Alternative to snake netting?

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Jayhawk1972
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Mar 12, 2022 10:20 pm
Location: 32169

We have twelve gourds and this year (our 3rd) we had four nests with 22 eggs. We have the predator guard installed but this year a large corn snake cleared out two nests of eggs and got two hatchlings. He made it past the predator guard and some bundled netting. We found him in one of the gourds and relocated him miles away.

But now there has been a complaint about our use of snake netting might harm the snakes. The site is visited 2x a week by volunteers so entangled snakes may be found by the public and not volunteers. Our colony is on public property visible to children and adults so we need to be conscious of the perception.

Are there any more guard strategies we should consider? Baffles? We have 5 nestlings left and I worry about them and next year’s colony. Maybe the big snake we found and relocated was an anomaly. Ugggh.
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Martintown33
Posts: 1366
Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:21 pm
Location: Laplace,La
Martin Colony History: Colony started in 1998. 2 s&k modified houses and gourd rack

Some landlords use solar powered electric fence equipment to energize a metal box guard placed around the bottom of the pole, using nylon bolts , to keep the pole and housing racks, neutralized..
Good luck
Rob
PMCA member
Laplace, La
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SSMartin
Posts: 463
Joined: Sun Jul 21, 2019 6:05 pm
Location: FL

A really large predator baffle is all I can think of. May have to have it custom made and then install on top of the standard guard.
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C.C.Martins
Posts: 3368
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
Location: Corpus Christi Tx
Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.

Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member

The public is a consideration at some sites. It came up at ours too, God forbid a snake gets harmed. But iv dodged a bullet, for now. One complaint away.

The big baffle is a good idea, I thought of electric on a timer only at night but fortunately it has not been an issue for us for now.

I like the baffle attached to the house or bottom of the gourd rack, think Disney has something like that. Or SSMartins idea, it's a real good one.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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Thomas Maddox
Posts: 580
Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2021 5:23 pm
Location: Sulphur, Louisiana

A baffle and the largest one you can find (or make).
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flyin-lowe
Posts: 3789
Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
Location: Indiana/Henry Co.

Netting, baffle, or electric are your only real options and the electric is probably out due to it being a public location. I have used 12 inch round PVC pipe baffles for almost 20 years on my T14 with no breaches yet. You might post a picture of your set up. spcivically the netting and how you have it mounted.
2026 HOSP 28
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
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