# Quails Vs Rats



## Pythonking (Jun 23, 2008)

Hey guys, I have been breeding rats for my snakes for about 4 years now and I'm a bit sick of them, I just bought some quails yesterday and wanted to see if anyone knows if they are a viable food source, 

How often do they lay eggs and how many? 
How much do they eat?
Are they cleaner than rats? 
Approximate weight of adult quails and time it takes to get the to an adult size?


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## congo_python (Jun 23, 2008)

They lay eggs fairly often but the problem with most quail is that they don't sit on them to hatch them out and usually just leave them and they die,so you'll probly have to incubate the eggs.They probly eat just as much as rats do to grow and they aren't cleaner than rats in my opinion probly the same.

But a hatchy Quail approx equals the size of a fuzzy rat at hatching and at 3 week old the quail approx equals the size of a small rat so they do grow abit quicker (depending on what type you have). There was a study done by i don't know who but others may be able to enlighten you, that a quail pretty much equals a rat of the same size in nutritional value so it's all good in that respect.
my rats have not been breeding as well as they used to, so i've been feeding Quails for about 4mth's now and my pythons love them and i give them rats when i've got them.

Congo


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## Wolfgang (Jun 24, 2008)

My quail are much more productive than my rats. 5-7 eggs per hen a week, even when I only get 50% hatch rate they produce far more than a colony of rats. They eat approx. the same amount as rats a day but are fully grown at 5 weeks. I run 2 groups of 1 cock to 3 hens and 2 groups of 1 male to 4 female rats, the quail easily produce twice the amount of off spring to the rats. Smell, worse than rats if you dont keep the cages clean. I keep them on deep litter (shredded paper) which is topped up 1-2 times a week - no smell at all, don't do it for a week and you'll know about it.


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## Pythonking (Jun 24, 2008)

interesting, so what are the largest quails that can be found in Oz, and would also like to know a little more about incubation, i've heard you have to turn the eggs 3 times a day within the first 4 days, do you guys do this? or cn they hatch without turning?


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## spilota_variegata (Jun 24, 2008)

I hatch quail here in Alice. I currently have 2 male and 4 females which produce about 7-10 eggs per week. Hatch rate is about 75%, so I get about 20-30 hatchlings a month. Incubation time for me (at 100 deg f) is 17 days. I turn my eggs at least 3 times per day for the first 14 days then leave them.

My male coturnix (Japanese quail) weigh about 100 to 140 grams, so are equivalent to a medium sized rat. I find raising quail a lot cleaner and easier than breeding rats, though the newly hatched quail need to be kept quite warm and you must make sure you are careful you don't allow them to drown in their water containers for the first couple of days.

They grow quickly and reach adult size in about 2 months.

You have to turn your eggs, it is very important.


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## Wolfgang (Jun 25, 2008)

I breed the Jap quail as well. I use 2 incubators, 1 with an automatic turner - 2 days before hatching I move them into the second incubator without the turner. Leave them in the incubator for 24hrs after hatching then into a brooder, just a large plastic tub with a ceramic heater until they are almost fully feathered.
And dont forget the biggest advantage of breeding quail is that you can eat them yourself as well......


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## Wolfgang (Jun 25, 2008)

I think a few months ago someone put up a fairly comprehensive care sheet with photo's - they covered pretty much everything you need to know about breeding/raising quail.


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## waruikazi (Jun 25, 2008)

Quails give your snake chronic smelly poohs and runny too. Stick with rats!


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## cockney red (Jun 25, 2008)

Quails are superb, just juggle the two.


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