totally devastated

Guest · Fri Apr 27, 2012 8:01 pm

After years of relocations and failed nesting attempts, my first successful pair with babies has been wiped out by a rat snake, that got into my T-14. I think I've read somewhere that after a snake attack, I can kiss having PM's goodbye.....is this true? I guess I will take down the T-14 and bleach it off and try to get the snake scent out. I'll put it up in storage and rehang it next year. Is there anything else I can do?

tonyg · Fri Apr 27, 2012 8:25 pm

Did the snake breach a guard or netting, or did you have one on your system? At this point, considering your location, your doing what you need to do. Sorry for the loss of your martins..happened to me 7 yrs ago..hard lesson learned as i didn't have a snake guard on my unit..

rrmartins · Fri Apr 27, 2012 8:33 pm

Tuff break, sorry for your loss. Did you have a guard on the pole?

Guest · Fri Apr 27, 2012 8:35 pm

I built my own system with 3 1/2 inch steel post and I hate to say this but no, I do not have a snake guard. Did that snake attack you had, wipe out your entire colony out? Thanks for the reply.

Emil Pampell-Tx · Fri Apr 27, 2012 8:46 pm

Birds cannot smell snakes.. you don't need to bleach the house. Now all you can do is wait for some martins to come again. It is so sad but it happens to many people, they don't use snake guards, the snake guards that they use are not good enough, they think that snakes will not come, or they try to get by without them. Hate that it happened to you, but you are not the first nor the last....Good luck and hope you get some more soon.

If you had some martins that did not get caught, they may stay and you will continue to have the reduced amount.

What happens is some martins that did not get caught at a colony, these scared martins will tell other martins not to go to your house. If the snake caught your pair (both of them), then you may attract some soon.

cary-nw-fla · Fri Apr 27, 2012 8:55 pm

Sorry for your loss James. I'm new to this. Haven't had a chance to get snake guards on my housing yet. It puzzles me when I see posts where snakes are "relacated" (when they can destroy a site for years) but starlings and sparrows are exterminated. It just takes snakes longer to possibly get back. I'm no fan of pest birds or snakes.

Guest · Fri Apr 27, 2012 8:58 pm

Thanks Mr Pampell, yes, I was a little nieve thinking a snake couldn't possibly climb a slick pole. Man, this hurts. But I've learned a good lesson.

cary-nw-fla · Fri Apr 27, 2012 8:59 pm

sorry for my spelling... that should be "relocated"

daveh · Fri Apr 27, 2012 9:35 pm

James, years ago I had a black rat snakeattack my mini castle. I was still using the small compartments and round holes and noticed something funny looking in a compartment. I'm real good at getting binoculars out every morningand checking things out at the houses. Wasn't sure but it looked like a snake skin moving real slow. Birds were not landing on the house, something was wrong and sure enough it was a snake. If I had been using the larger compartments back then, in which the nest would be in the back, he could have really donesome damage. I would not hadseen it. He only wiped out one cpmpartment out of twelve with eggs or babies. I got rid of the snake and within minutes the martins were back. I actually had another martin pair nest in that room and had babies. I did use tiny baffles back than. Don't know if they would have slowed a snake down. What I think happened was back then I got lazy and didn't mow around the houses, the weeds got tall, higher than the baffle, giving the snake an easy route around the baffle. Today I use large plastic baffles, originally 15 gal syrup containers, hinged so I can take off poles to do nest checks and lawn looks like a golf course under the houses.

I would leave your T-14 up and install guard on post. You still have time You might get lucky.

dave

Glynn B - LA · Fri Apr 27, 2012 9:53 pm

Glynn

Craig Dyer · Fri Apr 27, 2012 9:56 pm

I'm sorry that happened James. Many don't think snakes can climb poles.
They are actually excellent climbers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsOSthJO ... ture=email

DebA · Fri Apr 27, 2012 11:20 pm

Glynn B -
Way better. Thanks.

Deb

Peggy Riley · Sat Apr 28, 2012 9:44 am

Sorry for the loss. Just get your guard on and I believe you'll see more next season.

Carlton · Sat Apr 28, 2012 10:40 am

I vote to leave the house up and get a good predator guard PLUS netting on that pole.

I have several martin houses in Pompano Beach, FL and believe it or not I still have subbies arriving. My friend sends me pics of them on the houses.

Sorry that happened my friend! We all just live and learn.

Carl

willbird · Sat Apr 28, 2012 12:06 pm

cary-nw-fla wrote:Sorry for your loss James. I'm new to this. Haven't had a chance to get snake guards on my housing yet. It puzzles me when I see posts where snakes are "relacated" (when they can destroy a site for years) but starlings and sparrows are exterminated. It just takes snakes longer to possibly get back. I'm no fan of pest birds or snakes.

Well Devils advocate here, the snakes and the PM's are all native species coexisting, the Starlings and sparrows are non native invasive species, two different issues IMHO.

Bill

Glynn B - LA · Sat Apr 28, 2012 2:28 pm

Deba, you are right, it was a bit to much. I just wish people would try a little more. It really isn't that difficult.

James, I'm sorry for the loss of your only pairs young. I too would keep the house up. Subbies everywhere.

Glynn

John Miller · Sat Apr 28, 2012 5:01 pm

I am sorry for your loss.

But...if you want to come to St. Louis...Forest Park has no snakes -- at least not of the serpent kind because they get run over -- and we're up to our ears in martins and you are welcome to help with nest checks through out the park. Half serious...should have eggs by late May...nest checks mid May to late June.

John M

Peggy Riley · Sat Apr 28, 2012 5:56 pm

John, every time you mention Forest Park I get a 1964 flashback to my senior year in high school !!!! St. Elizabeth's Academy girls boarding school. We'd go to the park on Sundays and flirt with the boys!
Peggy

John Miller · Sat Apr 28, 2012 6:16 pm

Peggy

come on back then...weekends get a little congested. many wedding parties getting pictures made at the Grand Basin in front of the art museum....Limos blocking traffic. I try to mostly ride my bike weekends so I can maneuver past and around them. Kind of nice people watching though.

DebA · Sat Apr 28, 2012 6:31 pm

James,

I'm sorry that happened to you and I too went three years without any protection. I struggled to figure out what to do because my poles are right against a 4x4 post in my fence row. It sure has helped with sturdiness in our Kansas wind but a guard wouldn't work. But then the forum helped with suggestions of the electric fencer. So that's the way I've gone.

Snakes freak me out a bit and I would be sick to come upon one in my house. I'd leave your house up and hope for subbies too. Good luck as you start Plan B.

Deb

p.s.
To Glynn B - Thanks for thinking it over. My reply was harsh too. I look at someone like James who has only posted 17 times and he reached out for some compassion knowing that a guard would have likely prevented his outcome. I feel we can all argue or express opinions without kicking someone when they are down.