This is why I swear by netting!

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marshainpuntagorda
Posts: 177
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2004 7:58 pm
Location: Punta Gorda/Florida

what a surprise when we found this snake in our netting; there wasn't any sign of one the night before...we haven't had snakes caught in the netting in a couple of years...have had 88 eggs, 58 hatched and 45 fledge so far...still counting! Please use bird netting, pole guards and owl/hawk guards...it could be the difference between success or site failure and possible loss of Martins returning...Marsha
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Snake in bird netting below pole guard
Snake in bird netting below pole guard
snake2.jpg (97.7 KiB) Viewed 4276 times
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DebA
Posts: 1941
Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 7:43 am
Location: Pratt County/Kansas
Martin Colony History: Start 2009 with one pair. Upgraded from S&K houses to two Trendsetter 12's with gourds beneath in 2013. I have experienced job, pet, and parental losses since '13. The Purple Martins lift my spirits and remind me how life continues forward by flying their little selves from Brazil back to my yard. As one forum person once told me, chin up DebA, look at the martins. Danger all around but yet they soar in the sky without a care in the world.

Am I blind or just clueless? :)

I cannot see the snake. I even got my "just started to use on occasion cheater glasses" on. Is it wrapped up somewhere in the netting? I'll take your word for it...don't mind not seeing it because snakes creep me out.

Deb
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Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
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marshainpuntagorda
Posts: 177
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2004 7:58 pm
Location: Punta Gorda/Florida

Deb, left side of pole hanging from the netting vertically, skinny thing, orange ,brown, think a rat or corn snake, I know about cheater glasses, LOL
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Emil Pampell-Tx
Posts: 6743
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas

Snakes often go into the netting, but after going about 6inches, they cannot go any further. Just look below the netting, and you will see most of the snake, very little is in the netting, most will be hanging down. The snake looks dead in this case, but it may be alive.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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marshainpuntagorda
Posts: 177
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2004 7:58 pm
Location: Punta Gorda/Florida

It was dead alright! about 5" more were inside, it was on its way to decay! M
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kmonke721
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 2:21 pm
Location: Litichfield Illinois

Hi,

This is my 3rd year of having martins. I have the snake guard, but last year I tried the netting and I had 2 babies get stuck in it that had fallen from the porches. I got one out, but the other died. I was so traumatized by it that I took the netting off right after that happened. Has anyone else had a baby fall into it or did I do something wrong. Does anyone in Illinois have snake problems? Thanks - Kim
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DebA
Posts: 1941
Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 7:43 am
Location: Pratt County/Kansas
Martin Colony History: Start 2009 with one pair. Upgraded from S&K houses to two Trendsetter 12's with gourds beneath in 2013. I have experienced job, pet, and parental losses since '13. The Purple Martins lift my spirits and remind me how life continues forward by flying their little selves from Brazil back to my yard. As one forum person once told me, chin up DebA, look at the martins. Danger all around but yet they soar in the sky without a care in the world.

Aha. I wondered if that was but then I wondered if it was some kind of wench chain or cable.

I use an electric on mine. We are on vacay and my husband just mowed for our cabin owner. We love him and would do anything to help him. I had to assure him that Mark is like Forest Gump and loves to mow that grass for free. Mark doesn't like to kill snakes but came across a Cottonmouth in a creek that is near a big cabin that families rent with kids. He bludgeoned him with a rake handle. We are in McCurtain county OK. The furthermost SE county next to Arkansas and Texas.

While I enjoyed the hot tub and then tip-toed through the woods carefully avoiding poison ivy. I would stand still and bird watch. Good times.
PMCA MEMBER
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR
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DornCounty
Posts: 2169
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:58 pm
Location: Rural SE Kansas
Martin Colony History: .
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Trio-Jedi

kmonke721 wrote:Hi,

This is my 3rd year of having martins. I have the snake guard, but last year I tried the netting and I had 2 babies get stuck in it that had fallen from the porches. I got one out, but the other died. I was so traumatized by it that I took the netting off right after that happened. Has anyone else had a baby fall into it or did I do something wrong. Does anyone in Illinois have snake problems? Thanks - Kim
I would say if a baby falls into the netting the odds of it making it anyway were slim.
2017 - Home & Public Colonies - 300 Cavities
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Virgil McCoy
Posts: 302
Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2010 3:06 pm
Location: Louisiana/Alexandria
Martin Colony History: Purple Martin Landlord since 2006

Great pictures Marsha! I bet you do have a lot of snake issues being so close to the water.
Proud to be a fourth generation Purple Martin landlord.
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marshainpuntagorda
Posts: 177
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2004 7:58 pm
Location: Punta Gorda/Florida

I think these are corn or rat snakes...although we've spotted just a few water snakes in the water...I worry about Fisheating Crows more than any others...even hawks...Marsha 8)
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