Food in the enclosure 24/7?

[u/hotbreadsticks]

Hello everyone!

I was wondering if its better to take out the food during night or to just leave it 24/7. I've been reading mixed things online but was curious to what everyone here does.

I currently have hardware cloth all over and under my enclosure, but it is on the ground.

[u/DangerNyoom]

I leave it in all the time. Mine eat crumbles and I don't get rodents or anything. I've noticed that if one of my quails gets hungry, it starts attacking the other quails. 24/7 food prevents this.

[u/Salty-Ad-198]

I leave it all the time. As a matter of fact, I got bigger buckets so I can leave more in there at a time.

[u/Overall_Jeweler_4016]

I leave it all the time

[u/guiltysuperbrain]

yes, quails need to have constant access to food and water, everything else is abuse 

[u/Shienvien]

Just leave it 24/7. My quail definitely eat very early in the morning, and sometimes at night, too, if the moon is out.

Enclosure should be 100% mouse-proof, anyway, and they're just as likely to go straight for the quail.

[u/Present-Wolverine-94]

I leave it in. My enclosure is up off the ground about 3 ft.

[u/boyengabird]

If you have a crappy feeder that wastes feed, the roaches and mice will find it sooner or later. If you have a solid feeder, you could leave it in 24/7, no problem. All depends on the feeder.

[u/guiltysuperbrain → u/boyengabird]

if you get mice in your enclosure, your enclosure is not predator proof and you need to fix that. Mice can kill quails