Electric fence and snakes

[starlinka]

I have birdhouses near the cow pasture. I want to coil electric fence around a plastic pvc pipe at the base of the pole to protect it from snakes. Will it stop a snake from climbing the pole to get to the birdhouse?

 

[skyline]

That's a great idea. Let us know how it turns out. I wouldn't want to be the first snake to sneak up that pole... :lol2:

 

[flaboy]

Should work. If you could keep the ground damp around the bottom it would really work.

 

[grannysoo]

Where's the fun in this? Snakes in the birdhouses are always good for an adventure.

 

[RVF]

Try running a ground wire around the pipe for a eye opening experience for any snake or other animal that toughs the two wires.

 

[starlinka]

Should work. If you could keep the ground damp around the bottom it would really work.

It has rained often this year Dew is on the grass every night and most of morning. Also, the metal pipe inside the plastic one is grounded.

 

[starlinka]

Where's the fun in this? Snakes in the birdhouses are always good for an adventure.

Yes, but not in the nesting season!

 

[starlinka]

Try running a ground wire around the pipe for a eye opening experience for any snake or other animal that toughs the two wires.

The pipe inside the plastic one is metal and grounded. It is also exposed at the top.

 

[birdog]

it should work. I work for an electric utility and we put up a snake guard around our substations similar to this. Lay down a ground mat of hail screen then lay pvc on top of hail screen, then screw hot wire on top of pvc. find lots of dead snakes in substations. We used to use 1" pvc but the horny toads would get zapped so we went to a 3" pvc.

 

[Green Creek]

We cut a hole in metal barrel lids and put them under the birdhouse on the pole. Even the most athletic snake can't get around that. You can also get some sticky stuff you put on tree trunks for insect control that keeps snakes away. It's really sticky!

 

[dun]

You can also get some sticky stuff you put on tree trunks for insect control that keeps snakes away. It's really sticky!

It'scalled foot tangle or tangle foot depending on who sells it

 

[Green Creek]

That's it, Tanglefoot...I thought of it later in the day, of course.

 

[J. T.]

Hope it works. Bluebird houses mounted on fence posts with three hot wires aren't snake proof. You'd think a rat snake climbing a post with three hot wires would get zapped, but I've lost two sets of birds to them. I'm moving the boxes and putting a baffle around the posts I mount them on.

 

[starlinka]

Yes, fence posts are not safe - a predator can use the side of it to climb. It's safer to use a metal pipe to mount it.

 

[starlinka]

That's it, Tanglefoot...I thought of it later in the day, of course.

How does it work? The snakes get trapped to the sticky stuff? I don't think I could use something like that anyway - I have chickens and geese there. They would eat everything that got stuck, it could also mess up their feathers.

 

[Green Creek]

You just smear it around the trunk in a wide band. I don't think they will get tangled in it because they won't attempt crossing. If you can manage, the baffle works best in the long run and you don't have to keep renewing Tanglefoot. And the baffle works best on a metal post, as mentioned above.

 

[GMN]

Do snakes really climb up poles to eat birds? Or is it the eggs they eat?

GMN

 

[dun]

Do snakes really climb up poles to eat birds? Or is it the eggs they eat?

GMN

Never seen one climb to get to the eggs, but they sure do climb to get the young birds. Somtimes the adults too

 

[Jalopy]

Snakes have been known to get into hens nest and swallow chicken eggs.

 

[starlinka]

Yes they will eat eggs, in the barn they have eaten a lot of eggs and baby birds that were nesting under the roof. I got tired of it and plugged all the holes, and then installed birdhouses on poles. Ten birdhouses have baffles, the other four have fence. Just a few days ago I found two rat snakes in the barn - 4'3 and 5'3 long. The eggs and babies in the birdhouses were intact.
I relocated these snakes a couple of miles from here close to a swamp and cornfield.

Do snakes really climb up poles to eat birds? Or is it the eggs they eat?

GMN

Adult birds usually stay alert and if they hear some suspicious sound, they will leave the nest. But snakes can be very quiet .

Here's pictures of these snakes.
The shorter snake was very gentle, almost tame

And here is 5-feet long snake