You don't have any snakes around your martins?

[Thurman Seber~TN]

I have heard that story before.. even read it a few times on the Forum. Last summer I caught three at one time in my snake netting around the bottom.. two on one pole, one on the other. How many of them had I seen beforehand you ask? Not a one of them. Predators such as snakes and owls are a big problem for many landlords who never know the difference. They just go their merry way never guessing they have a problem with their martins.. Hawks are seen in the daytime but snakes and owls and racoons come at night.. Little piles of feathers arond in your yard, especially a the base of a post or low limb on a tree.. owl sure. Martin bodies with heads eaten off around poles. probably a racoon, especially if the house or gourds are damaged. Owls will cause some damage also but usually not as severe as coons

How do I know? I have been at this for a long time and have seen a lot.. Just ask any long time martin person.. Most of them know.. not all but most do understand the problems

[~Ray~Gingerich]

Well said, they are out there at nearly every location.

[bacato]

I bought a nice baffle for my pole last year after my 'snake patrol' showed me a very large rat snake, I had never seen one around before. My snake patrol consists of a couple of dachshunds, who literally shred snakes. They're some of the most vicious snake killers I've ever seen.

[cary-nw-fla]

I can only say one thing to new landlords.... believe the above. Didn't think I would have a snake problem either, but...... I caught two snakes in my netting last year.

[Peggy Riley]

Great post Thurman!!! It can't be said too many times.

[Matt F.]

Great post Thurman.
One thing to add - conventional stovepipe/baffle style guards (which are great at stopping raccoons, squirrels, etc.), are able to be breached by rat snakes.
Having both a stovepipe/baffle style guard, in addition to netting, is a great, dual defense model.
http://www.purplemartin.org/forumarchiv ... etting.htm

[MamaBruff]

I am a new landlord wannabe (impatiently waiting), and have a baffle for my Trendsetter pole. It is the quick connect type with piano hinge. Should it go above the winch? And the netting below the winch? How do you attach the netting, and alter it so it traps a snake? Seems that 1/4" netting they could crawl right over. Neighbors and previous owner have reported seeing quite a few snakes in this location. Guess I should put the same kind of netting under my BB houses as well! Yes I am from Missouri and need you to "Show Me"
Thanks,
Mary

[Thurman Seber~TN]

Mamabruff get the 3/4 netting at tractor supply or farmers Co-Op as well as other places.. it is sometimes called bird netting or deer netting.. Fluff up a wad in the first couple feet at the bottom of the pole.. Looks are not as important except to the landlord. Just a pretty good fluff of the stuff. The snakes try to crawl through it and get wound back and forth. Worst problem.. trying to get them out after they get hung.. Not pretty but very effective. As someone has pointed out snakes can often beat baffels. Elecric guards will stop them when done right.. A six inch 5 ft long piece of pvc pipe will also when rightly done around the bottom of your pole.

[DornCounty]

I think we should avoid harming snakes when at all possible.

netting sometimes hurts the snake.

I will run for cover now.

[Thurman Seber~TN]

No need to run for cover on my account. If you do not wish to harm the snake.. the pvc around the outside of pole for first 5 ft is pobably your best bet. I have used electricity, pvc pipe and netting with good results in each instance However I don't trust baffels.. Long rat snakes can get around them

[Louise Chambers]

I agree snakes should not be harmed, take them for a long ride and release out away from martin sites. I like netting above baffles for that reason - only the snakes that can bypass the baffle will get into the netting, instead of netting below baffle, which will trap all snakes. A bungee cord can be used to attach netting so it's removable, or can slide down pole for nest checks.

Cutting the snakes loose while alive is possible if landlords check every morning and remove snakes before they die from heat/sunlight.

[MamaBruff]

Maybe I should run for cover too, b/c I believe snakes are beneficial in controlling pests. Now if they'd just pick on the S&S, that'd be perfect! I just want to prevent them from getting at my PMs and BBs. If a nonpoisonous snake got caught in my netting, I would (REALLY) relocate it to a wooded area away from my house. I am personally not afraid of snakes. (We used to have a resident 6' black snake in the barn where we used to live, and she kept the mice under control, tho it was a little unnerving to see her out on the rafters overhead!)

And now it is starting to snow, 39F and dropping... Will spring ever arrive!? SIGH

[MamaBruff]

Thank you Louise, I will put the netting above the baffle.
Mary

[Matt F.]

I will run for cover now.

No need Dorn. You brought up another wonderful point.
Rat snakes are a beneficial species, that serve a needed role.
I know Steve Kroenke has caught, and successfully released unharmed, quite a few rat snakes.
My guess is having some very small scissors would be a big help, in being able to delicately cut the snake loose (and also not destroy the netting in the process).

To MamaBruff,
Like Thurman mentioned, 3/4" netting works great. Some folks also use 1/2" netting, to possibly snare the smaller/skinnier snakes.
Here are a few threads with some additional mounting ideas.
Some folks even use something as simple as bungee cord, to attach netting to the pole.
http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9318
http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18938
http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18078

[MamaBruff]

Thank You! The complete directions and pictures are most helpful!
Mary

[Brad-AL]

I don't think there is a better way to protect a Martin colony from ground predators than an electric predator guard powered by a livestock charger. Mine are protected by 10,000 volts.

[Thurman Seber~TN]

I agree, nothing is better than electric guards. I used them for years with never a snake loss of a martin that I was aware of. I think I posted the first post about using an electric fence to run a wire from to guard martin housing.. if not the first one of he first. It works really well but a little more of a problem to rig up. I started using them because I had an electric fence just a few feet from my martin poles at the time and it was very simple to run a wire over to my poles. I just taped some short pieces of one inch pvc pipe to all four sides of my poles and wound a wire around the whole thing then ran a wire form the fence to the pole. many other people have added to the idea and made better guards that look nicer than mine did. The thought first came to me one day as I was walking my fence and found a snake dead on my fence. I don't think I ever saw another dead one on the fence or the pole guards after that

[ROBINMOULIERE]

thank you for being kind to snakes. We catch and release into the woods by the bayou. They just need to be re-directed.
It is funny to watch my 200 pound husband freak out. he is afraid of snakes. My 16 year old daughter and I usually just say...step aside there, we got this..
about re-directing those pesty sparrows, ugh ...that's another issue lol

[Craig Dyer]

Snakes play an important role in the ecosystem. I cringe at the ignorance many people have regarding snakes. I am sure that netting is an effective method to prevent snake predation in martin colonies. I don't use it. I don't like the way it looks and it may harm snakes that get caught in it. So far the baffles have worked for me. Maybe I've just been lucky.

[ROBINMOULIERE]

I agree Craig. I use the baffles too. I had two snakes in 1 month my first year as a landlord, before I knew better. We caught a snake going right up that pole with marine grease on it!!
To get it off the pole and into a box made us laugh at my husband because it was dark outside, he took off into the house, lol......my daughter and I got it off with a broom handle and into a bucket and put it at the bayou....big man scared, lol . He says, "I don't do snakes!!" Glad I had someone to hold the flashlight !!! lol
With the baffles I have not had any problems, but DO forget to make sure there is nothing inside the baffle when I unhook it. Someday that may make ME run for cover, as I tend to get a bit too comfortable when I unsnap it, lol.....