What took our quail?

[runwithdogs]

We had eight young Japanese quail housed in an enclosure exactly like this one -

www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/clontarf/pet-products/guinea-pig-hutch-metal-solid-construction/1018268838

It was kept under shelter adjacent to the house and the birds were quite happy, eating well and scratching in the sand we put in for them.

When we got up yesterday morning, there were only two left alive, and one body that was completely undamaged. A tunnel had been dug under the end that isn't enclosed.

What would have done this? Fox? Snake? The bars on the bottom of the pen are quite close together, no more than 2cm apart.

Needless to say, we're all devastated. I was assured that this house would be ideal for them. We won't be getting any more birds until I know for sure the housing is appropriate for them and that they're going to be safe.

Thanks for any advice.

[zena]

It could have been a rat, also how big were the birds-what age were they? Depending on size it could have been mice...

[runwithdogs]

Thanks Zena, never thought about rats, they'd certainly dig. The quail were young, just old enough to come out of the heat lamp. There was no blood or feathers or anything to suggest the quail had ever even been there and the carcass was undamaged. I would have expected rats to leave bones or blood (like they do on CSI! ).

Anyway, we're going to coat the house in aviary wire, will that be enough to deter enthusiastic predators?

[zena]

They don't always leave something behind- I've had rats take birds before- and usually it happens when the birds are sleeping- depending o where you live it could also have been snakes- I've never had snakes before, or rats anymore. I have a concrete base I also have some metal (part of the aviary) that goes about 0.3 meter from the ground. It keeps most of the pests out- the mesh/wire size keeps larger insects out...

[avinet]

I would say it has to be rats - they will dig and certainly get though the wire of that enclosure. I'm not too sure why they would have dug rather than just gone through the side wire, however snakes don't dig, and asnake wouldn't have got out after eating some quail, while mice are too small and fox too big. Only leaves rats. Aviary wire with 12.5 mm mesh will be sufficient to keep rats out.

I have to say I think the enclosure looks far to small for 8 Jap Quail - it might be OK when they are still small, but by the time they are full grown I would not have more than 2 in there, and that is pushing it! I would allow as a minimum half a square metre of floor area per quail as an ideal minimum, and for Jap Quail I would prefer a full square metre per quail.

So for 8 Jap Quail I would look to a 3 metre by 3 metre aviary! That would allow them to have normal behaviours, hopefully avoid aggression through overcrowding, and not give a battery hen appearance.

cheers,

Mike

[runwithdogs]

Mike, thanks for the comments and the info. I also don't get why the rats would burrow because the side bars are wider! I'll look for a larger aviary for future birds, just goes to show that the advice you get isn't always right We were told the birds would do fine in there. They had sand to bathe in and we were growing finch seed for them to peck and scratch in, but I'd not like to overcrowd them.

I see you're just up the road a bit from us, we're near Caboolture. I appreciate your advice.