I got an email from the lady who is having such a hard time with the rat snakes this year. If you have been reading my posts, you know that rat snakes have almost decimated her martin colony--she has captured 4 rat snakes at her colony site so far this season. Bet you thought it couldn't get any worse, didn't you? Well, she attached a photo of another rat snake--number 5--captured while trying to get up another pole at her colony site. As you can see in the photo, the stovepipe snake guards are pretty useless.
To me, it seems very unusual to capture this many rat snakes at a martin colony site in such a short time. You know how people from the city drive out to the country and drop off their unwanted dogs and cats? I wonder if some herpetologist is doing the same thing with rat snakes at her location? Hey, stranger things have happened, donchano?. I just hope they don't have some Burmese pythons or Anacondas they want to get rid of. I don't know about you, but I think that a nest of martins would just be an appetizer for a 21 foot python. Just a thought, that's all.
Sincerely, Bob Bozeman
Rat snake number 5
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TrkrBob1949
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Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
trucker Bob, whats your thoughts on 4" PVC pipe from the base to about 4 or 5 foot up? I have PVC pipe, but only have the netting on my T-14 wooden pole. Only snake problem I have had 1n 14 years are two that got up my T-14. the First one made it due to a couple of years ago I had no netting, the second one the netting stopped. All of my other poles have th pvc.
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The Olsons
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Bob,
Oh my, 5 snakes in about a week's time. I am sure that lady will thank you forever about recommending the bird netting to her
Your post is a good reminder to never say never.....I just wonder how many more snakes you and/or her are going to find in the netting this season.
Would this netting be able to stop a 21' python....just a thought
I am expecting to find a snake in our netting any day now; this is about the time we found one last year.
Astrid
Oh my, 5 snakes in about a week's time. I am sure that lady will thank you forever about recommending the bird netting to her
Your post is a good reminder to never say never.....I just wonder how many more snakes you and/or her are going to find in the netting this season.
Would this netting be able to stop a 21' python....just a thought
I am expecting to find a snake in our netting any day now; this is about the time we found one last year.
Astrid
Love it or leave it~~~Astrid :-)
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TrkrBob1949
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- Location: Louisiana/Belle Bower
Mr. Moser:
Here are my thoughts on rat snake predation at a purple martin colony site. While I am not recognized as a rat snake authority by my peers, I am a truck driver, which means I am pretty hardheaded and opinionated and have an answer for every question presented to me, be it right or wrong. Plus, I do occasionally stay at a Holiday Inn...it is the Holiday Inn, isn't it?
Anyway, unless a landlord visually checks every one of his martin house nesting compartments every two or three days, how is he/she to know with any certainty that there are no snakes in any of the compartments? Even if you have snake guards on your birdhouse poles, how do you know for sure that rat snakes haven't defeated them and are hungrily dining on your martins while you are busy dreaming of a big fledgling crop in your sleep? The lady with the fifth rat snake would've had no idea that a rat snake had defeated her snake guard and gotten into her housing if it hadn't been for the bird netting.
Last year, for example, a small rat snake got past the 3/4" bird netting on one of my T-14s and was feasting on martin eggs until I saw shed snakeskin hanging out of one of the compartments. I knew that there wasn't a Great Crested flycatcher nesting in any of my housing, so I lowered the T-14 to investigate. When I opened the compartment door the little rat snake almost choked on a martin egg it was trying to swallow, it was so surprised.
So how effective is 4'' PVC pipe against rat snakes? Personally, I wouldn't trust it. But you can still use it, just install bird netting on the pole above it. If you ever capture a rat snake in the netting, you'll know that the PVC isn't very effective at stopping rat snakes. It doesn't hurt to have a backup system for rat snake prevention, considering that one rat snake can practically destroy your martin colony in one visit. After all, how may skydivers do you know that jump out of airplanes without a reserve chute?
But this is just my two cents worth and I'm sure there will be a post soon that says, "Bob the trucker, you are full of #$%@&!"
Sincerely, Bob Bozeman
Here are my thoughts on rat snake predation at a purple martin colony site. While I am not recognized as a rat snake authority by my peers, I am a truck driver, which means I am pretty hardheaded and opinionated and have an answer for every question presented to me, be it right or wrong. Plus, I do occasionally stay at a Holiday Inn...it is the Holiday Inn, isn't it?
Anyway, unless a landlord visually checks every one of his martin house nesting compartments every two or three days, how is he/she to know with any certainty that there are no snakes in any of the compartments? Even if you have snake guards on your birdhouse poles, how do you know for sure that rat snakes haven't defeated them and are hungrily dining on your martins while you are busy dreaming of a big fledgling crop in your sleep? The lady with the fifth rat snake would've had no idea that a rat snake had defeated her snake guard and gotten into her housing if it hadn't been for the bird netting.
Last year, for example, a small rat snake got past the 3/4" bird netting on one of my T-14s and was feasting on martin eggs until I saw shed snakeskin hanging out of one of the compartments. I knew that there wasn't a Great Crested flycatcher nesting in any of my housing, so I lowered the T-14 to investigate. When I opened the compartment door the little rat snake almost choked on a martin egg it was trying to swallow, it was so surprised.
So how effective is 4'' PVC pipe against rat snakes? Personally, I wouldn't trust it. But you can still use it, just install bird netting on the pole above it. If you ever capture a rat snake in the netting, you'll know that the PVC isn't very effective at stopping rat snakes. It doesn't hurt to have a backup system for rat snake prevention, considering that one rat snake can practically destroy your martin colony in one visit. After all, how may skydivers do you know that jump out of airplanes without a reserve chute?
But this is just my two cents worth and I'm sure there will be a post soon that says, "Bob the trucker, you are full of #$%@&!"
Sincerely, Bob Bozeman
Last edited by TrkrBob1949 on Sun Jun 01, 2008 3:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
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The Olsons
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Bob,
I like the comparison with the sky diver and the reserve parachute.....that says it all.
We also have the predator guards like shown in the picture, but installed some netting right underneath it. Next year I will replace those guards with PVC pipe, but only because they will make the nest checks easier, especially in an emergency. Then we will have the netting on top of the PVC pipe. I also would not trust a PVC pipe or stove top guard alone for preventing snake attacks.....I felt very lucky last year when after just having the netting up for two days a snake got caught in it.....I did not even want to think "what if".....it was a very scary thought.
Astrid
I like the comparison with the sky diver and the reserve parachute.....that says it all.
We also have the predator guards like shown in the picture, but installed some netting right underneath it. Next year I will replace those guards with PVC pipe, but only because they will make the nest checks easier, especially in an emergency. Then we will have the netting on top of the PVC pipe. I also would not trust a PVC pipe or stove top guard alone for preventing snake attacks.....I felt very lucky last year when after just having the netting up for two days a snake got caught in it.....I did not even want to think "what if".....it was a very scary thought.
Astrid
Love it or leave it~~~Astrid :-)
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TrkrBob1949
- Posts: 100
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Astrid:
I saw the picture of the rat snake caught in the netting at your colony site. From what I could tell, it seems like your birdhouse is almost surrounded by water. Since the snake in the picture didn't look like a water snake, I believe that if y'all can have rat snakes, anybody can.
On second thought, you don't reckon an angry seagull brought the snake over the water to your site for retaliation, do you? I remember in an earlier post you said that you had an ongoing feud with the gulls. Something to do with mealworms or crickets, I believe. Just a thought, that's all.
Sincerely, Bob Bozeman
I saw the picture of the rat snake caught in the netting at your colony site. From what I could tell, it seems like your birdhouse is almost surrounded by water. Since the snake in the picture didn't look like a water snake, I believe that if y'all can have rat snakes, anybody can.
On second thought, you don't reckon an angry seagull brought the snake over the water to your site for retaliation, do you? I remember in an earlier post you said that you had an ongoing feud with the gulls. Something to do with mealworms or crickets, I believe. Just a thought, that's all.
Sincerely, Bob Bozeman
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
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The Olsons
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Bob,
People alwys told me with all the water around us and houses being so close together, there is no way that we would have snakes in our area (Island). Reading about all the snake attacks last year I thought what am I loosing by putting up bird netting anyway. Nothing....I can only gain by saving my martins. As the picture proofed never trust a seagull.....The seagulls and I are not friends at all......
They could have dropped the snake and then took off laughing their tails off....., little did they know about the bird netting.
Yes, they are a pain, I cannot feed our martins unless I put some crickets into the compartments. Two weeks ago I had at least 100 SGs here raiding the food trays. I received some good information for B&Bs (Bob Buskas successfully keeps Robins out) and will get on it as soon as the martin season is over. Of course, then I might be busy with the hurricane season....I appreciate your input
Astrid
People alwys told me with all the water around us and houses being so close together, there is no way that we would have snakes in our area (Island). Reading about all the snake attacks last year I thought what am I loosing by putting up bird netting anyway. Nothing....I can only gain by saving my martins. As the picture proofed never trust a seagull.....The seagulls and I are not friends at all......
They could have dropped the snake and then took off laughing their tails off....., little did they know about the bird netting. Yes, they are a pain, I cannot feed our martins unless I put some crickets into the compartments. Two weeks ago I had at least 100 SGs here raiding the food trays. I received some good information for B&Bs (Bob Buskas successfully keeps Robins out) and will get on it as soon as the martin season is over. Of course, then I might be busy with the hurricane season....I appreciate your input
Astrid
Love it or leave it~~~Astrid :-)
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eyeamtheman
- Posts: 633
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 3:21 pm
- Location: Quitman, La
- Martin Colony History: Super colony
After meeting you..........I KNOW you're full of ^&*#@
Johnny
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The Olsons
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Johnny,
Where have you been?!?!?!?!? I missed you
Astrid
Where have you been?!?!?!?!? I missed you
Astrid
Love it or leave it~~~Astrid :-)
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TrkrBob1949
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Wed May 17, 2006 7:20 pm
- Location: Louisiana/Belle Bower
Astrid:
You didn't know? Johnny's been in jail. He got busted on Dateline.
You didn't know? Johnny's been in jail. He got busted on Dateline.
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
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Sharon - Central TX
- Posts: 696
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- Location: Central TX
- Martin Colony History: All Troyer Horizontal Gourds with Conley Entrances
PMCA Member since 2004
Well we just caught #4 rat snake tonight in netting on the wrought iron fence near one of the poles.
Why do we do this guys and gals? Do we love all this stress? There is something wrong with this picture. Can't wait for the birds to arrive and then can't wait for them to leave (LOL).
Sharon
Why do we do this guys and gals? Do we love all this stress? There is something wrong with this picture. Can't wait for the birds to arrive and then can't wait for them to leave (LOL).
Sharon
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TrkrBob1949
- Posts: 100
- Joined: Wed May 17, 2006 7:20 pm
- Location: Louisiana/Belle Bower
Sharon:
Wow, snake number 4. You are infested with snakes, too.
Why are they named rat snakes? I think Songbird snake would be more appropriate since I usually only see them around birdhouses. I live in a rural area and driving to town this afternoon two large rats ran across the road in front of my truck. On two different occasions in years past I have had infestations of rats around my home and buildings. During one infestation they were so numerous they were eating up the produce in my garden. I sat on a step ladder in my garden for an hour one day and killed four with a shotgun. Did I ever see a rat snake? Not on your life. To get rid of them I finally had to put out D-CON.
Two years ago I had another bad infestation of rats and they became so numerous that I could look out a window at almost any time during the day and see one run across the yard. Once again, in less than an hour I killed five with my shotgun. Did I see a rat snake in my hour of need? I don't think so. I did see a Red-shouldered hawk carry a couple off, though. Once again, I had to resort to D-CON to get rid of the rats.
I can't explain the sudden influx of the rats, unless they were trying to escape the hay baling going on in the pastures that border my yard, but the rat snakes never came to my rescue. Now if those would've been martins it probably would've been a different story...
Sincerely, Bob Bozeman
Wow, snake number 4. You are infested with snakes, too.
Why are they named rat snakes? I think Songbird snake would be more appropriate since I usually only see them around birdhouses. I live in a rural area and driving to town this afternoon two large rats ran across the road in front of my truck. On two different occasions in years past I have had infestations of rats around my home and buildings. During one infestation they were so numerous they were eating up the produce in my garden. I sat on a step ladder in my garden for an hour one day and killed four with a shotgun. Did I ever see a rat snake? Not on your life. To get rid of them I finally had to put out D-CON.
Two years ago I had another bad infestation of rats and they became so numerous that I could look out a window at almost any time during the day and see one run across the yard. Once again, in less than an hour I killed five with my shotgun. Did I see a rat snake in my hour of need? I don't think so. I did see a Red-shouldered hawk carry a couple off, though. Once again, I had to resort to D-CON to get rid of the rats.
I can't explain the sudden influx of the rats, unless they were trying to escape the hay baling going on in the pastures that border my yard, but the rat snakes never came to my rescue. Now if those would've been martins it probably would've been a different story...
Sincerely, Bob Bozeman
Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
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The Olsons
- Posts: 3200
- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:57 pm
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Bob,
Thank you for the update on Johnny
I wish I would have known, I could have send him a card
Astrid
Thank you for the update on Johnny
I wish I would have known, I could have send him a card Astrid
Love it or leave it~~~Astrid :-)
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abernathys
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- Location: maxwell/texas
Hello Bob and everyone---I have to agree, why call them rat snakes, when all I ever see them trying to eat is birds. Three years ago I had the stovepipe guard and the snake netting and on two different nights I caught 2 small rat snakes that had made it past the stove pipe guard and the netting and were almost into the PM compartments. After that I put 6' of 4" PVC around all my poles and haven't found any rat snakes around the PM housing.
After doing this I started putting the netting around the trunks of all my trees that had bird nests in them. I have caught over 19 snakes trying to climb up the trees to the other bird nests. I have been very pleased with the PVC. And just for my worrisome mind I do occasionally spray the PVC with some silicone oven spray to help keep it slick.
Good Luck with the rest of your season!!! Fledging has begun at my place, talk about stress!
Sandy
Three years ago I had the stovepipe guard and the snake netting and on two different nights I caught 2 small rat snakes that had made it past the stove pipe guard and the netting and were almost into the PM compartments. After that I put 6' of 4" PVC around all my poles and haven't found any rat snakes around the PM housing. After doing this I started putting the netting around the trunks of all my trees that had bird nests in them. I have caught over 19 snakes trying to climb up the trees to the other bird nests. I have been very pleased with the PVC. And just for my worrisome mind I do occasionally spray the PVC with some silicone oven spray to help keep it slick.
Good Luck with the rest of your season!!! Fledging has begun at my place, talk about stress!
Sandy
PM lover