Minnow trap for snakes

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I catch water snakes on my pond in one of these:
https://products.blains.com/600/60/608129.webp

They get hung up and ya have to cut them up to em out.

Do you have koi that you are trying to protect? We have lots of water snakes but they don’t concern me. Our pond has a ton of catfish and “minnows”. We are currently trying to catch a (possible) snapping turtle that injured a duck… However, I think it’s possible that a coyote grabbed the duck in the shore since I have so far been unable to catch a snapping turtle!

 

[Sydney65]

Do you have koi that you are trying to protect? We have lots of water snakes but they don’t concern me. Our pond has a ton of catfish and “minnows”. We are currently trying to catch a (possible) snapping turtle that injured a duck… However, I think it’s possible that a coyote grabbed the duck in the shore since I have so far been unable to catch a snapping turtle!

They love hotdogs...

 

[HeatherKellyB]

My minnow trap has not caught a thing! It’s so frustrating because I know how strongly our Western rat snakes are drawn to guinea fowl eggs. I usually catch them by hand, but I was feeling whimpy that day and didn’t want to get bit/sprayed. I should have left the snake eating guinea eggs undisturbed and located gardening gloves then grabbed the snake amd relocated.

Oh my gosh! You catch them by hand? I think I'd probably have a heart attack and I'm not exaggerating. I am such a chicken. Even walking up on the one pictured trying to eat an egg, once I realized it I could see my heart pounding (well everything I looked at thumped right along with my heart) and I honestly felt faint. I am a big baby

 

[RosemaryDuck]

Oh my gosh! You catch them by hand? I think I'd probably have a heart attack and I'm not exaggerating. I am such a chicken. Even walking up on the one pictured trying to eat an egg, once I realized it I could see my heart pounding (well everything I looked at thumped right along with my heart) and I honestly felt faint. I am a big baby

I know it sounds a bit cliche, but snakes are actually more afraid of you! Even venomous ones will try as hard as they can to get away (unless you intentionally corner them or step on them).

A lot of people make them out to be malicious, but I promise they're just another animal trying to live their lives. They don't seek out people to bite or eat! Here, I'll even add a picture of me holding a water snake!

 

[neo71665]

Do you have koi that you are trying to protect? We have lots of water snakes but they don’t concern me. Our pond has a ton of catfish and “minnows”. We are currently trying to catch a (possible) snapping turtle that injured a duck… However, I think it’s possible that a coyote grabbed the duck in the shore since I have so far been unable to catch a snapping turtle!

Panfish, bass, and catfish. I stock my ponds for me to eat not feed the wildlife.

I also get rid of the snapping turtles in there. I catch them on rod and reel. They get disposed on on the kitchen table.

 

[Mmanist]

I catch water snakes on my pond in one of these:
https://products.blains.com/600/60/608129.webp

They get hung up and ya have to cut them up to em out.

I've caught them in the OP minnow traps too! Same thing have to cut them to get them out

 

[Sydney65]

Panfish, bass, and catfish. I stock my ponds for me to eat not feed the wildlife.

I also get rid of the snapping turtles in there. I catch them on rod and reel. They get disposed on on the kitchen table.

Lol..Reminds me of a fellow I once took care of. I had just returned he asked how my vacation went, I lamented on all the darn snapping turtles I caught. "Mmm..them's good eatin'", he said. "First, ya get em by the tail, cuz if you got em by the tail, they ain't goin' nowheres..and then.." he proceeded to tell me how to cut up a snapping turtle.
Oh, gosh, thanks for bringing on a wonderful memory!

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Oh my gosh! You catch them by hand? I think I'd probably have a heart attack and I'm not exaggerating. I am such a chicken. Even walking up on the one pictured trying to eat an egg, once I realized it I could see my heart pounding (well everything I looked at thumped right along with my heart) and I honestly felt faint. I am a big baby

Well, I don’t like to be bit, but I’ve been bit by snakes and lizards plenty of time from my reptile keeping days, so it’s pretty whimpy when I don’t just go for broke and grab them. I did actually try to grab that guy but he was shyer than most and immediately fled to a tangle of green briar, where I lost him… If you can grab behind the head then they can’t bite you, so that was the hold I was going for. They do release their anal gland so you get sprayed, which is gross and requires a shower! You could get a snake hook and a plastic garbage bag with a lid. Pick up the snake with a snake hook, immediately deposit into the waiting trash can, then put the lid on.
https://www.amazon.com/Zikimed-Snake-Heavy-Stainless-Steel/dp/B07GT8SD5L

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I've caught them in the OP minnow traps too! Same thing have to cut them to get them out

Not what I was going for, but since it’s not taking my bait, I haven’t been able to test my theory… I enlarged the holes a bit and also bent the wire so it’s smoother both directions. My hope was that it would eat the guinea eggs then be unable to leave the trap immediately due to the increased girth caused by the ingested eggs. Anyway, our rat snake doesn’t seem to approve of my plan as the eggs have now been in the trap for more than a week! Something keeps taking guinea eggs off the nest during the day, but I suspect crows as I found on of those eggs about 300 yards away, I would guess dropped by a crow.

 

[RosemaryDuck]

Not what I was going for, but since it’s not taking my bait, I haven’t been able to test my theory… I enlarged the holes a bit and also bent the wire so it’s smoother both directions. My hope was that it would eat the guinea eggs then be unable to leave the trap immediately due to the increased girth caused by the ingested eggs. Anyway, our rat snake doesn’t seem to approve of my plan as the eggs have now been in the trap for more than a week! Something keeps taking guinea eggs off the nest during the day, but I suspect crows as I found on of those eggs about 300 yards away, I would guess dropped by a crow.

Maybe a weird thought, but did you try cracking any of the eggs in the trap? I've had egg eating snakes before and some won't take them unless you crack it a bit and they can smell the yolk. Might help you catch it!