s “Bobwhite Quail - toys?” thread.

And Wyorp Rock’s suggestion of a sanding bowl is a must-have. You can use large plant saucers for that in a pinch. And burying a few special treats like seeds or mealworms in there for them to excavate never hurts.

I personally have never had much luck with branches, but you can fashion quite a fun cardboard tunnel, or purchase a pop-up ferret tunnel, and set a pile of hay inside. They’ll sleep there, and run around, in and through, and even on the very top of it if it’s flat.

 

[FatherFalcon]

Ideas for enriching your quail's environment!

1. Teeter-Totter or Swing: A teeter-totter or swing could be a fun addition, as quail might enjoy balancing and hopping around on it. Just make sure it’s stable and not too high off the ground to avoid any risk of injury.
2. Ping Pong Ball with Dots: (fly) Hanging a ping pong ball with dots on it is a simple but creative toy! Quail are often intrigued by movement, so a floating or hanging ball could capture their attention. Make sure it's lightweight enough that they won’t hurt themselves if they bump into it.
3. Ceiling Protection: Since quail are often quite excited and energetic, protecting the ceiling of the enclosure with a soft material (like mesh or padding) is a smart idea. This will help prevent them from injuring themselves during high jumps or when they get startled.
4. Tickle or Sensation Branches/Brush: You can add branches or soft brush-like materials for tactile stimulation. Quail are curious about textures and might enjoy pecking at or rubbing against these objects. Just ensure the branches are safe and not too rough or hard.
5. Crawl-in Tunnel: This would provide a great space for your quail to explore and burrow into. They love having areas to move through, and a tunnel will allow them to feel safe while they navigate around their enclosure. You could use a flexible, soft material like a pop-up tunnel (often used for small pets like ferrets or guinea pigs), or even a cardboard tunnel. Make sure it's wide enough for them to move comfortably through but not too big to feel too open or exposed.
6. Hide-away Tunnel: A hide-away tunnel offers them a cozy, secluded spot to retreat to when they want to rest or feel a bit more secure. It's like a little personal hideout where they can escape to, which is important for their mental well-being. This could be a longer, slightly more enclosed tunnel, or even a small box or tent-like structure that they can crawl into.

 

[Nabiki]

Quail are very dusty, so be prepared to have to clean your house a lot more often.

That being said, hiding places are a must. You can also provide enrichment by putting some wheat grass in with them for a short while each day (they will destroy it quickly otherwise).

I wouldn't recommend a swing for them since they are ground birds and don't perch, but the other toys are worth a try.

 

[oxalis]

With my indoor quail, they seem to have the most fun with forage-related activities. Sometimes we get dubia roaches from the pet store as a special treat for them. The roaches are more mobile than mealworms and your quail will have to run to catch them which they really seem to enjoy as it probably satisfies a pretty basic instinct for them.

Another thing they seem to like is foraging for seeds, if you have some deeper litter like wood shavings or hay, if you mix a small pinch of bird seeds into it, some of your quail will probably spend quite some time looking for them. As long as you don't exceed the 10% treats rule of course.

That's all I've tried for now but if your quail will eat veggies like cucumber, I bet having a hanging feeder that they have to jump up and peck at would work too, I want to try it myself but my current quail don't like green stuff much yet.

and +1 to all the suggestions of having some branches/hides/cover. Ours love to hang out under the fir branches in the pen. Anytime you can add a different type of natural material like some flat stones, wood, leaves, grass, etc, they seem to like that, its more enrichment for them.

 

[HardlyQuailified]

How many birds and how small of an enclosure?
You sure you want Quail indoors?

They would very much enjoy dust bathing, provide them with a large shallow bowl with peat moss and sand mix.

They do like hiding places too, but make sure the hiding spot has an exit on both sides, so no one gets hemmed up.

Hopefully others will chime in with their thoughts and suggestions.

It's an 8sqft enclosure, planning on keeping five birds