YELLOW RAT SNAKE ATTACK

[B-Thrash]

Our 8 yr. old large 32-compartment (each is 6x13) colony sits on a 12" piling 14' over the water, 12' off our dock and 85' from shore. The bottom of the house is 28" x 28" with a surrounding 6" wire mesh extension/trampoline (34" wide predator guard). Last week I found a 4-1/2 foot yellow rat snake coiled up in one of the compartments, and what followed was just insane. I cannot easily access the house, so after failing to coax it out with a long painters pole, I ended up shooting it through that entrance hole with a pellet gun until it finally wriggled out and fell dead in the water. We figure he wiped out 1/3 of the colony which had just started to fledge, so I was freaked out. We never imagined we'd have a snake attack there so I have to make sure this never happens again. The photos show the house (circled is the attacked cubby) and a close up of the pellet strikes as I tried to hit the snake.

I plan to remove the feeding trays, so a snake has fewer footholds, maybe wrap the piling with a 3 foot section of silicone fiberglass sheeting (the heat-seal non stick stuff) AND make the bottom surround even larger. Guess I might add a tall baffle-cone instead (using the awesome "ConeCalc" app), just not sure yet. Any advise would be appreciated as I plan to replace this house with a new one this fall. Thanks.

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[flyin-lowe]

Any pictures of the predator guard you describe? I am having a hard time envisioning it from the description.

[C.C.Martins]

sorry you had to go through that. go with snake netting, don't rely on a wire anything to deter the snake. if its somehow connected to the ground, assume a snake is coming. Leave no gaps, can use two different sizes to catch them. trust me, lost 6 eggs to a rat snake that fit through the netting.

[Kegger]

didn't think snakes were an issue with a detatched pyling over water. This year I did see a new threat from an iguana.
nothing happened but looks like I will have to make a couple baffles or do something shocking for next year. 20 fledlings and all parents
flew the coup 4 days ago. Hopefully they get a head start on the tropical storm

[B-Thrash]

Thanks for the comments. It's possible to make a "cone" baffle of any size and shape using the "ConeCalc" app (I can make the top opening 11", the bottom opening 20" and have the cone be 30" tall, add 1" overlaps AND have it split the pattern into 2+ segments), so I can make one that should do the trick. <https://www.i-logic.com/conecalc/>

The netting seems a great idea, maybe use 1/4" cell size, with 2 feet strapped down & another 2 feet flopping over, as with the "Bird Be Safe." <http://snakecontrolproducts.com> and this would be way easier than making the cone, and likely the least expensive of all solutions.

So as mentioned I will first try the PTFE-Coated Fiberglass Fabric, it is a VERY slick non-stick material and being heat-proof should stand up to the elements for quite some time. I got a roll of it (Amazon.com) that is 5 mil thick, 39" x 5 yds. I'll tightly wrap the piling and secure with wafered roofing nails, as in the attached illustration I made. I think this will be the best looking approach as it is a dark tan, but might also use the netting. Thanks again Forum!

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[Conrad Baker]

I hope that works. I have read that any type of seam or nail heads will allow the snake the ability to climb whatever they encounter. The netting will definitely double your defenses.

[flyin-lowe]

I'm not sure the best way to protect that house but I can assure you a rat snake can get right up that pole, and the seems and nail heads will only give them something to grip. I am not sure if any other climbing predators would go into the water to get up the pole, I think probably not. I would add bird netting above that guard you have in place.

[flyin-lowe]

As I look at it more I wander if you could hang a few layers of bird netting from the bottom of the house almost like curtains hanging down all the way around. You would not want it all the way out by the porches edge as the martins could get their toes caught in it. But if you hung some down about halfway between the front edge of the house and the pole the snake would not be able to get past it, at least I don't think they could.