Serious garden wildlife question?
Question:Ok my parents have an established pond in their garden but over the past 2 years have noticed that 2 grass snakes are living in it.They are quite big,so therefore adults.No problem as such but they are now consuming the fish and my dads much loved frogs.I know that is their diet but is there a way to stop them getting into the pond without causing harm to them?
Answers:
maybe try one of those fake plastic owls that are about 16 inches tall. you can get them at wal-mart...Birds of Prey are natural hunters of snakes and the snakes know this, but to really fool them you might also start collecting feathers from Hawks, Eagles or any large wild birds that you can find so the snakes will catch the scent with their tounges.. if all else fails try a cat or dog, letting it stay in the area of the pond/garden.
Besides catching them and moving them far enough away so that they won't return then I can't think of anything.
As long as there is food for them they will hang around. Maybe it is best to purge the pond and leave it empty for a week or so. If there isn't any food for the snakes they will move on to a more suitable place to live. Obviously you can only really do this if you can safely remove the fish and frogs.
Another option would be to leave the snakes some alternative food like eggs. You could try leaving these close to where the snakes are living.
Nope. You're going to have to make a choice, the frogs and fish or the snakes. They're both pretty cool...if the fish and frogs are breeding enough to supply food for the snakes, I'd keep them all.
I've been cohabiting with my pets and the local wildlife for decades, you just have to adjust your mindset so you don't get completely frustrated. I have to accept the limited landscaping I can do because the deer come in and eat and tromple things (too big an area to fence) and have learned to pick up the cat food bowls at night so the racoons and skunks don't make my porch a regular stop in their 'rounds'.
Yesterday I found a bluebelly lizard in the catbox - which I brought back into the house a few weeks ago when the cat wasn't feeling good and I thought he might have an accident. He looked pretty hungry and seemed pretty happy to be let go outside...
Hi there Pups, It would seem that the only way you can sort this problem out is to build a snake-proof fence around the pond. You could also put a netting on the pond as well.
Go to the website eHow.com and type in how to get rid of grass snakes. It has some information on there that may be of help to you. All the best :o)
get on to the R>S>P>C>A> they will help.
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