Shiva wrote:

Wow, this never ocurred to me! This was in today's paper.
Remember, I have tried every thing else.

http://newsobserver.com/features/hom...-2561854c.html

What do you all think??

Hmmm. Wrong article, but I swear I saw the one I was referring to
in today's gardening section, hardcopy. (For those of you who missed it, I
have lost many beloved plants, esp. roses, to voles this year, and in the
past three years.)

Here is the New Weapon:

Black ratsnakes! One guy who had tried the sonic things, the traps, the
chicken wire, the Permatil and the Rozol ordered a couple pair of black rat
snakes and they wiped out his vole infestation!

Here is the scenario: very woodsy, mulchy yards, about half an acre,
in the city of Raleigh, NC but this city is very green and lush. We have bats, owls,
hawks, and some stray cats, but not many of the latter due to a leash
law and lots of animal lovers. (In other words, we keep them inside and
safe.) We have lots of little brown snakes in the yards, and tons of bugs.

If you all think this might work, how might I get some of these snakes?
I love reptiles and have kept snakes and lizards and frogs and salamanders
and toads as pets. You herp folks, how old should the snakes be before I let
them live in the yard? Do I need to get wild ones, or could those born in
captivity adapt? TIA!

I read the article as well! My question is, if you adopt a snake, how
do you keep it in your yard? How likely is it that a snake will hang
around my natural area and not scurry off as soon as it is released? I
suppose if the snake realizes there is food close by he should be
attracted to the area, but who knows, maybe it would be so shocked at
the release, it's only concern might be to bolt.

Heidi



Shiva wrote:

Shiva wrote:



Wow, this never ocurred to me! This was in today's paper.
Remember, I have tried every thing else.

http://newsobserver.com/features/hom...-2561854c.html

What do you all think??



Hmmm. Wrong article, but I swear I saw the one I was referring to
in today's gardening section, hardcopy. (For those of you who missed it, I
have lost many beloved plants, esp. roses, to voles this year, and in the
past three years.)

Here is the New Weapon:

Black ratsnakes! One guy who had tried the sonic things, the traps, the
chicken wire, the Permatil and the Rozol ordered a couple pair of black rat
snakes and they wiped out his vole infestation!

Here is the scenario: very woodsy, mulchy yards, about half an acre,
in the city of Raleigh, NC but this city is very green and lush. We have bats, owls,
hawks, and some stray cats, but not many of the latter due to a leash
law and lots of animal lovers. (In other words, we keep them inside and
safe.) We have lots of little brown snakes in the yards, and tons of bugs.

If you all think this might work, how might I get some of these snakes?
I love reptiles and have kept snakes and lizards and frogs and salamanders
and toads as pets. You herp folks, how old should the snakes be before I let
them live in the yard? Do I need to get wild ones, or could those born in
captivity adapt? TIA!

Better to build or purchase a "owl nesting box". Do a search and find
out just how beneficial this really is! You help a bird species that is
on the decline revive itself. In return for your kindness, they will
devour as many voles, rats and other varmints as they can eat...

Heidi wrote:

I read the article as well! My question is, if you adopt a snake, how
do you keep it in your yard? How likely is it that a snake will hang
around my natural area and not scurry off as soon as it is released?
I suppose if the snake realizes there is food close by he should be
attracted to the area, but who knows, maybe it would be so shocked at
the release, it's only concern might be to bolt.

Heidi



Shiva wrote:

Shiva wrote:


Wow, this never ocurred to me! This was in today's paper.
Remember, I have tried every thing else.

http://newsobserver.com/features/hom...-2561854c.html

What do you all think??

Hmmm. Wrong article, but I swear I saw the one I was referring to
in today's gardening section, hardcopy. (For those of you who missed
it, I
have lost many beloved plants, esp. roses, to voles this year, and
in the
past three years.)

Here is the New Weapon:

Black ratsnakes! One guy who had tried the sonic things, the traps,
the
chicken wire, the Permatil and the Rozol ordered a couple pair of
black rat
snakes and they wiped out his vole infestation!

Here is the scenario: very woodsy, mulchy yards, about half an acre,
in the city of Raleigh, NC but this city is very green and lush. We
have bats, owls,
hawks, and some stray cats, but not many of the latter due to a
leash
law and lots of animal lovers. (In other words, we keep them inside
and
safe.) We have lots of little brown snakes in the yards, and tons of
bugs.

If you all think this might work, how might I get some of these
snakes?
I love reptiles and have kept snakes and lizards and frogs and
salamanders
and toads as pets. You herp folks, how old should the snakes be
before I let
them live in the yard? Do I need to get wild ones, or could those
born in
captivity adapt? TIA!

Shiva,

The article about adopting snakes to deal with voles was in Saturday's News
& Observer (Raleigh, NC) but it was actually from the Daily Press in Hampton
Roads, VA.

I found the Daily Press website http://www.dailypress.com/, but I wasn't
able to access that article.

Anne Lurie
Raleigh, NC


"Shiva" wrote in message
news:aHlwYXRpYQ==.afeae1d42f69faa3e365300732542a6b @1060496949.cotse.net...
Shiva wrote:

Wow, this never ocurred to me! This was in today's paper.
Remember, I have tried every thing else.

http://newsobserver.com/features/hom...-2561854c.html

What do you all think??

Hmmm. Wrong article, but I swear I saw the one I was referring to
in today's gardening section, hardcopy. (For those of you who missed it, I
have lost many beloved plants, esp. roses, to voles this year, and in the
past three years.)

Here is the New Weapon:

Black ratsnakes! One guy who had tried the sonic things, the traps, the
chicken wire, the Permatil and the Rozol ordered a couple pair of black
rat
snakes and they wiped out his vole infestation!

Here is the scenario: very woodsy, mulchy yards, about half an acre,
in the city of Raleigh, NC but this city is very green and lush. We have
bats, owls,
hawks, and some stray cats, but not many of the latter due to a leash
law and lots of animal lovers. (In other words, we keep them inside and
safe.) We have lots of little brown snakes in the yards, and tons of bugs.

If you all think this might work, how might I get some of these snakes?
I love reptiles and have kept snakes and lizards and frogs and salamanders
and toads as pets. You herp folks, how old should the snakes be before I
let
them live in the yard? Do I need to get wild ones, or could those born in
captivity adapt? TIA!

On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 09:44:20 -0700, "J. Farnsworth Wallaby"
wrote:

Better to build or purchase a "owl nesting box". Do a search and find
out just how beneficial this really is! You help a bird species that is
on the decline revive itself. In return for your kindness, they will
devour as many voles, rats and other varmints as they can eat...

Buy several. The odds are good the resident squirrel will take over
the box as his own. Eviction notices are a pain to hand out,
especially at 15 ft up.

Dan