Trio Question

Wetterdale · Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:09 pm

i found a used Trio MSS12. The current model is an MSS12R. I want to buy the crescent doors and also convert to 6 cavities. Both can be done with MSS12R. Does anybody know what changed when they added the R?

Matt F. · Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:22 pm

Hi Dale,
You're in great shape.
The only differences between the MSS-12 and MSS-12R are the porch railings, and the expansion holes pre-punched in the room dividers (even the regular MSS-12 models had pre-puncnhed dividers in recent years, prior to the release of the "R" model.)
The new "R" model uses the single railing (like seen on the M-12K houses), and not the not the signature, triple-spaghetti rails like those on the non "R" models.
The the replacement doors are all the exact same.
If you have an older MSS-12 though, you will have to cut your own holes in the room dividers.

Anthony Neira · Sun Apr 19, 2015 11:08 pm

Hey Matt, I haven't seen the MSS-12R in person, are the pre-punch holes offered on ALL the walls, I mean, do they give you the OPTION/CHOICE let's say, on the outer rooms to either go straight, or make a left, or right ? Please excuse my ignorance, I Still want to be the LAST Person to buy a Flat Screen TV! My old 32" is still Hanging In There ! ( I secretly Can't wait to give it a proper GoodBye !

)

DornCounty · Mon Apr 20, 2015 9:00 am

Anthony Neira wrote:Hey Matt, I haven't seen the MSS-12R in person, are the pre-punch holes offered on ALL the walls, I mean, do they give you the OPTION/CHOICE let's say, on the outer rooms to either go straight, or make a left, or right ? Please excuse my ignorance, I Still want to be the LAST Person to buy a Flat Screen TV! My old 32" is still Hanging In There ! ( I secretly Can't wait to give it a proper GoodBye ! )

No.. you only get the classic configuration. Also I would go with excluder doors from PMCA before I went with crescents.

Matt F. · Mon Apr 20, 2015 9:04 am

Great question Anthony.
To go with what Andrew said, on the MSS-12 "spaghetti" units that were made within the past approx 5 years, and all of the MSS-12R units, see the Nature House photo below showing the divider hole configuration.
I've added arrows (in "Trio green"

) that show the holes in the side dividers.

Anthony Neira · Mon Apr 20, 2015 9:43 am

Thanks Andrew, thanks Matt ( Yes! T. Green

) kinda funny how company's try to use existing products ( Door Plugs) instead of making a little larger new ones!
I got tired of seeing my PMs "Twerking" getting thru the Excluder doors I use so I "Tweaked" the opening VERY, Very little. I kept the height in the Center, but put (sanded) a tiny Curve up on the straight lines going from the center out to the ends. I also sanded the Pips (spikes) down about 1/8", but kept the same shape, in doing so, the lower center openings SIDEs were widen 1/16" each, giving the PMs A LITTLE more room to enter BUT STILL Keeping Starlings out ! You can't tell by looking at them except for the slight Curved arches instead of straight lines. This works great, I see my PMs squeeze in with ease instead of "Shaking It " to enter & exit. If anyone doesn't have this situation, Than I Have Fat Martins !

Wetterdale · Mon Apr 20, 2015 8:02 pm

Thanks Matt. That was helpful.

taxidermy lady · Mon Apr 20, 2015 8:12 pm

So is the excluder better for starling control? My trio has crescent, they came with the house. Thanks!
Just read an old post about this and I will keep mine as is for now. When I get a pair I will raise porch or get excluder's. Thanks again!

Anthony Neira · Mon Apr 20, 2015 9:47 pm

Hey Sharon, I 've seen Starlings Try to figure out my excluders, & not been able to get in , even with my slight mods to them ( But my air rifle didn't give anymore time to try!) I have ( and had before) crescents on my gourds & the Starlings don't even try ! Just some FYI, Good luck !! P.S, 3 of my PMs nest Have Eggs !!!

Craig Haddox · Mon Apr 20, 2015 10:07 pm

Starling's around here are to fat to enter the crescent's on my trio's. They go for the nest box trap with the big 2 in. hole they can fit their fat @#$ threw

Was catching 2 a day for a while. At least 50 sparrow's with the spare-o-door and repeating ground trap.

Anthony Neira · Mon Apr 20, 2015 11:31 pm

Great Job ! Craig ! Get a couple for my birds!!

taxidermy lady · Tue Apr 21, 2015 5:04 am

Ok thanks for the info! Hopefully I have fat starlings!! I usually shot them before they get settled! I need to get a spare-o trap! Days I am not here I always come home and a trash bird has got to comfortable at the site! Thanks again!
Congrats on your new eggs Anthony!

avesrun · Tue Apr 21, 2015 8:57 am

TaxL what's amazing about spar o door at my place is that the new multi-purpose pole I put up has 4 trio houses on it (plus 5 gourds) with a total of 27 cavities. I "donate" just ONE cavity to a spar o door and amazingly enough with all the other cavities available the hosp continue to find their way into the spar o door. They love the little round hole

That and the fact that each time a new male hosp arrives they have that habit of going into just about EVERY entrance on the setup and eventually he most often finds the right one with the spar o door. Good luck with Fred and sy martins!

DornCounty · Wed Apr 22, 2015 2:32 pm

avesrun wrote:TaxL what's amazing about spar o door at my place is that the new multi-purpose pole I put up has 4 trio houses on it (plus 5 gourds) with a total of 27 cavities. I "donate" just ONE cavity to a spar o door and amazingly enough with all the other cavities available the hosp continue to find their way into the spar o door. They love the little round hole That and the fact that each time a new male hosp arrives they have that habit of going into just about EVERY entrance on the setup and eventually he most often finds the right one with the spar o door. Good luck with Fred and sy martins!

I've watched them.. they scout every compartment prior to selecting what they want. Their aggressiveness is their weakness.

Anthony Neira · Wed Apr 22, 2015 2:54 pm

HOSP make Plans, and Humans laugh !

avesrun · Wed Apr 22, 2015 3:45 pm

DornCounty wrote:
avesrun wrote:TaxL what's amazing about spar o door at my place is that the new multi-purpose pole I put up has 4 trio houses on it (plus 5 gourds) with a total of 27 cavities. I "donate" just ONE cavity to a spar o door and amazingly enough with all the other cavities available the hosp continue to find their way into the spar o door. They love the little round hole That and the fact that each time a new male hosp arrives they have that habit of going into just about EVERY entrance on the setup and eventually he most often finds the right one with the spar o door. Good luck with Fred and sy martins!
I've watched them.. they scout every compartment prior to selecting what they want. Their aggressiveness is their weakness.

Dorn I'm having a brain cramp; but I'm thinking the diameter of hole in spar o door is too small to allow martins to enter; is that correct? Thanks!
TimG

Anthony Neira · Wed Apr 22, 2015 4:05 pm

TimG. You Are Correct ! Sir

DornCounty · Wed Apr 22, 2015 4:30 pm

avesrun wrote:
DornCounty wrote:
avesrun wrote:TaxL what's amazing about spar o door at my place is that the new multi-purpose pole I put up has 4 trio houses on it (plus 5 gourds) with a total of 27 cavities. I "donate" just ONE cavity to a spar o door and amazingly enough with all the other cavities available the hosp continue to find their way into the spar o door. They love the little round hole That and the fact that each time a new male hosp arrives they have that habit of going into just about EVERY entrance on the setup and eventually he most often finds the right one with the spar o door. Good luck with Fred and sy martins!
I've watched them.. they scout every compartment prior to selecting what they want. Their aggressiveness is their weakness.
Dorn I'm having a brain cramp; but I'm thinking the diameter of hole in spar o door is too small to allow martins to enter; is that correct? Thanks!
TimG

The hole will keep out martins.... but they still need to be watched as bluebirds, house finches, and other small birds will get in.

avesrun · Wed Apr 22, 2015 5:06 pm

Thanks Dorn. I'm thinking I'm going very soon going to figure out a way to mount a spar o door on my T-14 in hopes that it will be as effective as it is on the trios. Haven't even started devising a plan but pretty sure I'll need to either fasten a porch directly on the spar o door or have one below it.