no longer use rubber bands in Troyer Gourds

[Martin man RI]

Hi Everyone
I manage large numbers of troyer gourds and have for years one problem I am having is the rubber band inside
the troyer Horizontal gourds is rotting away. I bought a dremel 7300 tool and no longer will I have to waste money on anti
skid tape for the gourds. The dremel is small and stuby and fits perfect inside the gourds just run it back and forth and you have a nice rough surface and never have to worry again about Martins getting trapped inside the gourds and it seems a lot more natural. Cleaning in the fall will be much faster and the gourds will be a lot more clean with the bands removed.
I hope this helps landlords who are wondering what to do about there broken bands. If it has not happen yet give it a few more years once the martins start to use the gourds you will see how the band weaken Cold and warm temps help weaken the rubber and crack it too.

Ray

[Dave Duit]

Hi Ray,
this is a good idea as long as the dremel scuffs up the tunnel enough for traction. I replace the rubber strips as soon as I notice any wear. As with all designs there is alway regular maintenance that landlords should pay close attention. Thank you for this heads up on traction rubber strips.

[Dave Reynolds]

Ray --- How old are your Troyer gourds ? I just got four new Troyer Horizontal gourds and I didn't see any rubber bands in the tunnels. May be I missed them. I did see the traction tape, which was held down with plastic push pins. Just wondering

Dave

[belpre gary]

Dave , I think he is talking about the traction strip and not an normal rubber band !

[Dave Reynolds]

Dave , I think he is talking about the traction strip and not an normal rubber band !

Thanks Gary,,, I get some of this stuff mixed up or misunderstood from time to time..

Dave

[John Barrow]

"Rubber Mats" In gourds used 10+ years, I've replaced 1 or 2, each year, during the last 2 or 3 years in horizontal gourds.

[Martin man RI]

They are called Traction tread and they are black and plastic. The gourds were bought around 2005 and some
were outside all year so the elements took there toll. Plus others clean them and are ruff and pull them off while
cleaning. So the main reason i need to find a cheap way to replace the older tread. I have around 40 I have to use the
dremel tool with The traction tread is a temporary fix. Along with any tape used inside. If you are careful the tread will stay
on for years but for me the damage is done and i do have my work cut out for me. I have limited funds it would be easy to just
replace but i cannot do it. I manage around 146 troyer Horizontal gourds so i must find A way to repair them that is cost effective to me and friends that host the Martins There safety is my priority. And the gourds will last a life time. Only the
Horizontal gourds have this issue being deeper and longer than the vertical gourd.

[Dave Duit]

Here is a cheap, safe and effective way to replace old worn out rubber traction tread strips:
Buy a thin rubber floor mat with horizontal ridges. I'm talking about THIN rubber that is flexible. Try to buy a floor mat that matches the same thickness of the old mat. Take your old worn out tread and place it on your new floor mat. Trace the outline of the old tread onto the new mat and cut it out. Then use a sturdy paper hole punch or awl to create the holes in your new tread strip; make sure they are exactly lined up with the old tread strip. This will ensure there is no slack when placed in the tunnel. There is a small range of stretch with rubber so you can be very slightly off and still get by with good placement and alignment. Buy the exact size plastic push pins at your local hardware store as was used for he old treads. Push the pins into the new holes prior to placing the tread into the gourd tunnel. Align the push pins with the gourd holes and push through until snug. Each season look for wear and replace as needed.

[Dave Reynolds]

They are called Traction tread and they are black and plastic. The gourds were bought around 2005 and some
were outside all year so the elements took there toll. Plus others clean them and are ruff and pull them off while
cleaning. So the main reason i need to find a cheap way to replace the older tread. I have around 40 I have to use the
dremel tool with The traction tread is a temporary fix. Along with any tape used inside. If you are careful the tread will stay
on for years but for me the damage is done and i do have my work cut out for me. I have limited funds it would be easy to just
replace but i cannot do it. I manage around 146 troyer Horizontal gourds so i must find A way to repair them that is cost effective to me and friends that host the Martins There safety is my priority. And the gourds will last a life time. Only the
Horizontal gourds have this issue being deeper and longer than the vertical gourd.

Martin man —- That’s a lot of Horizontal gourds,, Do all you Horizontal have the same Entrance? Or you have a variety of Entrance..??

Dave

[Martin man RI]

They belong to golf clubs,private home owners,collage. I own 18 The first ones bought. We have large numbers of the Vertical
gourds going up yearly. I like them both. I use Conley II holes for many years no Starlings. I manage just over 300 gourds
with 85% troyer gourds 15% Crescent gourds which i hate this obsolete gourd. The martins prefer the conley hole over the crescent
I have seen this many times were the conley gourds fill first. People in New England care and they are making progress in states like New Hampshire were the Martin was very rare only a few years ago today Conley gourds are going up around south Eastern NH and the martins are slowing repopulating towns where they have not been seen in over 100 years. The martin Very
common in some towns in New England and not just along the ocean anymore they are well inland and just south of Boston.
I am all about public sites were the martins are on display that way others can see them and take and interest. It has worked for me. I never imagined the population growth so fast and so spread out i feel the Troyer gourds played a big part in the
recovery in New England. I plan to cut out the crescent gourds and replace them with conley holes. If i ever get time.
for now they work but i would prefer 100% Conley holes and i will have them some day in the Future. I work with a few others
and help people if they need advice on Martins. I probably manage the largest number of Martins in New England. And
do programs to clubs to encourage people to place homes for martins. They are doing very well in Southern New England.

[Dave Reynolds]

Martin Man ——. That’s great news to hear... I’m trying to get a colony started at my local golf course. This year I’m putting a pole up that will hold two Trio Grampa Houses with expanded rooms with Cresent entrance and going to put four Troyer Horizontal gourds under the houses with Conley11 entrances .. The Golf Course is flooded with startling.. They have two Heath houses up but I have talked the manager in letting me take them down, and expanded the rooms, plus convert the entrances to Conley11 ... I sure hope this help with the Starlings.. I may go back and change the Grampa houses entrance to Conley11 also...

Thanks for the information on the Conley11 Entrances..

Dave

[Martin man RI]

Hi David
I have used trio houses For many years I have replaced them with the gourds. I would purchase conleyII plates
and use them not crescents some of the martins have trouble getting in them in mid summer as they fatten up
I had a male for three years once the eggs hatched he would stress and panic and for some odd reason could not enter
the crescent hole. i had to remove the crescent door and replace with a round hole. The pair did excellent and fledged
there young for years. The martins will favor the gourds first and then move to the house. If you tell the club just
how uncommon Martins are in some area's and you are doing a conservation effort they may just help you out and purchase
the supplies you need. I have one Country club that paid for 48 gourds and the racks and another that paid for 36 gourds and
three racks. And another Country club that paid for 24 gourds and two racks. I like the idea of the replacement rubber floor
mat that is a good idea.

Ray

[John Miller]

Wonder if the strip is missing if one could reach in with a sharp prong of some type and with hand pressure draw some itch lines across...just don't get injured (I carry band aides in my martin tool bucket).

[Anthony Neira]

Question; I got my 12 Troyer H. Gourds in 2016 for the 2017 season, the PMs loved them ! ( as I !) I did not see any Black rubber traction strips offered until 2017, as "New". Mine all came with the Traction TAPE Already installed ( they worked great !). So I guess by this post that the Rubber Traction Strips were also available some years BEFORE 2015/'16 ? Just wondering .
P.S, So how long, on average do the "Tape" strips last ? Should I wait a couple of years before I replace them with the "New" Rubber traction ones ? Or should I just get them for Next (2019) season, since again, my Tapes still look good ? Thanks , Anthony

[belpre gary]

I have used mine two years and they still look good !

[Martin man RI]

You can use the tape for this season but after you wash them in 2018 they may weaken and rip off
I'm going to remove all the tape and plastic tread and use my Dremel tool Much easier to wash them and
nothing in the way. The tape will lift off in the hot sun too. The tape that was put in was not rough so
in the spring it will be removed i dont feel the birds will be safe if the tape is left in the gourds.
--Ray

[Anthony Neira]

Thanks Ray ! Will Do ! I'll keep a close Eye on the tapes ! , Anthony

[Dave Duit]

An important detail that needs to be said. When you pre-nest the gourds, be sure to add a good amount of soft white pine needles that will be level with the base of the entrance. But, do not over fill the gourd so as to block the entrance. The traction strips are great, but don't forget to pre-nest.