Snake guards

Guest · Sat Jan 07, 2006 1:34 pm

Hi all - since we killed a snake IN the house the past two years, despite the supposed predator guard I had on the house, I thought I would let you know what finally worked last year. After finding a snake in the house again last year - I had a guard up, had greased the pole, done whatever I could think of, then to find that monster curled up with one of my precious martins in him (he promptly was dispatched with the aid of a sharpened hoe) I found a guard made of wire mesh at Wild Birds Unlimited that worked - we had three successful pairs with fledglings last year! This guard is a square of 1/2" wire mesh about 24" square with a hole in the center and a doohickey to tighten it on the pole. The sides are cut so that there are 1/2" prongs sticking out all around. If a snake or any critter tries to get up the pole, it bends down and sticks them if they try to get around it. My hubby is making me some for the bluebird houses and for my new Lone Star house with its square pole. Should be pretty simple. Hope this helps any of you with snake problems - which could by your problem even if you don't know it!

iluvbirds · Sat Jan 07, 2006 2:29 pm

Susan, do you have a picture of this guard you can post?

Dale Hrncirik · Sat Jan 07, 2006 2:46 pm

Susan,

Sounds like a good idea and something similar I've used for the past 5 years...

I've used 2' lengths of capet tack strips anchored around the bottom of the pole. The short nails that protude are very pointy and should keep any critter from trying to climb. I alternate the direction of the strips since the nails are angled slightly to one side. You can use hose clamps or tie straps to secure them to the pole. Best to use at least 3 strips but 4 should be better. I used 2' long pieces that I sawed but longer pieces should provide more security.

Dale

Guest · Sat Jan 07, 2006 5:46 pm

OK, here it is. I think snakes are probably the reason I have had such trouble, since last year things went so great after installing this thing. It is really no fun at all to open a compartment for a nest check and find a large rat snack sleeping off a pm meal!
I think an important part of the success is in cutting the "hardware cloth" with the points on, totally opposite to how you would naturally want to cut it.
Good luck - if this saves any more purple martins I will be a happy woman!

Emil Pampell-Tx · Sat Jan 07, 2006 5:53 pm

Susan, my idea about why it may work is the flexibility, it probably bends quite a bit so anything that tries it may not like that flexing. I don't know, maybe it is the sharp points...I never tried it.

Guest · Sat Jan 07, 2006 6:17 pm

I agree, it does bend a lot and that is why the fellow at the store said it worked - then the points would dig into the critter. Whatever, all eggs were always there at nest checks and all babies after installation of this thing, so yay.

marshainpuntagorda · Sun Jan 08, 2006 12:33 pm

We have experienced predation from rat snake as well and destroyed my young in 2004. We doubled our security to keep snakes out by adding bird netting (and alot of it wound around a wire to keep the wind from blowing it away) to the cone (we had specially fabricated) and the predator baffle. In addition, we have owl guards...seems like alot but one can't be too careful with those babies.

Marsha

Guest · Sun Jan 08, 2006 1:37 pm

I too had the cone, and the bird netting! Somehow the sucker got around it. I also have owl guards and made each compartment of the Trio a double room, halving the number of available compartments, so that an owl would have difficulty reaching them. In my new Lone Star house, the compartments are a foot deep. I will install owl guards, as well, however.