Babies, and a SNAKE!

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Purplemartinfan6
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2021 8:42 am
Location: Bell county Texas
Martin Colony History: 2021--12 pairs a mix of ASY and SY, 32 fledged!

I have good news, babies have hatched at my colony! They are now 12-14 days old, and some just hatched and there are eggs still. also I was going to start a nest check, and a 4-foot long rat snake was near the fence where the pole is! I did not see it at first, so me and my mom screamed, then we gently got it and released it a while away. I hope it never comes back!
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SNAKE!
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Babies aged 12 days
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babies aged 12 days
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Babies aged 14 days
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hatching day babies
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Hatching day babies, so cute!
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C.C.Martins
Posts: 3368
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
Location: Corpus Christi Tx
Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.

Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member

Wow, we found one too but not that size. Honestly that is a pretty snake, however the chicks are much better looking. If you don't have snake netting up, id suggest it.

Tom
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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Conrad Baker
Posts: 756
Joined: Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:43 pm
Location: Paulina, Louisiana

That's a big snake. He could wipe out your whole colony, and come back for seconds when the eggs hatch.
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Purplemartinfan6
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2021 8:42 am
Location: Bell county Texas
Martin Colony History: 2021--12 pairs a mix of ASY and SY, 32 fledged!

I have some snake netting, I hope that is enough to keep it away!
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C.C.Martins
Posts: 3368
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
Location: Corpus Christi Tx
Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.

Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member

Well, you never know. I was quite sure I had enough yet a foot long rat snake wiped out a nest of 6 eggs due to hatch in 4 days. It was found today by the folks out at our satellite site, coming down evidently.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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Purplemartinfan6
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2021 8:42 am
Location: Bell county Texas
Martin Colony History: 2021--12 pairs a mix of ASY and SY, 32 fledged!

I am sorry, that has to be hard. I am home most of the day, so I guess I will keep an eye out.... :shock:
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C.C.Martins
Posts: 3368
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
Location: Corpus Christi Tx
Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.

Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member

thats good, but nighttime they are more active....
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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Purplemartinfan6
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2021 8:42 am
Location: Bell county Texas
Martin Colony History: 2021--12 pairs a mix of ASY and SY, 32 fledged!

Oh, I did not know that...... I just hope for the best that the snake netting will trap it if it tries to get up the pole.
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Purplemartinfan6
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2021 8:42 am
Location: Bell county Texas
Martin Colony History: 2021--12 pairs a mix of ASY and SY, 32 fledged!

Will carpet tacks around the pole and snake netting work better? have any of you used carpet tacks to deter them?
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C.C.Martins
Posts: 3368
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
Location: Corpus Christi Tx
Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.

Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member

Well good question, I once put cactus pads around the base of one and a very good very experienced landlord said its a waste of cactus pads.

I don't know that it would be worth the effort, but you never know. Snake netting is effective along with a predator guard. Look for any gaps between the pole and netting and close those up tight. Fluff your netting up as much as you can, the snake will try to weave its way through the net and get caught. Too many twists and turns.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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Purplemartinfan6
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2021 8:42 am
Location: Bell county Texas
Martin Colony History: 2021--12 pairs a mix of ASY and SY, 32 fledged!

Thank you for the advice!
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