Mothballs

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Elijah Clark
Posts: 52
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2016 10:52 pm
Location: Bend, TX
Martin Colony History: Put up the colony in 2015 and had a mean and nasty fight with the sparrows, yet one pair stayed and five fledged.

A few days ago we were trying to get a skunk out from under our house when my uncle suggested that we place mothballs at the entrance hole. Luckily we haven't seen a sign of the skunk ever since :grin: What I was wondering is that if this could be used as a raccoon deterrent by placing some at the base of the pole?
"A good sparrow is a dead sparrow"
2015- 1 pair
2016- 12 pair
2017- 0 pair (predators). Back to square one.
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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

I don't know if it will work for raccoons, but it may not work for snakes. In my opinion, its best to go with a good predator guard to protect the martins from both raccoons and snakes. Many people make the mistake thinking that they may not need a predator guard, and then they lose their martins because they did not have a predator guard. My suggestion is to put up the predator guard now if you do not have one. If you live anywhere in the southern states, there will be many snakes.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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Forum Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 339
Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2003 1:16 pm
Location: Erie, PA

Mothballs won't take the place of a good predator guard. They will not keep snakes or raccoons from climbing your martin systems. Emil is right, use a proper guard, protect your investment and your martins.
Forum Administrator
Purple Martin Conservation Association - Please consider becoming a member of the PMCA.
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Elijah Clark
Posts: 52
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2016 10:52 pm
Location: Bend, TX
Martin Colony History: Put up the colony in 2015 and had a mean and nasty fight with the sparrows, yet one pair stayed and five fledged.

Hi Emil and Admin,
Thanks for the help :grin: I'll try to make a PVC guard for right now and upgrade to a stovepipe guard next year. :) I was also wondering how big or little the snake netting needs to be? A store is selling 1/2" bird netting to protect gardens and was wondering if this would work?
Thanks :grin: ,
Elijah
"A good sparrow is a dead sparrow"
2015- 1 pair
2016- 12 pair
2017- 0 pair (predators). Back to square one.
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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

Ideally you need both 3/4in and 1/2in netting. Most people, probably 90 to 95 percent use only the 3/4in netting. The 3/4in will catch the big snakes, the 1/2in netting will catch the small 2ft snakes. If you use both, put the 3/4in at the bottom, the 1/2in at the top. You may only need the 3/4inch. Glad to see you thinking about attaching it. Good luck
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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hunt4martins
Posts: 13
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2016 8:23 am
Location: US

Not trying to step on your post butt I'm new to the Martin Adventure and was wondering if the same type of protector I use for Bluebird houses will work on my martin house Pole.? It is 8 inch galvanized round pipe with half inch hardware cloth that's also galvanized. My pole is new aluminum triangular type . I did not know I had to put a predator guard on my martin house. thanks in advance for all the insight.
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