Snake proofing

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

No minnow traps found locally so ordered on from amazon. And... I see how you open it and get the snake out - Doh!

 

[aart]

I've seen some with mesh so big a fairly large snake can crawl out.

Are those for just catching very large minnows?

But basically you put an egg in a minnow trap. The snake comes in eats the egg and the can't get out until the egg is crushed inside of him.

I thought the minnow traps worked because they can't find the holes to get back out? Maybe they are smarter than fish?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Are those for just catching very large minnows?

Ha, ha. So funny. How big a minnow you use depends on how big a fish you are trying to catch.

Sometime you find things other than fish in minnow traps. Like snakes or frogs.


I thought the minnow traps worked because they can't find the holes to get back out? Maybe they are smarter than fish?

That's how they work. I once caught a rat in a stored minnow trap. I did't find it until it had totally dried up. I imagine rats are smarter than snakes. I'll admit I was surprised it died in there before it found the way out.

 

[Compost King]

Are those for just catching very large minnows?


I thought the minnow traps worked because they can't find the holes to get back out? Maybe they are smarter than fish?

I have seen some videos where the snakes can't get out of them even without swallowing the egg but snakes are a little better at finding openings than minnows

No minnow traps found locally so ordered on from amazon. And... I see how you open it and get the snake out - Doh!

I wouldn't open it if the snake is venomous... I wouldn't even go near it. I would make a 6 foot long stick with a hook on the end and drown it. Sounds mean but I take no chances with Venomous snakes... Their fangs can get outside that mesh even if their head can't.

 

[Compost King]

I was just told in a chat room not related to BYC that a guy in texas uses hollow glass eggs to kill snakes. The hollow glass eggs apparently break inside the snake and it dies. I would be worried a chicken my peck one and eat glass though.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

When searching online, I saw that there are other traps with a similar design for other animals, like crayfish. Maybe those have larger mesh sizes, but the actual minnow traps had small mesh. We do have copperheads. They have been rare this year, which might be because we’ve had so many black rat snakes! That’s why I’ve been reluctant to get rid of the rat snakes, but they seem to be incompatible with poultry. For snakes that I trap but are not actively trying to get into the coop, I may relocate to the edges of the property in hopes I’ll still get their benefits without having them eat our poultry... haven’t decided yet.

 

[aart]

When searching online, I saw that there are other traps with a similar design for other animals, like crayfish. Maybe those have larger mesh sizes, but the actual minnow traps had small mesh. We do have copperheads. They have been rare this year, which might be because we’ve had so many black rat snakes! That’s why I’ve been reluctant to get rid of the rat snakes, but they seem to be incompatible with poultry. For snakes that I trap but are not actively trying to get into the coop, I may relocate to the edges of the property in hopes I’ll still get their benefits without having them eat our poultry... haven’t decided yet.

That makes sense.

Snake balance is probably delicate.....having venomous snakes the rat snakes will eat is well worth losing a few eggs...tough choices.

 

[blackdog043]

I got my minnow traps from Amazon. A snake usually can't find its way out the small hole.

https://www.wikihow.com/Trap-a-Snake

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

That makes sense.

Snake balance is probably delicate.....having venomous snakes the rat snakes will eat is well worth losing a few eggs...tough choices.

I’d be very happy to sacrifice some eggs for loss of copperheads! Unfortunately, the reputation that black rats have for killing poultry too large to eat is indeed true, as shown by those dead, uneaten keets that got me on this gap filling quest in the first place...

 

[Compost King]

I’d be very happy to sacrifice some eggs for loss of copperheads! Unfortunately, the reputation that black rats have for killing poultry too large to eat is indeed true, as shown by those dead, uneaten keets that got me on this gap filling quest in the first place...

I really hope you get the gaps filled, I gave the trap idea as plan B but filling the gaps is the best solution if its possible. Snakes can get through anything it seems and some gaps are just in locations that hardware cloth can't quite go.