For the second time in as many weeks, I've found a snake in a
bird feeder. How it gets there, I don't know. The first was in
a hanging tube feeder out in the front garden, with no trees
overhead from which to drop into the wobbly tray, and with a
large squirrel baffle. That snake was lying in the tray,
wrapped around the feeder itself.
Today's snake (the same one!) was in a larger, house-style, pole
feeder (7 foot pole also with squirrel baffle, and also well
away from large trees) off to the side yard, and was INSIDE the
feed container itself. When I ousted it -- making the snake
VERY angry -- it had a lump in its belly, so I suspect I have
one less chickadee or tufted titmouse today than I had
yesterday.
The snake is an oak snake -- 2+ feet. He got away from me (or I
would have taken him out to the barn where he could have dines
on all the mice he wanted in the feed room).
I may have to shut down the feeders for a while. :-(
Jim Lewis - jklewis@nettally.com - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.
Jim:
I know that directions I have for a snake-proof baffle for a bluebird house
call for 1/2 inch hardware cloth across the top inside of the baffle. I
wonder if the hole in your squirrel baffle is large enough for the snake to
slither through? I'll bet that's the problem. I had squirrels that learned
to loosen the clamp inside the baffle so it would drop and had to tape it
over, so I know if it CAN be done, the critters will figure out a way...
Debbie in Williamsburg, VA
-----Original Message-----
From: Gardens & Gardening [mailto:GARDENS@LSV.UKY.EDU] On Behalf Of Jim
Lewis
Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2004 4:42 PM
To: GARDENS@LSV.UKY.EDU
Subject: Snake in bird feeder
For the second time in as many weeks, I've found a snake in a
bird feeder. How it gets there, I don't know. The first was in
a hanging tube feeder out in the front garden, with no trees
overhead from which to drop into the wobbly tray, and with a
large squirrel baffle. That snake was lying in the tray,
wrapped around the feeder itself.
Today's snake (the same one!) was in a larger, house-style, pole
feeder (7 foot pole also with squirrel baffle, and also well
away from large trees) off to the side yard, and was INSIDE the
feed container itself. When I ousted it -- making the snake
VERY angry -- it had a lump in its belly, so I suspect I have
one less chickadee or tufted titmouse today than I had
yesterday.
The snake is an oak snake -- 2+ feet. He got away from me (or I
would have taken him out to the barn where he could have dines
on all the mice he wanted in the feed room).
I may have to shut down the feeders for a while. :-(
Jim Lewis - jklewis@nettally.com - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.
Nope. Not this snake; it's almost 2 inches in diameter in the
middle (even without the lump caused by the digesting chickadee
;-). There's a fraction of an inch between the pole and baffle.
> I had squirrels that learned
> to loosen the clamp inside the baffle so it would drop and had to tape it
> over, so I know if it CAN be done, the critters will figure out a way...
My squirrels aren't that smart. ;-) Thankfully.
Jim Lewis - jklewis@nettally.com - Hit THINK before you hit SEND
Jim, snakes can climb poles. Think of the Caduceus, symbol of Mercury, and
I think, M.D.s. Maybe some axle grease below the baffle would deter...
Margaret L
Gardening in Intermountain West and Handicapped gardening
http://www.margaretlauterbach.com
> But isn't the issue is how they get around the baffle...
Hang on by their tail and do the Cobra thing until they get a grip above
the baffle. That's a large, long snake. Even deserves to be called a
"snaik" at that size.
Margaret L
Gardening in Intermountain West and Handicapped gardening
http://www.margaretlauterbach.com
Or maybe a shot of silicon spray.
lar
Jim, snakes can climb poles. Think of the Caduceus, symbol of Mercury, =
and
I think, M.D.s. Maybe some axle grease below the baffle would deter...
But isn't the issue is how they get around the baffle...
-----Original Message-----
From: Gardens & Gardening [mailto:GARDENS@LSV.UKY.EDU] On Behalf Of
Margaret Lauterbach
Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 2004 9:19 AM
To: GARDENS@LSV.UKY.EDU
Subject: Re: Snake in bird feeder
Jim, snakes can climb poles. Think of the Caduceus, symbol of Mercury, and
I think, M.D.s. Maybe some axle grease below the baffle would deter...
In a message dated 17/08/2004 21:42:48 GMT Standard Time,
jklewis@NETTALLY.COM writes:
The snake is an oak snake -- 2+ feet. He got away from me (or I
would have taken him out to the barn where he could have dines
on all the mice he wanted in the feed room).
Cor, I couldn't go NEAR a snake. We have adders out here on the cliff top
and neighbours had a big on in their garden earlier in the year. Suppose my
fear goes back to when I was a child living on the edge of he moors. Adders were
all over the place, remember mother trying to dispatch one by dropping a
stone on it but it got away by which time both of us were pretty hysterical. The
New Forest, where I live, is well known for these beasties.
Gardening is wash out, weather atrocious. Raining HARD as I write...no
summer his year.
Mary in England
