| How to Build a Quail Habitat Posted: 05 Nov 2016 05:00 PM PDT Are you looking to Build a Quail Habitat? Building a natural habitat will increase broodiness and less stress upon your quails. They will thrive better and become healthier in a habitat in which they feel safe, secure and at home. This article can also be used for building a garden that attracts wild quail. EditPlanning and Building - Think about the flock. How many quails are you keeping, what sex are they, what breed are they and are you using them for egg production? These small measures should be taken into account when building a natural habitat.
 - How many quails are you keeping? Quail feel at best and more natural when they are kept in flocks of around 10 birds. Quail don't take up much room in flocks so this could be a possible option for you.
- What sex are they? Usually there is only one male per flock – he is the one in charge. If there is more than one male there may be fighting. If you provide plenty of space and hiding spots, having more than one quail would be fine.
- What breed are they? Bobwhite, California and Gambel are all breeds that are natural. If you're going for a wild look and still haven't picked out your breeds, consider these kinds to give the natural look in your quail habitat. Though, Japanese and Button quails are more common to buy.
- Are you keeping them for egg production? If you're building a large, dense, natural habitat then it may be harder to keep these birds for egg production. It will be difficult to find the eggs, keep count of them and then collect them too. It will also be hard to promote your quails egg production.
- Keep at least 4 square foot for each bird. Although the rule of thumb is at least 1 square, if your quails have more space it will be more natural to them. The quails will appreciate the space and it will reduce stress and fighting in the flock. Extra space is also good because you can place a few props down for the quail such as logs, plants, ponds, etc.
- Providing large space for the natural habitat will give you more options and give the illusion that the habitat is more free-range and natural to the quails.
- Keep a level terrain. In the wild, quails live in level bush lands so that they can easily roam around and forage. You're welcome to keep a couple of clumps of high terrain and small hills for the quails. This will also give the habitat a more natural look.
- Secure the habitat. Build high fencing around the area and consider installing mesh at the top of the habitat to stop potential attacks from above or an access route for predators. Wiring should be installed below ground to stop predators from digging through.
- The habitat should be accessible to you for daily routines and emergencies.
- Make sure the habitat has access to plenty of sunlight. If sun cannot get through to your habitat the greenery will not grow. As much as it's good to have shade, it's good to have light too. Light also promotes egg production in quails.
- Install a watering system. If you live in a dry area or the habitat doesn't get a lot of access to water, you might want to consider a daily watering system. Watering by hand might not be enough so you may need to think about automatic sprinklers.
- Sprinklers should be set for at least every third day. They should go off in the early hours of the morning whilst keeping the quail dry in their nesting areas.
- Set up water sources. Quail need a natural spot to drink water from. Dig a small, shallow hole and fill it with tarpaulin, cover with small stones and then fill with water. It's good to add a flowing waterfall or dripper too so that the quail can hear the water and know where it's coming from.
- Avoid building a deep hole as it may be too great a risk of the quail drowning. Also, potential chicks could drown so it will affect you in the long-run if your quail do decide to breed.
- Mark out a feeding location. You should have easy access to this location as it is where you will be putting the food out day by day. The feeding location should be bare patched instead of covered with dense shrub land so that the food is visible to the quail.
- Make sure the feeding location is sheltered to prevent rain from getting to the food and causing it to become mouldy.
- Pick out your vegetation. There should be plenty of overgrown grass and dense shrub land to provide coverage for the quails so that they feel safe and secure. The plants and bushes will also be a source of nesting materials.
- Consider growing non-toxic herbs and vegetables. These can be great, organic treats for your quail to pick at once grown. Do not plant avocado, tomato or potato as these can be harmful to quail. Most other vegetables are good to go.
- Choose a few large bushes as nesting sites and coverage for the quail. Weeds are also great to have in the garden along with a few non-toxic plants. Choose a berry bush too as this is a favourite treat for quails to forage.
- Plant large, dense vegetation at the edge of the barriers. This will give others and the quails the illusion that there are no fencing and just dense bushland instead.
- Provide nesting material. The nesting material should be a pile close to the picked out nesting site. The pile should consist of twigs, hay, straw, grass, feathers, leaf litter and the such.
- Set up a nesting area. Quails are birds that love to nest. Provide them the shelter of a large and dense bush, clean the nesting ground and provide a pile of nesting material close by.
- Keep the habitat inviting to bugs. Wild quail diet on insects so be sure that you have thought through some places bugs can live. Bugs like to live under bricks, rocks and especially logs. Provide damp, shady areas which bugs tend to love most.
- Decide on your quails diet. Quail in the wild live on a diet consisting of seeds, insects and berries. Purchase a bird mix that contains at least 20% of protein and mix it up with some berries and dried insects (such as mealworms). Gamebird feed and turkey mix is a great feed to provide your quail since they contain above 20% protein content.
- Supplement with treats such as fruit and vegetables and provide a source of calcium. Calcium builds strong eggs. If you think your quails aren't getting enough protein, add some protein powder which can be purchased from feed stores.
EditMaintaining the Habitat - Provide food for the quail. Quail should be provided with food at least every three days depending on how much feed you give them and how long it lasts. Place their food in the feeding area you marked prior.
- Quails live on a diet of seeds, insects and berries. Make a feed consisting of these three items and it will make a suitable meal. Their diet must contain a lot of protein so try adding a protein powder to their feed which can be bought at a feed store. You can also mix in some gamebird/turkey mix to their feed.
- Keep constant, clean water around. The water sources should be healthy for the quails so that they aren't prone to illnesses. You might want to change the water weekly or more depending on how dirty it gets.
- Water the greenery. Every plant needs watering daily. Set up a routine to water in the early hours of the morning, before you set the feed out. The quails nesting area should be kept dry.
- Secure the habitat at night. The habitat will need to be locked up every night to stop predators from coming through.
- Perform weekly security checks. This is to check up on whether there are any potential predators snooping around the area or any signs of escape routes. Check around the fencing and whether the wood is holding up. You might want to check for signs of predators inside the habitat too.
- Keep count of your quail. You may want to do an overall count of your quail daily, weekly or monthly. This is so you know that they're all there and that the quail are living healthy lives in the habitat.
- Do not disturb your quail. A natural habitat does not have humans constantly running through. This will make your quail less secure or at home. Only go into the habitat if you need to.
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| How to Curl Hair With Toilet Paper Posted: 05 Nov 2016 09:00 AM PDT Curling your hair with a curling iron can be time consuming and damaging, as the heat of the curling iron can be harsh on your hair. You can avoid heat damage and save time by using toilet paper to curl your hair. This method will allow you to put the toilet paper in your hair and leave it in overnight, creating beautiful, full curls in the morning. You will need to first gather the necessary materials and then take the proper steps to curl your hair with this easy, full proof method. EditGathering the Necessary Materials - Get a roll of toilet paper. You will need a standard roll of toilet paper, preferably toilet paper that is thick and durable. A thicker, more durable toilet paper will make it easier to curl and tie the toilet paper into your hair without the risk of tearing or ripping of the toilet paper.[1]
- You can also use paper towels or paper napkins if you do not have access to toilet paper. You will need to tear the paper towels or napkins into thin strips, about as wide as a piece of toilet paper. This will make it much easier to curl and tie the towels or napkins into your hair.
- Have a comb handy. You should also have a comb with a long handle close by, as you can use the comb to help you part and separate your hair into sections. Parting your hair into even sections will make it easier to curl and tie your hair with the toilet paper.[2]
- If you do not have access to a comb with a long thin handle, you can use a chopstick or the tip side of a paintbrush to part and section off your hair. Make sure you do not scrap the chopstick or the paintbrush against your scalp as you do not want to damage your scalp when you are parting your hair.
- Prepare a spray bottle of water. You should have a spray bottle of water prepared so you can dampen your hair before you curl it with the toilet paper. Having hair that is damp, but not soaking wet, will allow your hair to hold the curls more effectively.[3]
- You may not need a spray bottle of water if you plan on curling your hair once you have dried your hair so it is damp but not soaking wet. This item is only necessary if your hair is dry and needs to be dampened.
- Get hairspray. You may also want to have hairspray close by so you can apply it once you have curled your hair with the toilet paper. This will help to keep the curls in place and ensure they look good for a day or several days.[4]
- You should look for hairspray that has good holding power. You may want to test the hairspray on a piece of hair to ensure it does not get crunchy or greasy when it dries.
EditCurling Your Hair - Tear the toilet paper into strips. Start by holding three squares of toilet paper and tearing them off the roll. Tear off as many strips of toilet paper, three squares each, as you need to curl your entire head. You may decide to tear the strips off as you go so you have enough toilet paper to curl all of your hair.[5][6]
- If you are using paper towels, you should tear it so it forms two to four equal strips that are about 2 inches wide. Then, repeat this until you have a stack of strips or tear the paper towels as you go so you have enough strips to curl all of your hair.
- Fold the toilet paper. Once you have the strips of toilet paper, you should fold them once length wise. This will create curls that are of an average size. This will also make the toilet paper stay in your hair more effectively and prevent you from tearing the toilet paper too much when you put it in your hair.[7][8]
- If you want to create wider curls, you should fold the strips once lengthwise and then fold them in half lengthwise again. This will create strips that are a little thicker, leading to thicker curls.
- Take a section of hair. You may want to gather most of your hair, except for the bottom layer, and clip it to the side so you can focus on one section at a time. Then, use the comb or chopstick to separate a 1-2 inch section of hair.[9][10]
- If your hair is thick, you may use 1 inch sections so the toilet paper stays in place more effectively.
- Once you have a section of hair, spritz it with water using the spray bottle. You just want it to be a little damp so it will hold the curl.
- Wrap the hair around the toilet paper. Starting at the bottom of your hair, place the toilet paper strip on your hair and slowly roll your hair over the toilet paper. Continue wrapping your hair around the toilet paper strip until you reach your scalp.[11][12]
- If you only want curls at the bottom area of your hair, you may stop wrapping your hair midway up your hair. If you want full curls from the top to bottom of your hair, you would roll the toilet paper all the way up to your scalp.
- Tie the toilet paper so it is loose, but secure. Once you have rolled your hair around the toilet paper, you will need to tie the toilet paper so your hair is secure. Take either ends of the toilet paper strip and loop them together so they form a loose knot. Try not to tie the strip too tight around your hair as this may cause the strip to tear or rip.[13][14]
- Tie the toilet paper more than once if you have enough paper to do so, but make sure the knot is still a little loose. The hair should hang down in a loose but secure roll.
- Repeat these steps for the other sections of your hair. You can then repeat these same steps for the remaining sections of your hair, wrapping and tying the toilet paper strips into your hair in 1-2 inch sections. Make sure you tie the toilet paper strips so they are secure but not too tight.[15][16]
- If any of the toilet paper strips tear or rip while you are tying them, unroll your hair from the toilet paper and roll it again with a fresh strip. Try not to tug or pull too hard on the toilet paper as this could cause it to rip or tear.
- Leave the toilet paper in overnight. You should let your curled hair stay in overnight so the curls can set. You may need to sleep on your back so the side sections of your hair do not get messed up. You can also try sleeping on one side, carefully pushing the toilet paper rolls away from your face.[17][18]
- If you are in a rush, you can also use a blow dryer to set the curls. You may need to blow dry your hair for 10 to 20 minutes, moving the dryer around your head, to make sure the curls stay in.
- Remove the toilet paper in the morning and apply hairspray. In the morning, you can remove the toilet paper by gently untying them or by ripping them out with a few gentle tears. You should then have large curls that you can separate carefully with your fingers. Try not to touch your curls too much as this can create frizz.[19][20]
- You can set your curls by spritzing them with hairspray so they stay in place all day. You may also add hair accessories like decorative bobby pins, a paper flower, or a headband to give your curls a little something extra.
EditThings You'll Need - A roll of toilet paper
- A comb
- A spray bottle of water
- Hairspray
EditSources and Citations
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| How to Detect Drug Use Posted: 05 Nov 2016 01:00 AM PDT Excessive drug use is a destructive, life-threatening habit that affects the emotional and physical well-being of the user. Perhaps you worry that your child uses drugs and are concerned you won't know how to detect drug use. Or maybe you think your spouse or significant other might be involved in drug use. Even at work, you might suspect an employee or coworker is using drugs. Regardless of whom the person is and what his or her relationship is to you, it's important to understand how to detect drug use so you can get help for your child, loved one, or business associate. EditObserving Physical Signs - Examine an individual's physical appearance. A lack of interest in clothing, grooming, and personal hygiene may be a sign they have a drug problem. This is especially true if the person once took pride in their looks and public presentation.[1]
- Pay special attention to stains on clothing that appear to be caused by vomit, urine, blood, or burns.
- Look carefully at an individual's eyes. They will often appear different if someone is intoxicated. Red, bloodshot, glassy, and unfocused eyes are all potential signs of drug use. Specific drugs change a person's eyes in the following ways:
- Alcohol can make eyes appear glassy and unfocused.
- Marijuana leads to bloodshot and red eyes.
- LSD, ecstasy, cocaine, amphetamines, and methamphetamines cause the pupils to dilate (grow larger).
- Opiates such as heroin and narcotic painkillers cause the pupils to constrict (shrink). [2]
- Notice how an individual smells. Strange or unpleasant odors may be a sign that they are using drugs. Alcohol and drugs can sometimes be detected on a person's breath, clothing, and even skin. Odors connected to poor hygiene can also be a sign of drug use.
- Alcohol lingers on a person's breath long after their last drink, and can even seep out of their pores the next day.
- Marijuana odors can seep into clothing and fabrics. Roaches or half-finished joints generate an especially powerful smoky smell.
- Methamphetamines can cause chronic bad breath. Meth labs often smell like sulfur, rotten eggs, and powerful cleaning chemicals.
- When smoked, crack has the smell of burning rubber or plastic.
- Many stimulants and opiates don't have strong odors. However, cocaine smells faintly of gasoline or ether, and heroin smells like vinegar. [3]
- Note any sinus changes. Unusual or excessive sniffles or frequent nosebleeds could mean that an individual is snorting drugs. Cocaine, heroin, meth, ecstasy (when crushed), and many other drugs can be snorted up the nose. By snorting drugs, they enter the bloodstream through sensitive nasal membranes, which respond by producing excess protective mucous and sometimes bleed. [4]
- Watch for needle (track) marks on an individual's body, particularly their arms. Also look for bruising that could demonstrate the injection of drugs such as heroin, cocaine, or meth. Injecting drugs is very dangerous because unclean needles carry a risk of infection and transmit diseases including HIV-AIDS.
- Repeated injections cause increasingly pronounced marks and scars on the body.
- The more an individual injects drugs, the more they must find new places to insert needles, as the previous injection areas suffer vein collapse and scarring.
- Someone who covers their skin with excess clothing may be attempting to hide ulcerations, abscesses, infections, scabs, and skin damage. [5]
- Look for unusual body issues. If someone is shivering when it is warm, sweating when it is cool, or shaking uncontrollably, they may be experiencing withdrawal symptoms. If addicted to drugs, withdrawal symptoms can start in a matter of hours after they last took the drug.
- Other signs of withdrawal include watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, headache, heart palpitations, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. [6]
EditDetecting Emotional, Behavioral, and Social Signs - Watch for decreases in attention-span, memory, motivation, and/or concentration. Declining performance in school or work is often connected to drug use. Drugs not only decrease mental capacity, they increasingly dominate a user's thought process. Instead of focusing on issues related to education or employment, a drug user may be constantly thinking about becoming intoxicated, and how to obtain more drugs. [7]
- Note drastic changes in sleeping patterns and energy levels. Both insomnia and unusual sleepiness may indicate drug use. Does the individual sometimes seem strangely lethargic and tired? Do they suddenly crash and sleep for long periods of time? Alternately, do they have giddy or manic energy even without sleeping? See-sawing between high and low energy, between periods of excessive and insufficient sleep, should raise the alarm.
- Opiate users may exhibit a euphoric wave of energy and then abruptly fall asleep, even while sitting upright.
- Alcoholics might be full of energy at night and then sleep well into the morning, exhibiting an aversion to light and sound.
- An LSD high can last for up to 12 hours, during which time an individual cannot sleep. But following the high, a user may "crash" and sleep for an entire day.[8]
- For more information on the relationship between sleep and drugs, see: http://www.drugs.com/medical_encyclopedia.html
- Notice changes in an individual's values and morals. Have they started doing things they previously considered immoral? Have they been lying and skipping school or work? Are they asking to borrow unusual amounts of money? Have property, valuables, and money gone missing? Are they taking risks that put themselves and others in harm's way? Answering yes to any of these questions may indicate problematic drug use. [9]
- Reflect on changes to an individual's social life. Have they become more reclusive, avoiding family and long-time friends? Are they more irritable and distant with loved ones? Has the individual started hanging out with mysterious new friends that they refuse to introduce? Are they taking suspicious phone calls, or constantly texting unknown people? If so, the individual may be using drugs. [10]
- Check for the presence of suspicious items. Consider looking through the individual's dresser, desk drawers, or clothing pockets. Suspicious items may include eye drops, mouthwash, "baggies," cigarette rolling papers, cotton swabs, roach clips, pipes, bongs, needles, pill bottles, incense, or room deodorizers. While some of these are common personal hygiene items, they could also indicate a drug use problem.
- Be very careful when infringing on an individual's privacy. You may anger them greatly and you will be very embarrassed if you are mistaken about their drug use.
- Only look through someone's personal things if you deeply concerned about their wellbeing and willing to face the consequences of doing so.
EditUsing Drug Testing - Buy a drug detection test when all signs point to drug use, or if you just can't tell but need your suspicions satisfied. These are readily available at drug stores and online. One website with an extensive inventory of drug detection devices is http://www.origindiagnostics.com/. [11] Do not feel you must purchase devices from this site; it simply provides an overview of what is available on the market.
- Administer the test without prior warning for the most accurate results. Giving an individual warning beforehand could allow them time to alter the test results by staying clean for a period of time, or even by securing clean urine or blood to substitute for their own.
- Notify the individual of the drug test results to arrange any necessary follow-up testing, drug treatment, counseling, or even job termination.
- Never force someone to take a drug test against their will. Doing so is ethically wrong, and there could be legal repercussions.
- Remember that drug tests are not 100% accurate. For example, if you were to terminate an individual's employment on the basis of a single drug test, legal action could result.
- If your loved one starts showing signs of excessive drug use but you've ruled out the use of illegal drugs, consider misuse of prescription drugs. Monitor the person's use of these medications as prescription drugs can be just as hazardous as illegal drugs if used improperly or excessively.
- Proceed with caution when discussing drug use, being careful not to accuse or judge the person you suspect of drug use. You don't want to alienate the person or cause him or her to withdraw from you.
EditRelated wikiHows EditSources and Citations
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