"Snakes be Gone"
by Angela
My five baby birds are dead! My front porch light has become a favorite nesting place for a determined Mom and Dad bird (breed unknown).
I tried to discourage them from nesting again by taking down their last nest, as I almost lost their last babies to a snake.
Unfortunately, I exit the garage mostly and they rebuilt a new nest with 5 more eggs before I notice them flying around the front porch again.
I do not like killing anything, even down to a spider in my house. But I knew the snakes would be back. I put moth balls and Snake be Gone all around the porch area hoping to keep the snakes away.
However, to my horror, I sit here tonight truly upset after finding a large black snake on my porch and no babies.
In my anger I started to kill the snake, but it got away and I let it go. I found this site and wanted to tell my story hoping others will not make this mistake.
I just watched them yesterday, with their cute little heads reaching out as Mommy and Daddy bird took care of them. I was looking forward to showing them to my 5 year old nephew on his next visit.
Momma bird had reach the point, I guess from the first nesting, that when I come around to water the flowers, she would just watch me.
I would talk to her and she would just turn her head and listen and Daddy bird would hang out in the tree next to the house.
Sometimes at night I would go out on the porch and just sit there with Momma bird. I will miss the babies, it seems so unfair. Even if it is natures way.
My question to anyone that can help is this.
What truly will keep the snakes away? I am afraid they may rebuild and I will have the same problem again. If so, I want to do what I can to protect them without interfering.
Is there some kind of razer/wire I could put on the porch that would keep the snake from coming across the porch? I would appreciate any help, Thanks!
Administrator says:
Try bird netting under the nest. Use a big wad of it loosely gathered together where the snake crawls up. Snakes will get trapped in the netting and you can cut them out and take the snake away to set it free. Usually netting is used around poles that Bluebird or Purple Martin houses are attached to. You'll have to get creative in your case.
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