I had a chicken snake get into my purple martin house last night and kill the papa bird. Then he ate one of the babies and moved to another cavity that was empty to take a nap. I noticed that there was a problem going on and went to check and discovered what had happened. There are still 3 babies alive and well in the cavity. Now the mama bird does not want to enter the cavity. She will only peak in, but not go in. She is afraid.
I am concerned that if the babies are not fed that they will die. These babies are probably 10 days from fledging and have all their feathers and tails. i have another purple martin hose in my yard with 6 babies. How would moving the 3 babies from the effected cavity over to the other house with the other babies be taken by the other parents? Would this work and would they be adopted by the new parents?
Chicken Snake Kills Papa Bird and eats a baby Bird
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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
I would think that if the babies are alive that she will take care of them eventually. They are old enough to make noise and such..
2017 - Home & Public Colonies - 300 Cavities
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Mitch Booth
- Posts: 480
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:23 am
- Location: Akron, OH
- Martin Colony History: 2012 - 0
2013 - 1 pair, 4 eggs, 2 fledged
2014 - 0
2015 - 1 pair, 5 died during week of rain
2016 - 0
2017 - 1 pair, 4 eggs, 4 fledged
2018 - 4 pair, 19 eggs, 19 fledged
2019 - 7 pair
2020 - 17 pair
Litedave,
Just curious if the snake made it past any type of predator guard? I currently use a 2 foot long, 8 inch diameter stove pipe with the top being 4 feet above the ground. I'm not 100% sure if this is adequate or not...? I have it mounted so nothing can pass under it and it wobbles if you were to lean against it.
Mitch
Just curious if the snake made it past any type of predator guard? I currently use a 2 foot long, 8 inch diameter stove pipe with the top being 4 feet above the ground. I'm not 100% sure if this is adequate or not...? I have it mounted so nothing can pass under it and it wobbles if you were to lean against it.
Mitch
2020 - 17 pair 77 eggs 69 fledged
2019 - 7 pair
2018 - 4 pair 19 eggs, 19 fledged
2017 - 1 pair 4 eggs, 4 fledged
2016 - 0 only visits
2015 - 1 pair 5 eggs, 5 hatched, 5 dead on days 6-7
2014 - 0 only visits
2013 - 1 pair 3 eggs, 2 hatched, 2 fledged
2012 - 0
2019 - 7 pair
2018 - 4 pair 19 eggs, 19 fledged
2017 - 1 pair 4 eggs, 4 fledged
2016 - 0 only visits
2015 - 1 pair 5 eggs, 5 hatched, 5 dead on days 6-7
2014 - 0 only visits
2013 - 1 pair 3 eggs, 2 hatched, 2 fledged
2012 - 0
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KathyF
- Posts: 3522
- Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 1:57 pm
- Location: Missouri/Licking
- Martin Colony History: Colony started - 2007 with one pair
As of 2018 - 84 cavities offered, max # of pairs hosted - 82.
Good grief - that's awful.
If you move the babies, they need to be of the same age of the nestlings you move them to. Of course the momma is afraid to enter. I would leave them be and just monitor.
If she doesn't enter in the next 24 hours, then take action and move them. Have you added a predator guard to prevent any other snakes from climbing the pole?
If you move the babies, they need to be of the same age of the nestlings you move them to. Of course the momma is afraid to enter. I would leave them be and just monitor.
If she doesn't enter in the next 24 hours, then take action and move them. Have you added a predator guard to prevent any other snakes from climbing the pole?
"Sometimes", said Pooh, "the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
Good decision with the bird netting. I average 4 chicken snakes per year caught in the bird netting on 3 poles. My experience has been that the PVC pipe witl not slow the snake down at all. One of my poles has a pvc pipe and last year the snake penetrated two layers of fluffed out bird netting and got caught on the way down. He had two babies inside him. By two layers I mean installed above and below the pvc pipe. No snakes yet this year but I am waiting. Good Luck
PMCA Member
I got home today from work and observed that the Mama bird started feeding and attending to her young once again. She is completely entering the cavity with her body. Poor thing is now a widow and has to do it all alone. She also has a ASY male following her around and bugging her. So, hopefully she will have a successful fledge this year.
I knew that years ago I should have installed a snake catcher. That would probably have saved me a lot of stress.
I just need some easy to follow instructions on how to put together an effective snake guard. The ones I have placed for now are temps,but they would do the job, maybe.
I knew that years ago I should have installed a snake catcher. That would probably have saved me a lot of stress.
I just need some easy to follow instructions on how to put together an effective snake guard. The ones I have placed for now are temps,but they would do the job, maybe.
A Dead Hosp Is A Good Hosp.
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Mitch Booth
- Posts: 480
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:23 am
- Location: Akron, OH
- Martin Colony History: 2012 - 0
2013 - 1 pair, 4 eggs, 2 fledged
2014 - 0
2015 - 1 pair, 5 died during week of rain
2016 - 0
2017 - 1 pair, 4 eggs, 4 fledged
2018 - 4 pair, 19 eggs, 19 fledged
2019 - 7 pair
2020 - 17 pair
William,
What diameter pvc pipe are you using? Do have it mounted so it wobbles in all directions?
Mitch
What diameter pvc pipe are you using? Do have it mounted so it wobbles in all directions?
Mitch
2020 - 17 pair 77 eggs 69 fledged
2019 - 7 pair
2018 - 4 pair 19 eggs, 19 fledged
2017 - 1 pair 4 eggs, 4 fledged
2016 - 0 only visits
2015 - 1 pair 5 eggs, 5 hatched, 5 dead on days 6-7
2014 - 0 only visits
2013 - 1 pair 3 eggs, 2 hatched, 2 fledged
2012 - 0
2019 - 7 pair
2018 - 4 pair 19 eggs, 19 fledged
2017 - 1 pair 4 eggs, 4 fledged
2016 - 0 only visits
2015 - 1 pair 5 eggs, 5 hatched, 5 dead on days 6-7
2014 - 0 only visits
2013 - 1 pair 3 eggs, 2 hatched, 2 fledged
2012 - 0
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Craig Haddox
- Posts: 444
- Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2004 5:13 pm
- Location: Missouri Washington
Mitch, I use 6in. diameter PVC 4 ft. length. Been using it ten years no problem.
After posting my previous post early this morning, found first chicken snake of the season caught in bird netting. The bird netting is attached at the top of a 4 foot section of 6 inch PVC. The snake went up the pvc and got caught in the layered netting that hung down about 4 inches over the pvc. I am expecting to get several more in the coming weeks due to the large amount of babies currently in the housing. I average 4 sometimes 5 per year being caught.
PMCA Member
If your stovepipe predator guard has a seam on it, then the snakes will use that crease to hold on, and breach the guard. You can run a strip of plastic package sealing tape over the seam, and then the snakes cannot cling to it. Do not press the tape down around the screw heads or it can create another possible way for the snakes to hold on to the heads. Leave the tape elevated around the screw heads.
Gary
Gary