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!

P.S.--Just thought of a drawback. If these snakes get big, can they eat
things like chipmunks, rabbits and squirrels? The voles are the only
thing I want to lose.

Quite honestly, I'd rather have a completely barren yard then have *any*
kind of snake in my yard. They just give me the creeps.


"Shiva" wrote in message
news:aHlwYXRpYQ==.3908e933d851a4fa612b2b13bec204f5 @1060533123.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!

P.S.--Just thought of a drawback. If these snakes get big, can they eat
things like chipmunks, rabbits and squirrels? The voles are the only
thing I want to lose.

K.B. Cunningham wrote:

Hello

For what it's worth, I'm in Alabama, and have had great success in
controlling moles with gray rat snakes. I assume that "moles" are a
hillbilly relative of "voles"?!

Grainne explained it well. Voles do often move into old mole tunnels.
Moles apparently do not tunnel in the same place twice, so they can.

I've captured a few gray rats crossing the road,or nesting in someones
carport, so getting them for me isn't a problem.

I don't think I would be brave enough to catch a wild snake, but
what is your method of capturing them, just for the information?


I have instucted my
neighbors of my method, and fortunately; they've all been receptive. I
tell them if one of the snakes winds up where they don't want him,
simply call me; and I'll retrieve him.

So you are in the city too? Or a suburb? I know I don't want a
really *hands on* experience with a wild snake big enough to eat
a vole. I guess my question was, 1. do they eat voles and 2. could
it harm a black rat snake to release he and a female in my yard,
and if not at what size should I do it?

I occasionally find one that's
failed to cross the road safely, but other than that; no problems.

Oo, see, if I started seeing dead snakes I would never forgive
myself. I started out a few years ago using Rozol (only poison
pellets approved here in NC for outdoor rodents) and took out
two squirrels, and that was the end of that. I wouldn't even
kill the voles if they let me grow roses without totally
killing them. It gets frustrating.

As
far the recommended size, usually two to three feet is what I've found
to work best. And yes, they may deplete the intended food sounce, and
grow to the point of seeking bigger food items.

Hmm. Another problem. I love the chipmunk families, and they are not
very large creatures.


Then, they can be
relocated to an area further away from your yard.

Thank you, KBC, for the information. I restored the crosspost
to rec.gardens.roses because this is information pertinent
to that group. We have never discussed using snakes as vole
or mole controllers before, so it is good to have the
information.



Hope this helps.

Stay safe,
KBC

"It's so long, to so many souls so far behind me,
Fair weather friends that I no longer know:
I've still got some same-ol' sad songs to remind me,
Of someone I used to be, so long ago"

WGJ

GamePlayer No. 1058 wrote:

Quite honestly, I'd rather have a completely barren yard then have *any*
kind of snake in my yard. They just give me the creeps.

I understand that. I don't mind them a bit. I grew up running into
black snakes on my grandfather's farm in Virginia. They can be scary.

Quite honestly, I'd rather have a completely barren yard then have *any*
kind of snake in my yard. They just give me the creeps.


"Shiva" wrote in message
news:aHlwYXRpYQ==.3908e933d851a4fa612b2b13bec204f5 @1060533123.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!

P.S.--Just thought of a drawback. If these snakes get big, can they eat
things like chipmunks, rabbits and squirrels? The voles are the only
thing I want to lose.

K.B. Cunningham wrote:

Hello

For what it's worth, I'm in Alabama, and have had great success in
controlling moles with gray rat snakes. I assume that "moles" are a
hillbilly relative of "voles"?!

Grainne explained it well. Voles do often move into old mole tunnels.
Moles apparently do not tunnel in the same place twice, so they can.

I've captured a few gray rats crossing the road,or nesting in someones
carport, so getting them for me isn't a problem.

I don't think I would be brave enough to catch a wild snake, but
what is your method of capturing them, just for the information?


I have instucted my
neighbors of my method, and fortunately; they've all been receptive. I
tell them if one of the snakes winds up where they don't want him,
simply call me; and I'll retrieve him.

So you are in the city too? Or a suburb? I know I don't want a
really *hands on* experience with a wild snake big enough to eat
a vole. I guess my question was, 1. do they eat voles and 2. could
it harm a black rat snake to release he and a female in my yard,
and if not at what size should I do it?

I occasionally find one that's
failed to cross the road safely, but other than that; no problems.

Oo, see, if I started seeing dead snakes I would never forgive
myself. I started out a few years ago using Rozol (only poison
pellets approved here in NC for outdoor rodents) and took out
two squirrels, and that was the end of that. I wouldn't even
kill the voles if they let me grow roses without totally
killing them. It gets frustrating.

As
far the recommended size, usually two to three feet is what I've found
to work best. And yes, they may deplete the intended food sounce, and
grow to the point of seeking bigger food items.

Hmm. Another problem. I love the chipmunk families, and they are not
very large creatures.


Then, they can be
relocated to an area further away from your yard.

Thank you, KBC, for the information. I restored the crosspost
to rec.gardens.roses because this is information pertinent
to that group. We have never discussed using snakes as vole
or mole controllers before, so it is good to have the
information.



Hope this helps.

Stay safe,
KBC

"It's so long, to so many souls so far behind me,
Fair weather friends that I no longer know:
I've still got some same-ol' sad songs to remind me,
Of someone I used to be, so long ago"

WGJ

GamePlayer No. 1058 wrote:

Quite honestly, I'd rather have a completely barren yard then have *any*
kind of snake in my yard. They just give me the creeps.

I understand that. I don't mind them a bit. I grew up running into
black snakes on my grandfather's farm in Virginia. They can be scary.

"GamePlayer No. 1058" wrote:

Quite honestly, I'd rather have a completely barren yard then have *any*
kind of snake in my yard. They just give me the creeps.

They are not too fond of you either.

--
To Email me remove All doubt.

Derek Simon wrote:

"GamePlayer No. 1058" wrote:

Quite honestly, I'd rather have a completely barren yard then have *any*
kind of snake in my yard. They just give me the creeps.

They are not too fond of you either.

One of the hazards of crossposting. GP probably had no idea he or
she was posting to rec.pets.herp. My fault, sorry.

--
To Email me remove All doubt.

"Shiva" wrote in message news:aHlwYXRpYQ==.bad44121bb3c439d91023557b46a9890 @1060698023.cotse.net...
Derek Simon wrote:

"GamePlayer No. 1058" wrote:

Quite honestly, I'd rather have a completely barren yard then have *any*
kind of snake in my yard. They just give me the creeps.

They are not too fond of you either.

One of the hazards of crossposting. GP probably had no idea he or
she was posting to rec.pets.herp. My fault, sorry.

But still, hilariously funny....and true :-Þ

JimS. wrote:


But still, hilariously funny....and true :-Þ

Yep. Where have you been? I just cancelled a trip because
I am so sick of running around. It wasn't to anywhere cool,
anyway. :[


I'm still being slack about the roses, four potted still need
planting, and I still have not sprayed anything at all since
mid-May. I just feel sort of apathetic about them. I want
everybody who is going to die to just go ahead and do it, *then*
I will spray. Joseph's Coat is hanging on by a cane, as is
Crystalline, Simply Marvelous, and Arizona. I thought they were
dead. I think the voles taking out my 3-year-old pride and joy--

GRANADA!--is what did me in. Lots of the roses are still going
great. Today I saw little finches eating bugs from them. I have
never seen that before.

Just rambling on ...

"Shiva" wrote in message
news:aHlwYXRpYQ==.5a7bda6be1ed918efe6848b4a35663c2 @1060745586.cotse.net...
I'm still being slack about the roses, four potted still need
planting, and I still have not sprayed anything at all since
mid-May. I just feel sort of apathetic about them. I want
everybody who is going to die to just go ahead and do it, *then*
I will spray. Joseph's Coat is hanging on by a cane, as is
Crystalline, Simply Marvelous, and Arizona. I thought they were
dead. I think the voles taking out my 3-year-old pride and joy--

GRANADA!--is what did me in. Lots of the roses are still going
great. Today I saw little finches eating bugs from them. I have
never seen that before.

Just rambling on ...

My sympathies to you. I hadn't lost a rose yet (not counting a mini I got on
sale for .50c - it was going to die anyway but thought I had to try to give
it a chance), but now it looks like my Granada bare root is going to die! It
was leafing out nicely and then it just started wilting. The canes have gone
black and even the shots from the graft are dieing. On one hand, I guess I
can say that at least it is only 1 from 60 but why that one! Why not another
that I wasn't so looking forward to ...

I also thought Jadis might not make it. Her canes were a weird combination
of lime green and grey and didn't look so healthy. Yesterday I noticed some
nice new shots just starting to leaf out - it looks like Jadis might make it
after all.

Kirra

Stop cross posting to rec.pets.herp.
We are a herpaculture AKA keeping of reptiles in captivity group not a
gardening group

I think they originally were posting to the rec.pets.herp group. I think
she just got OT and was rambling.

Trai


"Grainne Gillespie" wrote in message
...
Stop cross posting to rec.pets.herp.
We are a herpaculture AKA keeping of reptiles in captivity group not a
gardening group

Matt & Trai Rathsack wrote:

I think they originally were posting to the rec.pets.herp group. I think
she just got OT and was rambling.

LOL! Quite true, Trai. I am sorry, I forgot I was crossposting. I have read the herp
group for years, just never posted. I began the crosspost to see if I might
be able to use the snake idea without hurting the snakes. Last post to herps,
I promise!






Trai


"Grainne Gillespie" wrote in message
...
Stop cross posting to rec.pets.herp.
We are a herpaculture AKA keeping of reptiles in captivity group not a
gardening group