Question about rat snakes and stove pipe guards

[John Miller]

I think I know the answer: add the netting. I don't use netting above PMCA hinge guards in St. Louis City as we don' t have large snakes here -- not the serpent kind anyway; they get run over.

We do have black rat snakes in the county, and I have advised volunteers to add snake netting above some hinge guards -- the Troyer larger diameter ones -- at a county colony site (Creve Coeur Park). I thought at least for May-June would be a good precaution, but maybe fretting too much.

How much risk that a large snake can get past a large diameter EZ off guard that is properly mounted with the top 4 feet high?


John Miller

[Louise Chambers]

John, that's sure a hard one to give odds on - there's a chance, period. One forum user (sorry I cannot recall who) said he put that shiny brown packing tape over the seam of the guard, and smoothed it absolutely flat, that helped eliminate the place a snake would try to climb.

For sites you cannot check frequently, the netting is good insurance - but I would hope you could ask someone there to check for snakes in the netting and to remove them promptly.

The site I can only check once a week has only stovepipes, is in more natural area with plenty of snakey habitat - I am wanting to add netting there, for insurance. Got to get okay from staff there first.

I forgot to add, we found a nice large snake (4 ft) in a gourd once at a friend's site. It had bypassed the guard, which was mounted at about head height - but the guard on that system was not as good of a design, had more features that may have helped snake up the pole. Very lucky for us, it had only raided one gourd with eggs, all others were okay. If we had not been there to check that day, it could have cleaned out many more gourds.

[tonyg]

John I'm one of those guys that waits until it happens before I will add the netting..all my racks have the bigger snake guards and I monitor mine with weekly nest checks, so that helps..but again in your case it may be wise to add them at the site if it's not checked on a regular schedule .

[Anthony Neira]

A couple of months ago, my macho neighbor was screaming about a snake in his tree, and another was yelling about getting his gun. I came over with my " Pecan Pole " & cat carrier, got the snake, released it in a revine far away. Everybody was FREAKED out how that rat snake was able to hang on with the last part of it's tail, & stretched it's body over 2 &1/2 Feet to the next tree! People do'nt see in their minds how snakes move. It's always better to be ready for a snake larger than we expect.

[taxidermy lady]

I might be thinking ahead to much. But I will be putting guard on my pole has soon as I have a pair ( only one ASY single male so far). Sure do not want to loose these guys when and if I get them. I'm thinking baffle and netting. There's critters and snakes everywhere.

[eyeamtheman]

Better use the netting. You'll be glad you did one day....unless you're just extremely lucky.

[JL Murray]

Use of an insulated baffle or guard with a fence charger hooked to it gives you the best protection IMHO.... just my 2 cents....

[taxidermy lady]

JL do you insulate the baffle yourself or buy it insulated? I have an electric fencer box in my green house. We use to use it for sweet corn to keep the racoons out. I would have to read up on how it is done! I think if a landlord can do this it should be done that way

[starling shooter]

Just caught my first of the year....only had a starling nest with young in the gourd rack...SREH but one has been breached.

I did not even have it 'officially up'...just hanging down from last year.

They are AMAZING climbers. I put nothing past them. I've caught over 20 in 8 yrs. I've helped 5 other people catch probably 15....one lady caught 3!!! on the same day at the same time!

I don't trust baffles, PVC, etc. They find a way from what I've seen.

[DAVE]

One of my friends in Texas had a Snake clean out 12 Gourds. He always checked them every evening. That was 5 years ago, the Martins left and have never returned. His site was 15 years old at the time. So if you even have a few snakes around it can be catastrophic.
Dave

[JL Murray]

JL do you insulate the baffle yourself or buy it insulated? I have an electric fencer box in my green house. We use to use it for sweet corn to keep the racoons out. I would have to read up on how it is done! I think if a landlord can do this it should be done that way

Sorry to be so late seeing your post i dont get on here that often in the summer... But in answer to your question i bought it insulated, CUE made the insulated ez off guards before they sold their business.... I dont know of anyone that sells the insulated guards now though...

[Craig Dyer]

I can only speak to my experience. My former home & martin colony was adjacent to the Fort Worth Trinity River bottoms. Rat snakes were abundant. I used to see them in my yard even during the daytime. Their shed skins were everywhere and also evidence of their presence. I used the PMCA hinge guards (as you call them) on both housing poles. Not once in seven years did a rat snake manage to get past the PMCA guards. I am sold on their effectiveness. Maybe I was just lucky.

[John Miller]

Craig

That sounds encouraging. Probably better safe than sorry and I likely will continue using some netting at some locations. I prefer it "above" the guards as a "backup," -- just in case -- and hope to never catch a snake.

John

[Craig Dyer]

John,
I should also probably use netting as a back-up. I don't care for the appearance. It looks unkempt/messy. I have a soft spot for snakes. They have an important role to play in the ecosystem and are often maligned & victimized by irrational fear and ignorance.