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RE: Some Basics On Keeping Japanese/Coturnix Quail
Erk! Did you keep the owl? ;) It's hard not to respect a bird like that, even if it did carefully prepare your quails.
I've always done the marble thing with water bowls from starting with chicken chicks, so I haven't had them drown. However, I can imagine they would as they do like to stand around in the water bowl and will have a good dig too. When I put fresh water in I can hear the marbles rattling as they all drink and dig! Crazy things really! Not the brightest birds are they?
Funnily, I did think of keeping the owl... but he was stressed at realising he couldn't get out again and I had no quail left to feed him :-P.
Coaxing him out was fun though! I was pleasantly surprised to have him briefly land on my arm on his way out, and also left in pain by the talon cuts that came along with that... man those things are sharp!
As for the quail, they are cute but as you say I'd never hand one a Rubrics cube :-)
How on earth did he get in if he couldn't get out again? Reminds me of when the sparrows find a way into the enclosed runs, but can only come our via the gate.
My fault I'm afraid, but a similar tale. In the open area I only had netting for the roof of the area as I figured if the quail took off startled straight up, they would not be hurt.
Unfortunately, during the night/early morning the owl must have seen them moving and got through it, only to not see the entry/exit point once in side.
I swear I keep doing things with the best intentions and something happens and I have to start again. Its a lesson in frustration and wasted time, but a valuable lesson nonetheless :-P