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??

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!

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'm no snake lover, but I do let them live in my yard since I've always heard
the snakes will keep the mice and rat population under control. So why not
voles also?
The only caution I have for you is against releasing snakes not native to your
area. Too many creatures have naturalized and created havic with our natural
ecosystems already. If black rat snakes are native to your area, go for it.
They won't hurt and just might help with your porblem.

Julie

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!

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!

(Unique Too) wrote in message ...
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'm no snake lover, but I do let them live in my yard since I've always heard
the snakes will keep the mice and rat population under control. So why not
voles also?
The only caution I have for you is against releasing snakes not native to your
area. Too many creatures have naturalized and created havic with our natural
ecosystems already. If black rat snakes are native to your area, go for it.
They won't hurt and just might help with your porblem.

Releasing snakes into new territories is not a very good idea. What
will happen is that the more competitive snakes will survive, while
the less successful will move on to new territory or starve. Nature
really is red in tooth and claw. She also likes to keep her books
balanced. Predator/prey ratios are not easily changed.


J. Del Col

J. Del Col wrote:

Releasing snakes into new territories is not a very good idea. What
will happen is that the more competitive snakes will survive, while
the less successful will move on to new territory or starve. Nature
really is red in tooth and claw. She also likes to keep her books
balanced. Predator/prey ratios are not easily changed.

Yes, but black rat snakes are native to central NC.

Shiva, the one problem I do see is that they will eat just about
anything they can catch that's not too big for them to swallow. Hence,
chipmunks, etc. may also be dinner.

Personally, I love snakes. When I start having vole problems, this
sounds like a good solution for me. Only problem that I can see is
keeping them from migrating to some one else's yard. Number one, I
would want them to eat my voles and not the neighbor's and number two is
that so many people are phobic about snakes that they may not live too
long in someone else's yard.

Susan
shsimko at duke dot edu

Susan H. Simko wrote:

J. Del Col wrote:

Releasing snakes into new territories is not a very good idea. What
will happen is that the more competitive snakes will survive, while
the less successful will move on to new territory or starve. Nature
really is red in tooth and claw. She also likes to keep her books
balanced. Predator/prey ratios are not easily changed.

Yes, but black rat snakes are native to central NC.

Aha! I had no idea. As for JDC's comment, I wonder why nature is keeping
her books balanced in favor of a vole infestation here? My love of mulch,
perhaps? The fact that there were big spongy mole tunnels here a few years
ago, perfect for voles to move into? Also, why the heck doesn't the SUPER
TOXIC TERRIBLE Orthenex I used for four years cause them to at least
SPIT OUT the roots? Its detractors tell me it kills everything that consumes
it and worse, so how come my voles seem to think it is salad dressing?
The way they are breeding, it appears to be good for them.

Shiva, the one problem I do see is that they will eat just about
anything they can catch that's not too big for them to swallow. Hence,
chipmunks, etc. may also be dinner.

Yeah, I gave up on the snake idea. When I moved here there were two
chipmunks, now I go out on the side porch and see 8-12 scatter. They are
SO cute! They love screwing around with the squirrels. They mock fight and
chase each other. I put two whole overripe tomatos out in the back and
had entertainment for three days. The squirrels first tried to drag them
away (fighting over them) then figured out that they had to have them in
smaller pieces and ripped at them. Meanwhile, the chipmunks stood by, counting
on the squirrel's, uh, squirreliness, and waited until the squirrels went
off to chase one another to sneak in and get some tomato.


Personally, I love snakes. When I start having vole problems, this
sounds like a good solution for me. Only problem that I can see is
keeping them from migrating to some one else's yard. Number one, I
would want them to eat my voles and not the neighbor's and number two is
that so many people are phobic about snakes that they may not live too
long in someone else's yard.

I imagine that may be true. My neighbors are pretty interesting, though.
But there is no way I am going to see the chipmunks hurt. They're free
entertainment! What did you do about voles, Susan?


Susan
shsimko at duke dot edu

Susan H. Simko wrote:

J. Del Col wrote:

Releasing snakes into new territories is not a very good idea. What
will happen is that the more competitive snakes will survive, while
the less successful will move on to new territory or starve. Nature
really is red in tooth and claw. She also likes to keep her books
balanced. Predator/prey ratios are not easily changed.

Yes, but black rat snakes are native to central NC.

Aha! I had no idea. As for JDC's comment, I wonder why nature is keeping
her books balanced in favor of a vole infestation here? My love of mulch,
perhaps? The fact that there were big spongy mole tunnels here a few years
ago, perfect for voles to move into? Also, why the heck doesn't the SUPER
TOXIC TERRIBLE Orthenex I used for four years cause them to at least
SPIT OUT the roots? Its detractors tell me it kills everything that consumes
it and worse, so how come my voles seem to think it is salad dressing?
The way they are breeding, it appears to be good for them.

Shiva, the one problem I do see is that they will eat just about
anything they can catch that's not too big for them to swallow. Hence,
chipmunks, etc. may also be dinner.

Yeah, I gave up on the snake idea. When I moved here there were two
chipmunks, now I go out on the side porch and see 8-12 scatter. They are
SO cute! They love screwing around with the squirrels. They mock fight and
chase each other. I put two whole overripe tomatos out in the back and
had entertainment for three days. The squirrels first tried to drag them
away (fighting over them) then figured out that they had to have them in
smaller pieces and ripped at them. Meanwhile, the chipmunks stood by, counting
on the squirrel's, uh, squirreliness, and waited until the squirrels went
off to chase one another to sneak in and get some tomato.


Personally, I love snakes. When I start having vole problems, this
sounds like a good solution for me. Only problem that I can see is
keeping them from migrating to some one else's yard. Number one, I
would want them to eat my voles and not the neighbor's and number two is
that so many people are phobic about snakes that they may not live too
long in someone else's yard.

I imagine that may be true. My neighbors are pretty interesting, though.
But there is no way I am going to see the chipmunks hurt. They're free
entertainment! What did you do about voles, Susan?


Susan
shsimko at duke dot edu

Shiva wrote:

Aha! I had no idea. As for JDC's comment, I wonder why nature is keeping
her books balanced in favor of a vole infestation here? My love of mulch,
perhaps? The fact that there were big spongy mole tunnels here a few years
ago, perfect for voles to move into? Also, why the heck doesn't the SUPER
TOXIC TERRIBLE Orthenex I used for four years cause them to at least
SPIT OUT the roots? Its detractors tell me it kills everything that consumes
it and worse, so how come my voles seem to think it is salad dressing?
The way they are breeding, it appears to be good for them.

I've used orthenex, but like you, use it very carefully. I spray on
windless days, in the evening to minimize the incidental insect kills.
So far, this means I've only got to spray twice this year. *sigh* As
to why the damned voles treat the orthenex like a good exotic spice, I
suspect that somehow, voles have to be related to cockroaches. (I know
they're really not but still....)

Yeah, I gave up on the snake idea. When I moved here there were two
chipmunks, now I go out on the side porch and see 8-12 scatter. They are
SO cute! They love screwing around with the squirrels. They mock fight and
chase each other. I put two whole overripe tomatos out in the back and
had entertainment for three days. The squirrels first tried to drag them
away (fighting over them) then figured out that they had to have them in
smaller pieces and ripped at them. Meanwhile, the chipmunks stood by, counting
on the squirrel's, uh, squirreliness, and waited until the squirrels went
off to chase one another to sneak in and get some tomato.

I love chipmunks. Don't ask me why because I tend to find squirrels a
big nuisance. However, I guess I live in no chipmunk zone in the
Triangle (slang for the Research Triangle Park area of central NC) as I
have only seen three since I moved here to NC 16 years ago.

I imagine that may be true. My neighbors are pretty interesting, though.
But there is no way I am going to see the chipmunks hurt. They're free
entertainment! What did you do about voles, Susan?

Ooooh. You're going to make me say something that I have been avoiding.
I'll have you know I'm knocking on wood, crossing fingers and toes,
kissing a shamrock and just about anything else I can do for luck before
I say the next thing. So far, I haven't had a problem with voles nor
have I seen one in my yard. Oh man, now I've cursed myself! I can just
see them all gearing up, packing up and getting ready to invade...

Susan
shsimko at duke dot edu