It’s June in Florida, which means summer is already brutal. Opening the front door in the morning is like walking out into an oven – an oven fueled by lava at the center of the earth.
We humans have developed coping skills for this brutal heat: air conditioning, refrigeration, and of course, nude beaches. But quail can’t take their feathers off or turn on a fan, so how do we help them regulate their body temperature?
Two methods my quail love are ice blocks and diatomaceous earth. Ice is pretty self-explanatory: setting out ice for the birds gives them a cool option for drinking water and gives them something cold to rub up against.
Diatomaceous earth is so called because it contains teensy ground particles of diatoms, which are microalgae found in various bodies of water throughout the world. It is commonly used as a natural pest control, as the small particles help kill fleshy bugs. It can be obtained in food grade quality and many humans take it as a supplement.
Quail love to take dust baths, and some people give them sand or dirt for this purpose – but I figure, why not help them get rid of mites and bugs while they’re rolling around? Setting out a container with diatomaceous earth for the birds to jump in helps them cool down and stay healthy. It’s a win-win!
Just remember: If you’re hot outside, so are your animals!
Quail and Cotton 