There is a need for netting....let there be no doubt
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PMS in Virginia
- Posts: 91
- Joined: Fri May 15, 2009 9:48 am
- Location: Virginia/ Bassett
Just to be sure I applied netting in addition to 8" sewer pipe this year to stop snakes. Now I am wondering did this culprit try going up inside the sewer pipe before trying the outside...Of course we'll never know.]
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PMS in Virginia
- Posts: 91
- Joined: Fri May 15, 2009 9:48 am
- Location: Virginia/ Bassett
Unfortunately, the photograph did not get uploaded, of the snake gripping the bottom of the pole and going up outside of the sewer pipe before getting tangled in the netting
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Sharon - Central TX
- Posts: 696
- Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2004 9:20 pm
- Location: Central TX
- Martin Colony History: All Troyer Horizontal Gourds with Conley Entrances
PMCA Member since 2004
I agree there is a definite need for netting in addition to a baffle. Years ago when we got our very first pair of martins, we thought because we had a baffle that all would be OK. Sadly a rat snake got past it and devoured all five of the twelve day old babies plus the adult female. It was a very sad lesson. The male came back later looking for his family 
. We not only started using netting after that, in which we caught several snakes, but eventually also added an electric fence charger because hubby got tired of untangling snakes in the netting. We’ve only had one snake get above the charger but then got caught in the netting. We have all three on our poles, charger, baffle and netting above it.
A necessity as far as I’m concerned.
. We not only started using netting after that, in which we caught several snakes, but eventually also added an electric fence charger because hubby got tired of untangling snakes in the netting. We’ve only had one snake get above the charger but then got caught in the netting. We have all three on our poles, charger, baffle and netting above it.A necessity as far as I’m concerned.
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TheSmiths
- Posts: 336
- Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 1:02 pm
- Location: Western KY
- Martin Colony History: •
•
Tried to attract PMs 2004; began more earnest attempt in 2014.
Current home site consisting of 2 modified Trio M12Ks, 4 ChirpyNests, and assorted artificial gourds, all enclosed in owl/hawk cages.
2018 — 3 pairs
2019 — 6 pairs
2020 — 12 pairs; barred owls late in season
2021 — 17 pairs; enclosed housing
2022 – 14 pairs
2023 – 18 pairs
2024 – 18 pairs
2025 – 24 pairs
2026 –
Manage FILs colony & public park colony. Attempting to start a colony at a wildlife refuge.
~20 years of providing housing for cavity nesting birds including Bluebirds, Carolina Wrens, House Wrens, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Great-Crested Flycatchers, Northern Flickers, & Prothonotary Warblers.
You can try resizing to 640x480.PMS in Virginia wrote: ↑Mon Jul 16, 2018 10:16 pmUnfortunately, the photograph did not get uploaded...
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PMS in Virginia
- Posts: 91
- Joined: Fri May 15, 2009 9:48 am
- Location: Virginia/ Bassett
For Sharon
Similar to your loss of 5....the same thing happened to me 4 years ago when a black snake came in, apparently at night, to get the 5 babies plus Mom and Pop....that is when I, like you, vowed it would not happen again.
I would like to learn more about your fence charger arrangement....as much detail as possible. If this forum allows direct contact, my e-mail is [email protected]
Similar to your loss of 5....the same thing happened to me 4 years ago when a black snake came in, apparently at night, to get the 5 babies plus Mom and Pop....that is when I, like you, vowed it would not happen again.
I would like to learn more about your fence charger arrangement....as much detail as possible. If this forum allows direct contact, my e-mail is [email protected]
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Sharon - Central TX
- Posts: 696
- Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2004 9:20 pm
- Location: Central TX
- Martin Colony History: All Troyer Horizontal Gourds with Conley Entrances
PMCA Member since 2004
PMS in Virginia,
I’m sorry I haven’t gotten back to you on the fence charger. I will take a picture of it for you then have my husband explain exactly what and how. That is his baby. I just try to not get electrocuted
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Sharon
I’m sorry I haven’t gotten back to you on the fence charger. I will take a picture of it for you then have my husband explain exactly what and how. That is his baby. I just try to not get electrocuted
.Sharon
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Wagon1743
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2018 5:22 pm
- Location: 22720
- Martin Colony History: My Dad got me started in the 60's. We always had a Martin house, we built wooden ones, had a traditional 12 compartment aluminum house too. Presently have 2 Coates houses, 24 compartments. We had 7 pair nesting in 2018. Planning on installing a horizontal gourd bundle for 2019 season.
Greetings:
I'm new to the Forum, so let me comment on the netting. I have two apartment houses, both with stove pipe predator guards. This year I put netting below them on each pole. Caught one black snake on each one. Netting works, I'm sold on it !
I'm new to the Forum, so let me comment on the netting. I have two apartment houses, both with stove pipe predator guards. This year I put netting below them on each pole. Caught one black snake on each one. Netting works, I'm sold on it !
Are you using netting with 3/4" size holes???
Colony started in 2002
Offering 82 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
2018 - 45 PAIR - FLEDGED 203 MARTINS
2019 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 268 MARTINS
2020 - 82 PAIR - FLEDGED 392 MARTINS
2021 - 78 PAIR - FLEDGED 349 MARTINS
2022 - 76 PAIR - FLEDGED 373 MARTINS
2023 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 355 MARTINS
*2023 Added 2”X4” wire cages to all three Troyer Gemini Gourd Racks to deal with Great Horned Owl predation on Colony.
Offering 82 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
2018 - 45 PAIR - FLEDGED 203 MARTINS
2019 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 268 MARTINS
2020 - 82 PAIR - FLEDGED 392 MARTINS
2021 - 78 PAIR - FLEDGED 349 MARTINS
2022 - 76 PAIR - FLEDGED 373 MARTINS
2023 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 355 MARTINS
*2023 Added 2”X4” wire cages to all three Troyer Gemini Gourd Racks to deal with Great Horned Owl predation on Colony.
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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
The electric fence charger is put up many ways, but here is one method:
1) put in a ground stake at the charger. A good ground stake is copper because it will not rust, and connect it to the ground side of the charger.
2) put up some wire at the pole. First, insulate the pole, and then run the bare hot wire around the pole several times spaced about 2in apart. An easy method to insulate the pole is to put about 6 pieces of pvc, about 2ft long at the bottom and around the pole (the pvc is an insulator). This hot wire should not touch the pole, weeds, etc. This method would put the hot wire about 2 ft tall.
3) use some kind of insulated wire to get power to the pole, connect at the pole to the wire that is around the insulators. On this wire, I used an underground wire so that I could mow over the wire and no need to move it; Connect it to the hot side of the charger
4) plug in the charger
5) test it to see if it works! A green blade of grass will give you a very mild shock. Or you can purchase a checker for fence chargers.
The hot wire just stops, it does not connect to the ground. Anything touching the hot wire will get shocked because it makes a connection to the ground.
1) put in a ground stake at the charger. A good ground stake is copper because it will not rust, and connect it to the ground side of the charger.
2) put up some wire at the pole. First, insulate the pole, and then run the bare hot wire around the pole several times spaced about 2in apart. An easy method to insulate the pole is to put about 6 pieces of pvc, about 2ft long at the bottom and around the pole (the pvc is an insulator). This hot wire should not touch the pole, weeds, etc. This method would put the hot wire about 2 ft tall.
3) use some kind of insulated wire to get power to the pole, connect at the pole to the wire that is around the insulators. On this wire, I used an underground wire so that I could mow over the wire and no need to move it; Connect it to the hot side of the charger
4) plug in the charger
5) test it to see if it works! A green blade of grass will give you a very mild shock. Or you can purchase a checker for fence chargers.
The hot wire just stops, it does not connect to the ground. Anything touching the hot wire will get shocked because it makes a connection to the ground.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps