Snake guards for the T-14 System

[MSProbst]

I am considering putting up a Plywood T-14 System in a local county park. Since the telescoping pole uses a winch system, I know it needs a hinged predator guard. However, the quick release guards sold by PMCA are only 2 ft. long. I have been monitoring a bluebird/tree swallow trail for 30 years in this same location, and it has been my experience that large snakes can easily bypass a 2 ft. baffle. In fact, I employ a 5 ft. cylindrical baffle on the poles of all of my 7 ft. bluebird/tree swallow nest boxes. Since my poles don't have a winch system (I used a ladder to access the nest boxes), I don't need a quick release guard.

I inquired if the PMCA vendor would make longer quick release guards, and the answer was no. So I am wondering what other Purple Martin monitors are using to deter snakes. BTW, I don't want to use netting or an electrified deterrent system.

Thanks for your consideration.

MSProbst
Howard County, Maryland

[Thomas Maddox]

I wish they would reconsider and make a 4 foot baffle (or longer). I took my 2 foot baffle I bought from the PMCA to a local aluminum shop and asked if they could replicate it in a 5 foot plus slightly wider version. They took mine for a look. A few days later, they called me back and said sure, but it would costs me $500. Umm. No thanks. So for now, I'm keeping mine and putting netting on top of it. I have seen pictures of home made ones out of pvc that are removable. I may eventually try to make one.

[brent]

I use to have the netting and pole guard. The netting use to be above the pole guard but it was so cumbersome I moved it below but then changed to a solar electric guard that was designed by another landlord. So much better. Brent

[brent]

Better pictures of the solar electric guards. Brent

[flyin-lowe]

I have 2 T 14's and both have a home made guard made of 12 inch PVC. It's heavy walled stuff was left over from different construction sites/jobs. The thing I like about it is it wraps around the pole and the winch. This was done to keep my younger kids and their friends from messing with the winch. Could be a good idea at a public place as well, would hate for someone to mess around and drop a heavy T14 on their head. Mine is over 4 foot tall and I have just over 48 inches between the top and bottom buckles which hold it together. I just used a saw to cut it down the middle and then use 4 buckles that pulls it together and keeps the seem tight. I also put a coat of paint on it to help slicken it up. I have used this guard starting with my first T 14 from around 15 years ago with no breaches. From time to time I do see some muddy prints part way up from the bottom where a raccoon will try to climb it. You could do something like this and keep a padlock on it, or if not keep a padlock on the winch.

IMG_3781.png (414.12 KiB) Viewed 17006 times

[Jones4381]

I have 2 T 14's and both have a home made guard made of 12 inch PVC. It's heavy walled stuff was left over from different construction sites/jobs. The thing I like about it is it wraps around the pole and the winch. This was done to keep my younger kids and their friends from messing with the winch. Could be a good idea at a public place as well, would hate for someone to mess around and drop a heavy T14 on their head. Mine is over 4 foot tall and I have just over 48 inches between the top and bottom buckles which hold it together. I just used a saw to cut it down the middle and then use 4 buckles that pulls it together and keeps the seem tight. I also put a coat of paint on it to help slicken it up. I have used this guard starting with my first T 14 from around 15 years ago with no breaches. From time to time I do see some muddy prints part way up from the bottom where a raccoon will try to climb it. You could do something like this and keep a padlock on it, or if not keep a padlock on the winch.
IMG_3781.png

Great idea and thanks for sharing.

[Thomas Maddox]

I have 2 T 14's and both have a home made guard made of 12 inch PVC. It's heavy walled stuff was left over from different construction sites/jobs. The thing I like about it is it wraps around the pole and the winch. This was done to keep my younger kids and their friends from messing with the winch. Could be a good idea at a public place as well, would hate for someone to mess around and drop a heavy T14 on their head. Mine is over 4 foot tall and I have just over 48 inches between the top and bottom buckles which hold it together. I just used a saw to cut it down the middle and then use 4 buckles that pulls it together and keeps the seem tight. I also put a coat of paint on it to help slicken it up. I have used this guard starting with my first T 14 from around 15 years ago with no breaches. From time to time I do see some muddy prints part way up from the bottom where a raccoon will try to climb it. You could do something like this and keep a padlock on it, or if not keep a padlock on the winch.
IMG_3781.png

You need to market these!

[MSProbst]

To "flying-low"
Thanks for sending your guard suggestion! I am not as worried about someone dropping the winch as snakes getting up over the baffle. I can see where raccoons would be thwarted, but snakes make be able to use those "buckles" to get a grip as they climbed up. Do you see snakes in your area?


Also, thanks to the other folks who are posting in reply to my query. Lots of interesting ideas!

[Jeffc]

Hello. I am new to the forum. This will be my second year as a Purple Martin landlord. I have a new T14 this season and purchased the Troyer guard that is attached to the house. Are they not very effective?

[flyin-lowe]

I have snakes in my area but there is over 48 inches between the buckles. There used to be a chart on here years ago that showed how long a snake had to be to wrap around and climb a pole, for example (made up numbers) an 8 inch pipe could stop a 36 inch long snake (something to that effect). I just remember for a snake to wrap around a 12 inch pipe and still be able to reach up 48 inches it would need to be pretty large. Not sure how long one would have to be to go straight up a 50 plus inch pipe to reach the top. All I can say is my first T 14 is almost 20 years old and the newest one is just about 5, but neither have had any type of breech.

[avesrun]

I have 2 T 14's and both have a home made guard made of 12 inch PVC. It's heavy walled stuff was left over from different construction sites/jobs. The thing I like about it is it wraps around the pole and the winch. This was done to keep my younger kids and their friends from messing with the winch. Could be a good idea at a public place as well, would hate for someone to mess around and drop a heavy T14 on their head. Mine is over 4 foot tall and I have just over 48 inches between the top and bottom buckles which hold it together. I just used a saw to cut it down the middle and then use 4 buckles that pulls it together and keeps the seem tight. I also put a coat of paint on it to help slicken it up. I have used this guard starting with my first T 14 from around 15 years ago with no breaches. From time to time I do see some muddy prints part way up from the bottom where a raccoon will try to climb it. You could do something like this and keep a padlock on it, or if not keep a padlock on the winch.
IMG_3781.png

Hello Flyin- I use similar pvc guards but made with 8" pvc. I really like the idea of using 12" pvc and hope to make 3 for a public site I manage. My current 8" pvc guards hang from a bracket and are hinged and also have a closed in top made from treated plywood .Was there a reason that you used 4 buckles instead of 2 buckles on one side and 2 small hinges in the other? Also have you ever found any dead birds that got down inside the guard and couldn't get out? Thanks for posting your info on your guards.!

[avesrun]

20250306_134618.jpg

(996.55 KiB) Not downloaded yet

Made these 8"pvc guards using instructions on Chuckspurplemartinpage.com

[Thomas Maddox]

The bigger, the better!

[flyin-lowe]

I have 2 T 14's and both have a home made guard made of 12 inch PVC. It's heavy walled stuff was left over from different construction sites/jobs. The thing I like about it is it wraps around the pole and the winch. This was done to keep my younger kids and their friends from messing with the winch. Could be a good idea at a public place as well, would hate for someone to mess around and drop a heavy T14 on their head. Mine is over 4 foot tall and I have just over 48 inches between the top and bottom buckles which hold it together. I just used a saw to cut it down the middle and then use 4 buckles that pulls it together and keeps the seem tight. I also put a coat of paint on it to help slicken it up. I have used this guard starting with my first T 14 from around 15 years ago with no breaches. From time to time I do see some muddy prints part way up from the bottom where a raccoon will try to climb it. You could do something like this and keep a padlock on it, or if not keep a padlock on the winch.
IMG_3781.png

Hello Flyin- I use similar pvc guards but made with 8" pvc. I really like the idea of using 12" pvc and hope to make 3 for a public site I manage. My current 8" pvc guards hang from a bracket and are hinged and also have a closed in top made from treated plywood .Was there a reason that you used 4 buckles instead of 2 buckles on one side and 2 small hinges in the other? Also have you ever found any dead birds that got down inside the guard and couldn't get out? Thanks for posting your info on your guards.!

The first one I built I had trouble finding hinges that would line up correctly on the rounded surface and it left too much of a gap which a snake could use for grip. I ended up hand making some hinges which worked ok. The second one I just decided on the buckles because it was easier and it pulls the seams together better. Plus the 12 inch PVC piece can get fairly heavy so it is easier to move around since there are 2 separate pieces.

[avesrun]

I have 2 T 14's and both have a home made guard made of 12 inch PVC. It's heavy walled stuff was left over from different construction sites/jobs. The thing I like about it is it wraps around the pole and the winch. This was done to keep my younger kids and their friends from messing with the winch. Could be a good idea at a public place as well, would hate for someone to mess around and drop a heavy T14 on their head. Mine is over 4 foot tall and I have just over 48 inches between the top and bottom buckles which hold it together. I just used a saw to cut it down the middle and then use 4 buckles that pulls it together and keeps the seem tight. I also put a coat of paint on it to help slicken it up. I have used this guard starting with my first T 14 from around 15 years ago with no breaches. From time to time I do see some muddy prints part way up from the bottom where a raccoon will try to climb it. You could do something like this and keep a padlock on it, or if not keep a padlock on the winch.
IMG_3781.png

Hello Flyin- I use similar pvc guards but made with 8" pvc. I really like the idea of using 12" pvc and hope to make 3 for a public site I manage. My current 8" pvc guards hang from a bracket and are hinged and also have a closed in top made from treated plywood .Was there a reason that you used 4 buckles instead of 2 buckles on one side and 2 small hinges in the other? Also have you ever found any dead birds that got down inside the guard and couldn't get out? Thanks for posting your info on your guards.!

The first one I built I had trouble finding hinges that would line up correctly on the rounded surface and it left too much of a gap which a snake could use for grip. I ended up hand making some hinges which worked ok. The second one I just decided on the buckles because it was easier and it pulls the seams together better. Plus the 12 inch PVC piece can get fairly heavy so it is easier to move around since there are 2 separate pieces.

Thanks for those notes; same issue with use of hinges along with poorly cut lines on my part (wrong saw blade and saw when cutting pvc in half lengthwise ) which made for not so tight seams in general. Another reason I want to build new.......may try the double buckle .... thanks again and have a great season.