Bird is the word - The Button Quial

Buttons are the smallest of the quail species - at the fully matured state they are only about the size of a hamster. These little birds are not kept for meat purposes (although some will raise as a food source for other animals like snakes, birds of prey or cats/dogs) The hens lay small protein packed eggs nearly daily for 2-3 years which can easily be consumed by cats, dogs or reptiles.

Buttons are primarily raised as pets and enjoyed for their plumage ranging in patterns and colours. They are easily spooked but can be tamed down if hand raised to accept their human as a safe companion. In some areas, showing this type of quail is an option and can be fun to see the variety out there!

These birds do not do well under any extreme conditions (hot, cold or drafts) so they are most often kept indoors in bird cages with narrow slot or enclosures with mesh roof tops. When choosing an enclosure for your bird(s) you'll want to consider; how many birds you will keep together, hides and nest areas, food and water sources that will need to be in the enclosure. They are ground dwelling birds so having enough floor space for them is more important than height in their space. They doo "pop up" or flush when startled so having a soft top to the enclosure helps to avoid head trauma in the event they hit the underside.

There are some colourations that are "feather sexed" while others need the mature a bit longer to be determined by vent check, plumage markings or behaviours. They are typically considered sexually mature by 8 weeks however they can still fill out a bit more structurally after that age. Males and females both make different calls and in the event a male is not in the covey a hen male take that position as protector/dominant quail.

Button quail should be kept in ratios of 1 Male:4-5 females to ensure females are not overbred and avoid any fights between males over low number of mates. When you are housing multiple females it would be advisable to have multiple areas for nesting thought they may all decide to utilize one common spot if they are acting as a family group.

Button quails can go broody and hatch their own chicks - however due to their small size it is not uncommon for first natural hatches to be difficult for new hens to navigate and they may accidentally squish their own chicks. It would be important to separate the chicks and offer a safe space with appropriate heat, food and water source quickly if their mother hen is not able to care for them well naturally.

With chicks being TINY at birth (can fit on a quarter / large button) their needs are very specific during the early days of care. They are at a higher risk for drowning so water source must be carefully offered (marbles or rocks in shallow dish or chick waterer) and their food needs to be ground up. They have what can only be described as narcolepsy - burst of energy and then passing out anywhere. They fall asleep in odd positions and tend to give their caregivers frights often by playing dead very well (unintentionally)  Once they get past this stage the enjoyment of them tends to replace the worry quickly!

They can enjoy many small seeds, meal worms, black soldier fly larvae, greens, and select fruits and veggies just like their larger counterparts but on a smaller scale. For their regular diet 30% protein GAME BIRD STARTER seems to be the best option (25% minimum protein level needed however when protein is on lower side egg laying will be less consistent - increase consistency seen when between 28-30%)

They are best to be kept with their own type due to their small size and more fragile nature, however when raised with other quail species they may be able to be kept together once they are matured in size and able to safely move away from the larger birds when needed.