Do your quails easily get bored?
Quails are intelligent and hardy creatures.
But being stuck in a small cage, eating the same food, grit, and water every day, can also stress them out and suck the life out of them.
That’s why you need boredom busters for quails to stimulate them!
But what kind of toys are best for quails, and how else can you entertain them?
In this article. we’ll discuss the following:
- 10 most effective boredom busters for quails
- 5 tips to keep your quails happy and entertained
- and 4 things you need to avoid stressing out your birds
So, without further ado, let’s uncover the most stimulating and entertaining toys for quails to fight boredom and prevent the development of depression.
Boredom Busters for Quails:
10 Entertaining Treats and Toys For Quails
As a keeper, it’s your job to provide your quails with healthy feed, shelter, and supplements for your flock.
But it takes more than just providing the basic needs to make your quails happy and save them from boredom and stress.
They may be low maintenance and less needy compared to chickens.
But they also need the following quail toys to combat boredom and stress.
1. Hanging Balls
What better way to entertain your quails than giving them a rattler ball toy for quails that produces a noise when played?
This boredom buster for quails and other birds can surely pique their interest and leave them wondering how these balls make sounds.
Since these toys for quails come with chains, you can easily hang them on top of your quail’s cage.
Lightweight and tiny toys like these are perfect for small cages, plus they’re safe for birds and visually pleasing, thanks to their bright and vibrant colors.
Some scary birds might get scared of the chains, though.
If that’s the case for your precious quails, it’s best to remove the chains.
And if you have lots of quails, you can separate the 3 balls and chains so each quail can have a toy for himself.
2. Foraging Toys
Foraging toys are also a hit for quails because not only does it remind them of their lives in the wild, but they are also fun and entertaining.
This quail toy also encourages your bird’s natural behavior, like chewing and shredding, and stimulates them physically and emotionally.
Since these quail toys are made of wood and rattan, you can rest assured your birds are safe when chewing them.
What we like the most about these toys is that they add a pop of color to your quail’s cage and keep them occupied with many choices.
It’s quite expensive than the first toy though, and it’s not for everybody.
3. Millets
Have you ever given your quails a bunch of millet or seeds?
They’ll surely love that snack, but you can use it to entertain your birds by suspending the treat on top of the pen using a hanging feeder.
This way, you can encourage your bird to jump, stretch and look for twigs as they figure out how to get the tasty treats.
Such kind of activity mimics their routine in the wild, where they often fly and jump to reach the grain seeds they aim for.
Remember: Don’t forget to have sand or grit when you’re supplementing commercial quail feed with grains and fresh food to ensure their digestive system keeps working smoothly.
4. Dust Bath
A dust bath is essential for every quail as it helps maintain the optimum amount of oil on their feathers by absorbing the oil and expelling it along with dry skin.
But aside from keeping their bodies clean and healthy, a dust bath is also a great boredom buster for quails because splashing dust or sand with their feathers is fun and entertaining.
This is like kids splashing water in a kiddie pool.
Make their sand pool as big as possible, and your quails will surely have a blast splashing together.
5. A Dish of Sprouts
Have you ever given your quail birds some sprouts and fresh fruits?
Eating the same pellet over and over again can be boring, so try adding fresh greens, fruits, and sprouts to their diet just like they used to in the wild.
They’d surely happily nibble them down like a tasty delicacy.
You can use any kind of sprout as boredom busters for quail, but you can also make or grow them by yourself.
For example, if you have excess alfalfa seeds or any sprouting mix, just soak them in water for a few hours.
Then, pour them into plastic trays with mall holes poked into them.
Rinse the seeds daily and ensure the water drains through the holes.
Just wait for 5 to 6 days for the seeds to grow, and your fresh sprouts will be ready for quail consumption.
6. Cricket or grasshoppers
Quails in the wild usually feed on grasshoppers.
In fact, it’s among the favorite food of laying hens and juveniles.
But they’re not just a healthy treat for domesticated quails because grasshoppers can also be a source of fun for your birds.
Try releasing your quails in a yard or large aviary.
Scatter some live crickets and grasshoppers and let your quails hunt for their treats.
This kind of scavenger hunt will surely stimulate and entertain them.
7. Hay
If you haven’t tried bringing in a fresh pile of hay to your quail’s cage or pen, you should.
Quails enjoy playing, jumping, pouncing, and hiding in the hay.
But how do you know they’re happy about it?
Well, they make happy noises to express their joy.
Just as kids love going to the park, quails will also love it if you can freshen up their pens and play on them.
8. Twigs and Sticks
Altering your bird’s living space can also help relieve boredom.
So try adding a pile of twigs, brushes, and sticks into their pen or home.
In the wild, hunters build brush piles to entice and attract quails because these creatures like kidding and burrowing.
You can bring this instinct out by building a home filled with brushes and twigs where they can hide and play.
9. Hollow Logs
Another way to spark your birds’ curiosity is by adding short hollow logs into their pen where they can hide and play.
You can also add some pine cones or twigs, rocks, rodent huts, and other hiding spots to spice up their cage.
Bullying is common among quails, especially when males are kept together.
So if the dominant birds are chasing your bullied bird, he needs a hiding place like the hollow logs.
10. Water Dish
Sometimes, quails need a much-needed splash of cool, relaxing water too.
But make sure your quails are fully grown and feathered, and they’re in a warm and dry habitat so they won’t get chilled.
Some quail keepers utilize small waterers that can be mounted to the cage’s side so the birds can drink, but that doesn’t allow them to splash or play with water.
So try giving them a water dish where they can wet their feet and play just like how kids like playing in a mud puddle.
This activity is fun for birds.
However, you need to clean their cage and give them fresh bedding after because they don’t like living in soggy places.
Aside from providing those boredom busters for quails, what else can you do to help your birds win against boredom and stress?
Other Tips on How to Keep Quails Entertained
Here are other secrets on how to keep a quail happy and healthy.
1. Keep Them In Pairs or Small Flocks
If you don’t have the luxury of time to spend time with them, it’s best to get company for your quails.
They’re solitary birds in nature and would love a companion they can play with.
It can also help prevent loneliness and depression.
So you can rest assured they’re not alone even if you’re away.
2. Scatter Their Food
Another way to win against boredom in quails is by scattering their food instead of putting them inside a bowl to encourage your birds to forage.
This simple quail enrichment activity can stimulate your quails both mentally and physically while filling their tummies.
3. Provide or Add More Space
Quails used to roam around freely in the wild.
Even though that’s not always possible for domesticated quails due to the threat of predator attacks and their vulnerability, it’d help if you could give them more space.
They’re usually kept in stacked cages, but if you can build a quail coop with a run and adequate space, they’d surely thank you for that.
If there’s enough space to run around and exercise, they’ll be much happier and less stressed.
It can also stimulate their minds and discourage fights among them.
4. Add Plants to Your Quail’s Habitat
If possible and the space permits, add shrubs inside your quail’s habitat or enclosure so they can forage and peck around at the plants.
Just ensure they aren’t poisonous to your flock, and you’re all good.
5. Bond With Your Quails
Quails aren’t very interactive, but if you have a couple of minutes or hours, spend some time playing with them.
Visit them more often and make sure their needs are met without disturbing them.
It may take time to see the effect of your constant presence, but it’s one of the key quail enrichment practices you must add to your routine.
What to Avoid to Keep Quails Happy
Here are the things that you should avoid to keep them from stress and anxiety.
Avoid Picking Them Up Often
Quails are innately shy and sensitive.
That’s why they don’t like being picked up and handled unless they’re hand-tamed.
So, you need to earn their trust before handling them.
It may take time, but this guide on how to tame a bird might help.
Loud Noises
Having loud pets or machines that produce loud noise can also stress them out.
So make sure to keep them in a quiet and peaceful space.
Too Much or Too Little Sunlight
Quails need about 13 to 15 hours of light per day.
But they’re sensitive to temperatures.
Too much heat can cause them to pant, and too much cold isn’t good either.
So, you must keep them in the shade during hot summer days and bring them into a warm pen during winter.
And if they lack light exposure, hang some light bulbs above their cage to provide light and warmth.
Lack of Space
Quails are more space efficient than chickens, but they still need at least 1 square foot of floor space per bird.
Keeping them in a crowded area can stress them out, so the bigger the enclosure or aviary, the better.
FAQs About Boredom Busters for Quails
How do you keep quails entertained?
You can keep your birds happy and entertained by adding more items they love, like rocks, hiding spots, shrubs, more space, and toys for quails.
Giving them treats and a large, shallow dust bath can also make them feel ecstatic and excite them.
What do quail like to play with?
Quails enjoy playing with branches, rocks, shavings, dust baths, and other things that encourage their natural behaviors, like foraging toys.
Do quails like straws?
It depends on the quail species, but many quails enjoy burrowing themselves in straws and other grassy materials just like they are ancestors in the wild.
How do you relax a stressed bird?
The treatment of stress in birds involves stick training and providing stimulation.
It’s also important not to yell at your bird and move slowly to avoid scaring them when they’re dealing with negative emotions.
Don’t forget to give them an out-of-cage time, too, because that might be all they need to relax.
How do you know if your bird is unhappy?
The signs that your bird is unhappy or stressed are biting, screaming, decreased vocalization, feather picking, self-mutilation, and decreased appetite.
And if your quail shows stereotypical behaviors like pacing, head swinging, and toe-tapping, these may indicate your bird is unhappy, bored, or ill.
Boredom Busters for Quails: The Final Recap
To sum it up, the most effective boredom busters for quails are hanging balls with bells, foraging toys, millets, and a large yet shallow dust bath.
They’d also love it if you could give them interesting treats like sprouts, live crickets, and grasshoppers.
It’d also help if you could level up their cage or enclosure by adding hiding places like a pile of twigs and bushes or hollow logs, rocks, and plants.
They won’t just stimulate your quails physically, emotionally, and mentally but also encourage their natural behaviors and prevent stress.
However, as we’ve mentioned earlier, bullying is common in quails.
They might fight over the toys or lose interest in playing with the same toy over time.
So make sure to add lots of toys for quails and make their pen or enclosure as dynamic as possible to keep the happy and entertained.