How difficult is it to keep Japanese Quail?

Beginner. This is a beginner-friendly species. No special equipment or experience is required, and it can be kept successfully with basic care setup.

What is the ideal temperature for Japanese Quail?

The ideal temperature for Japanese Quail is 15〜24℃. Avoid sudden temperature changes and maintain a stable environment.

How large does Japanese Quail get?

Japanese Quail typically reaches 20cm long (wing 9.1-10.4cm; 90-100g in the wild, 100-120g in domestic stock) as an adult. Size may vary depending on care conditions and individual genetics.

What should I feed Japanese Quail?

Japanese Quail feeds on: Quail crumbles, grain, greens, insects and a calcium source such as oyster shell. Aim for a balanced diet with appropriate feeding frequency.

What is the typical price for Japanese Quail?

The price of Japanese Quail varies significantly depending on variety, age, sex, and the individual animal's condition. Check our market price page for the latest pricing information.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Japanese Quail

Q: What is the lifespan of Japanese Quail?

The average lifespan of Japanese Quail is Three to four years in the wild and 1.2 to 1.5 years in commercial and laboratory lines, with a captive record of six years. With proper care and nutrition, they can live a long and healthy life.

Beginner

Coturnix japonica

A small phasianid about 20 cm long, said to be the smallest of the domestic fowl. The pale brown plumage is streaked, and the male has a rufous throat and breast. Domestication began in Japan and the birds are kept for eggs and meat.

Difficulty

Beginner

Temperature

15〜24℃

Lifespan

Three to four years in the wild and 1.2 to 1.5 years in commercial and laboratory lines, with a captive record of six years

Size

20cm long (wing 9.1-10.4cm; 90-100g in the wild, 100-120g in domestic stock)

Humidity

40〜60%

Diet

Quail crumbles, grain, greens, insects and a calcium source such as oyster shell

About

The Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) is a small phasianid of East Asia and the only member of its family that truly migrates. Once treated as a subspecies of the common quail Coturnix coturnix, it is now recognised as a separate species. Newly hatched chicks are hard to sex, and the sexes can be told apart by plumage from about 30 days old. Banding studies indicate that birds breeding in Hokkaido and Aomori winter on the Pacific coast of the Kanto and Tokai regions, the Kii Peninsula and Shikoku, while most of those wintering in Kyushu bred on the Korean Peninsula. Domestication began in Japan, with records of quail keeping going back 600 years. In captivity laying starts at six weeks after hatching and lifetime production reaches 342 to 384 eggs. The preferred range is 15 to 24 C; the birds tolerate heat fairly well but stand cold poorly.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Lifespan of the Japanese Quail

The Japanese Quail lives Three to four years in the wild and 1.2 to 1.5 years in commercial and laboratory lines, with a captive record of six years.

Size of the Japanese Quail

The Japanese Quail grows to 20cm long (wing 9.1-10.4cm; 90-100g in the wild, 100-120g in domestic stock).

It is 20 cm long with a wing of 9.1 to 10.4 cm; wild birds weigh 90 to 100 g and domestic stock 100 to 120 g.

Temperature & humidity for the Japanese Quail

The ideal temperature for the Japanese Quail is 15〜24℃.

Basic Info

Origin

Care Specifications

PeacefulGroupBreeding: Easy

Sources: Japanese Wikipedia - Japanese quail (length 20cm, wing length, weight, preferred range 15-24 C, laying from six weeks, lifetime production of 342-384 eggs, lifespan, 600 years of domestication, sexing at 30 days) / Wikipedia - Japanese quail (separation from the common quail, migration, 28 call types, effect of male crowing on hen maturation)

References & Sources

Edited & verified by: BreederDirect editorial team

The taxonomic, regulatory, and husbandry data on this page are compiled and verified against the authoritative primary sources below.

Primary sources

Taxonomy & Authority

Accepted name: Coturnix japonica Temminck & Schlegel, 1848

Synonyms: Coturnix vulgaris japonica, Coturnix coturnix japonica

Authority databases: GBIF

Nomenclature follows global taxonomic authority databases.

Regulations & Conservation Status

Not CITES-listedIUCN NT · Near Threatened

Domestic law: Only captive-bred domestic stock is traded. Free-living birds are covered by the Wildlife Protection Act and taking or transferring them is in principle not permitted.

Coturnix japonica appears in none of the CITES Appendices and is not designated an Invasive Alien Species in Japan. Neither the species nor any of its subspecies appears on the Ministry of the Environment's list of nationally endangered species of wild fauna and flora, which covers 45 birds. The IUCN assesses it as Near Threatened. As a native Japanese wild bird, free-living individuals are covered by the Wildlife Protection Act.

Sources: CITES Appendices (Coturnix japonica not listed; checked against the edition valid from 25 November 2023) / IUCN Red List / Ministry of the Environment, Japan - List of nationally endangered species of wild fauna and flora (the species is not listed among the birds) / Wildlife Protection, Control and Hunting Management Act (Ministry of the Environment, Japan)

Regulations may change. Always verify the latest information with the relevant authorities.