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- This topic has 4 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 4 months ago by Julie.
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June 18, 2020 at 9:22 am #8383
Hi all,
What is the best defense against snakes? Is anything effective at keeping almost 5ft rat snakes out of a box?
Meg
June 18, 2020 at 10:06 am #8384Meg, there is a “baffle” which is supposed to be good against snakes – fits right underneath the box and wobbles. See the website http://www.sialis.org for great into on this under predator. I haven’t had trouble with snakes but many do and the first thing NOT to do is attach your box to anything wooden like a wooden post, fence post, etc., which a snake can just climb right up. Needs to be mounted on anything steel or slick. But keep in mind that nothing is foolproof. My brother in Georgia actually witnessed a snake eating his baby bluebirds – he did not have a baffle under the box but was very quick in installing one.
June 18, 2020 at 8:25 pm #8387I am with Carol on the Baffles. Mine is a 6″ stainless steel stove pile, with a hole cut to fit the 2 inch pipe. The Baffle is mounted on 2 1/2″ screws in the pipe 180 degrees apart so it will wobble if touched. I also inserted a snake trap made from 1/4th inch hardware cloth cut in different shapes and put together so that it does not allow thin snake entry thru the stovepipe cap. I bent the edges of the shapes down so they would act like a rough and sharp sticker guard inside the baffle. I use a lithium grease on the pole 4″ up at the base, I also put the grease 2″up from the top of the baffle and just below the nestbox.
Carol mentioned the wood poles as being deadly. So is mounting the nestbox on a fence, fence post, or tree, as snakes can easily climb these and attack the box from the top. Stay away from over hanging bushes and tree branches as they also drop on the box if they are hungry. Clear open area is preferred. The Sailis site is a great resource for all things bluebird.
Good luck- This reply was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by David in Stafford,VA.
David
Stafford, VAJune 19, 2020 at 10:37 am #8393Hi Meg, I do not have snake problems, but I read on Facebook what someone else did. They claim that no snake has been able to get around this……on top of the standard wobbly 8” stovepipe baffle they put a 4 foot square piece of hardware cloth floating above the baffle. I saved the photos incase I ever needed to do this. Good luck.
Pictures by Ron Kingston – Facebook shareJudy-Michigan
June 22, 2020 at 9:06 am #8430Judy, thanks for posting that pic. I’ve read about that and tried to picture it, but this sure helps! Thank you!
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