The Life Span of a Button Quail

Button quail eggs

Button quail are the smallest of the "true" quails. They are only 4 inches long with gentle temperaments and quirky behavior. Native to Australia, Southeast Asia and India, button quail are so cute that the phrase "cute as a button" may have been inspired by them. They come in a variety of colors, including silver, white, brown and other shades called "mutations."

Lifespan

In the wild, females often live only 18 months. However, if a female button quail is taken care of in captivity, she can live up to three to four years. On average, male button quail live four to five years. In exceptional cases, they can live up to nine years.

Care: Shelter

If you would like to keep a button quail as a pet, make sure you have an aquarium that is at least 4 feet by 1 foot. This usually translates to an aquarium that holds about 55 gallons. Because button quail are ground dwellers, it is less important for the aquarium to be tall and more important that the aquarium be wide. Make sure the aquarium is equipped with a soft, padded top. When startled, button quail instinctively fly up and away; if the top of your aquarium is not padded, your button quail may hurt herself. Another precaution that will protect your button quail against this instinct is providing her with plenty of hiding places. Because button quail have feet best suited for walking and not perching, the bottom of the aquarium should be lined with cedar or pine shavings so your button quail does not hurt himself walking about his home.

Care: Feed

Button quail are omnivorous, so they require animal, vegetable and mineral to be healthy. Protein in particular is very important to a button quail's diet, so you should feed your bird plenty of "gamebird crumble," which is over 20 percent protein. You can also feed your button quail mealworms, but this treat is high in fat, so too much is bad for your bird. Six mealworms a day is an ideal amount to feed your button quail. In addition, do not feed your button quail outside bugs, which may have been exposed to pesticides or pollution. These substances can be fatal for your pet. Lastly, the button quail requires minerals from "grit," a sand-like substance that is essential for health and hygiene.

Care: Breeding

Female button quail rarely sit on the eggs they lay; therefore, if you would like to breed your button quail, you'll need to collect the eggs and incubate them. The hatched chicks are very low maintenance and quite tame. The babies hatch with their eyes open and a layer of down on them, just like baby chickens. You can raise them in a cardboard box with a 40-watt bulb held about 3 inches off of the ground.

Care: Other Animals

Button quail get along well with other birds, and it is not uncommon for an owner to add them to the bottom of a varied aviary. Because button quail are ground dwellers, they serve as convenient cleaning birds, plucking the shells and discarded seeds from the bottom of a cage. However, you should never allow your button quail to roam your house freely alongside your pet cat or dog. Your pet may think the button quail is a delicious treat.

References

• Cyber Quail: Button Quail
• Finch World: Chinese Painted Quail (Button Quail)