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#1
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electric fence for ponds?
I am wondering what experience/ advice people may have about the use
of electric fencing around koi and goldfish ponds. I live in the woods and have gazillions of predators: raccoons, possoms, herons, owls and an occasional snapping turtle that eat my dear expensive koi; squirrels and deer that eat and demolish the marginal plants; snakes that carry off and consume the bullfrogs. After loosing lots of fish (even with careful sculpting of the pond sides and underwater hiding places), I had to resort to bird netting staked down on all four sides and netting overhead to keep owls out. It has worked, but as a friend says, it looks like stalag 17. And I am constantly repairing holes the squirrels make. I can't seem to find much information about the use and/or problems of low charge electric fences made for ponds online. Anyone have any experience with them or resources? |
#2
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electric fence for ponds?
There are two types of electric fences. There is the visible fido fence, to keep dogs out of places, found at pet super stores. And there is this new fence that I've seen advertised in pond magazines. Here is a web page on it. http://www.containmentcorner.com/pg.html They each have advantages and disadvantages. Maybe one of each? If all else fails, leave the pond for the wildlife (this would be my choice since I would love to have all that wildlife in my yard!) and move your fish and plant keeping to the deck and set up your battle zone there! Good luck! kathy :-) A HREF="http://www.onceuponapond.com/"Once upon a pond/A |
#3
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electric fence for ponds?
"Fish tales" wrote in message om... I am wondering what experience/ advice people may have about the use of electric fencing around koi and goldfish ponds. * They would be useless against bullfrogs and snakes, two of the worst predators of fish in some areas. I live in the woods and have gazillions of predators: raccoons, possoms, herons, owls and an occasional snapping turtle that eat my dear expensive koi; * We have the SAME predators (here in TN) and only that tough black birdnet worked. It keeps ALL the predators out of the ponds. We had turtles so large I could barely lift them to flip them out of the ponds. We were losing fish as fast as we were replacing them that last summer before we netted the ponds. squirrels and deer that eat and demolish the marginal plants; snakes that carry off and consume the bullfrogs. * The deer are bad where the water lilies are concerned. They ate the leaves as fast as they grew. After loosing lots of fish (even with careful sculpting of the pond sides and underwater hiding places), I had to resort to bird netting staked down on all four sides and netting overhead to keep owls out. * Owls? It has worked, but as a friend says, it looks like stalag 17. And I am constantly repairing holes the squirrels make. I can't seem to find much information about the use and/or problems of low charge electric fences made for ponds online. Anyone have any experience with them or resources? * Why are the squirrels chewing holes in the netting? Thirst? We're crawling with squirrels here and they've never touched the netting. Why not try to put a birdbath on the ground for them? I have seen squirrels drinking from our birdbath is summer. -- Carol.... "It's not hard to meet expenses, they're everywhere." My Webpages: http://.www.heartoftn.net/users/windsong/index.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
#4
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electric fence for ponds?
"~ Windsong ~" wrote in message ...
"Fish tales" wrote in message * They would be useless against bullfrogs and snakes, two of the worst predators of fish in some areas. I have considered putting a narrow band of small-holed chicken wire around the bottom. Owls? Yes! That is something rarely reported in the fish world. But several times I have watched great-horned owls sit on branches overhead looking for the best bite, and one left a calling card of a few feathers after scooping up a brand-new gold butterfly koi -- a quick $40 dinner!! * Why are the squirrels chewing holes in the netting? Thirst? We're crawling with squirrels here and they've never touched the netting. Why not try to put a birdbath on the ground for them? I have seen squirrels drinking from our birdbath is summer. I have LOTS of extra water around for deer and squirrels and birds. But for some unknown reason, they want to get in the pond area and rip up the marginal plants and drink from there. This, too, I have witnessed time and time again... I even have an australian shepard who does her part in keeping them up trees, AND an low sonic device that is supposed to annoy them, but they persist!! You said something about heavy bird neting. I wonder if that is differnt from the netting I use, which is fairly light. Do you have a resource? I appreciate your thoughts. I'm in NC so we probably have similar situations. |
#6
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electric fence for ponds?
My pond, veggie garden and bird feeders are all in the same general
area and for years were ravaged by groundhogs, deer, raccoons, and bear. I put up a four foot high 4"x4" mesh fence around the whole thing - primarily too confine my retired racing Greyhound. That stopped the groundhogs, most of the rabbits, and some of the deer. Then I added a single strand of electrified barbed wire to the top. Now nothing gets in except for the occasional rabbit and of course squirrels. Hope you can put this information to use. On 8 Apr 2004 18:54:11 -0700, (Fish tales) wrote: I am wondering what experience/ advice people may have about the use of electric fencing around koi and goldfish ponds. I live in the woods and have gazillions of predators: raccoons, possoms, herons, owls and an occasional snapping turtle that eat my dear expensive koi; squirrels and deer that eat and demolish the marginal plants; snakes that carry off and consume the bullfrogs. After loosing lots of fish (even with careful sculpting of the pond sides and underwater hiding places), I had to resort to bird netting staked down on all four sides and netting overhead to keep owls out. It has worked, but as a friend says, it looks like stalag 17. And I am constantly repairing holes the squirrels make. I can't seem to find much information about the use and/or problems of low charge electric fences made for ponds online. Anyone have any experience with them or resources? |
#7
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electric fence for ponds?
"Fish tales" wrote in message om... "~ Windsong ~" wrote in message ... "Fish tales" wrote in message * They would be useless against bullfrogs and snakes, two of the worst predators of fish in some areas. I have considered putting a narrow band of small-holed chicken wire around the bottom. Owls? Yes! That is something rarely reported in the fish world. But several times I have watched great-horned owls sit on branches overhead looking for the best bite, and one left a calling card of a few feathers after scooping up a brand-new gold butterfly koi -- a quick $40 dinner!! ## Yikes!!! We have several types of owl here. I didn't know they fed on fish as well as rodents and birds. I usually find fur, feathers and bones under this one old juniper tree out front. With the net they can't get my fish. * Why are the squirrels chewing holes in the netting? Thirst? We're crawling with squirrels here and they've never touched the netting. Why not try to put a birdbath on the ground for them? I have seen squirrels drinking from our birdbath is summer. I have LOTS of extra water around for deer and squirrels and birds. But for some unknown reason, they want to get in the pond area and rip up the marginal plants and drink from there. This, too, I have witnessed time and time again... I even have an australian shepard who does her part in keeping them up trees, AND an low sonic device that is supposed to annoy them, but they persist!! ## So far nothing has bothered the nets we use. We also have possums, deer, fox, turkey, coyotes and skunks here. I'm sinking a 150 gallon kiddy pool way out front in hopes of keeping them further away from the house. Our dogs bark at them at night and I don't want to disturb the neighbors (which aren't really all that close.) You said something about heavy bird neting. ## No, it's NOT heavy but it is strong. We buy it at Ace Hardware. We pay between $18 and $22 for a net large enough to cover our 2000 gal pond. I wonder if that is differnt from the netting I use, which is fairly light. Do you have a resource? I appreciate your thoughts. I'm in NC so we probably have similar situations. ## Yes,... try Ace Hardware. -- Carol.... "Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again..." My Webpages: http://.www.heartoftn.net/users/windsong/index.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
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