Bird netting for snake guard

Purple Rain · Wed Jul 08, 2015 4:56 pm

I had one snake last year and yesterday, my neighbor lost 3 babies and their Mom to a four black snake. We both have been using upside down 5 gallon buckets as guards and thought we had won, but Mr Snake proved us wrong. Unfortunately for him he didn't have time to digest his meal! We are now looking at adding netting! Do you have any pictures of what works best for you! Thanks

GeneP · Wed Jul 08, 2015 7:22 pm

Steve has posted photos from time to time.
http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewt ... ke+netting

Purple Rain · Wed Jul 08, 2015 7:29 pm

Thanks for the response! I wonder how he attaches the netting! Hose cramps?

bwenger · Wed Jul 08, 2015 9:41 pm

I believe some people use heavy duty electrical wire, like 6 or 8 gauge. It may even be larger than that. They twist it around the pole and then have it come out away from the pole for 5-6 inches and then have it bent in an upward direction. The bird netting then gets placed on that wiring.

Bill

Purple Rain · Thu Jul 09, 2015 7:12 pm

Thanks for the info! I wrapped all four poles with electrical wire and pointed the ends up and then added bird netting! Now I am afraid that I will wake up tomorrow AM and have 2 or 3 snakes trapped in the netting which presents another problem!!!

suem · Fri Jul 10, 2015 6:28 am

Never thought I had a snake problem. Until I was doing nest checks and one was sticking out his tongue. Got the eggs and a parent dead, trapped in doorway. Got my long grabbers (for us older folks) to get him out of gourd. Went next morning and got my netting and zip ties. Used old wire coat hangers to support netting. Using Steve's brilliance, as mentioned, rigged it up. Sunday, there was a HUGH 6 ft Rat snake trapped and hanging from the netting. Also a smaller one, maybe 2-3 ft, with swelling from ?fledging, already dead. So tangled, I could never cut him free. Tues morning, he was dead and 8 buzzards picking it apart. Follow Steve's post and you can git-r-done. I'll try to get some pics on here. Good luck!

GeneP · Fri Jul 10, 2015 8:27 am

Another option is to use a fence charger. I believe Emil uses that method on his poles. You never have to free any snakes or worry about any other ground predator.

City ordinances prohibit that method for me.

suem · Fri Jul 10, 2015 9:12 am

GeneP- I'd be afraid my dog would get shocked when he pees on the pole! LOL

Emil Pampell-Tx · Fri Jul 10, 2015 9:33 am

The dogs have an excellent memory, and will not get close to the wire but ONE time, and it does not hurt them longer than a minute or so, and they are normal in every other way. Our dog stays at least 8 ft from the electric fence.

There is a funny story. I had the fence part ways around the garden but it was about 10ft too short, so I put it up like that. One night our dog was inside the garden, and it barked, & barked, and kept barking. It must have gotten into the garden thru the opening but did not know how to go back thru that opening. My wife got up at 3 AM to see what was wrong, and the dog wanted out of the garden. She had to drag it to the opening to let it out. By the way, its her dog! Another funny thing, the electric fence was not plugged in, so it was off.

I put some wire another place where the dog was digging, but had no charger on it either. The dog quit going there, it will not get close to a wire.

suem · Fri Jul 10, 2015 11:25 am

Too funny for us humans! I grew up on farm. I cannot tell you how many times my Dad tricked, or tried, us kids with electric fences. If the pole is out from the electric source, is the power from solar? Work on metal or wood poles?

GeneP · Sat Jul 11, 2015 5:05 pm

Emil beat me to it. Even the dumbest dog would learn after one time. Heck, it would only take me one time!