# How do you snake proof your loft?



## Flapdoodle (Nov 8, 2009)

Yesterday morning I found two squeakers (healthy Saturday night) dead on the floor of the loft. I couldn't find a mark on them. This morning two more squeakers were dead on the floor. I think one of them had been swallowed by a snake, head, neck, and part of the body all slimy and wet. The snake could not get over the body and quit. No sign of the snake. I am thinking it must be a rattle snake as the other three babies don't look constricted at all. Anyone have any suggestions?


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## TheLaw818 (Mar 12, 2012)

can you post any pictures of your loft.. inside and out


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

I would search everywhere in the loft to see where a snake, or other predator, could get in. Plug any holes or openings that you find. If it was a rattler, there should be bite marks on the birds. They kill by injecting poison. Rat snakes or other constricting snakes could be the culprit but you said they don't look consrcted?

Have you noticed any sick birds in the loft. Are the parent birds healthy?


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

Thats a tough one, a 5 ft bull snake can get through a whole the size of a quarter but after they eat even an egg they can not get back out. Put some eggs on the floor even fake eggs once they eat they are traped.
Dave


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## ace in the hole (Nov 27, 2007)

I covered all openings with 1/4" wire mesh. No more snake problems! Even a small snake that can get through 1/2 wire mesh will kill the young and can swallow newly hatched young.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

ace in the hole said:


> I covered all openings with 1/4" wire mesh. No more snake problems! Even a small snake that can get through 1/2 wire mesh will kill the young and can swallow newly hatched young.


I did the same..and no more snakes in the loft.


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## The Patriot (Apr 1, 2012)

This may sound silly but it works. If you have a mouse, rat or snake problem, get a couple of kittens, raise them in the loft with your pigeons they become protector of the birds. I also thought this was a stupid idea. But my friend had problems with mice and snakes. He was told by an old time racing fancier to get couple of kittens and raise them in his loft. It funny but the babies on the floor actually cuddle up with cats at night. I couldn’t believe it but it is true.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

The Patriot said:


> This may sound silly but it works. If you have a mouse, rat or snake problem, get a couple of kittens, raise them in the loft with your pigeons they become protector of the birds. I also thought this was a stupid idea. But my friend had problems with mice and snakes. He was told by an old time racing fancier to get couple of kittens and raise them in his loft. It funny but the babies on the floor actually cuddle up with cats at night. I couldn’t believe it but it is true.


I believe you. I myself could not do that.. kittens sleeping in pigeon poop does not appeal to me and then they have to beable to get out of there as they need to "go" as well..so that leaves an opening big enough for a ****.. plus I think of my cats as my pets with me in my home snuggling on the sofa....lol.., I prefer it that way..was never a fan of the "farm cat"..unless it was a wild feral that could not be tamed. my guess is the hardware cloth would solve all those critter problems much easier.


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## Granny Smith (Jul 16, 2011)

You just have to make sure that you have no penetrations, especially at a low elevation, greater than 1/4" x 1/4 "


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## almondman (Aug 22, 2009)

spirit wings said:


> I believe you. I myself could not do that.. kittens sleeping in pigeon poop does not appeal to me and then they have to beable to get out of there as they need to "go" as well..so that leaves an opening big enough for a ****.. plus I think of my cats as my pets with me in my home snuggling on the sofa....lol.., I prefer it that way..was never a fan of the "farm cat"..unless it was a wild feral that could not be tamed. my guess is the hardware cloth would solve all those critter problems much easier.


Isn't there still a concern with the saliva from cats having bacteria that can be fatal to pijjies? If I read this right the kitties would live in the coop so their feed dishes and water would be available to the birds. Also, to expand on spirit wings concerns, I wouldn't want feces in the cat food and water.


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

Flapdoodle said:


> Yesterday morning I found two squeakers (healthy Saturday night) dead on the floor of the loft. I couldn't find a mark on them. This morning two more squeakers were dead on the floor. I think one of them had been swallowed by a snake, head, neck, and part of the body all slimy and wet. The snake could not get over the body and quit. No sign of the snake. I am thinking it must be a rattle snake as the other three babies don't look constricted at all. Anyone have any suggestions?


 I would think the best way is during the construction phase, but if that was somehow over looked then you simply have to secure the loft, which to me means there is no way for a snake to get in. Same as you would snake proof your house, brick and mortar, two by fours & plywood, steel mesh, steel siding etc.

Course if you have rattle snake's in your back yard, your perimeter security should start some distance from your loft. I personally like the concept of layered security including electrified high voltage perimeter arrays and low tech devices. With some systems check with legal, you don't want to get fried after you fry a two legged predator. 

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/reptiles/snakefnc.html

http://perimetersecurityfence.com/?tag=electric-fences

This part is for historical interest only. I taught some classes on booby traps and nasty trick devices when I was part of a airborne battalion combat team during Viet Nam war. 

http://vietnam-warfare.tripod.com/vietnamwarfare/id3.html


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

How hard can it be to cover any openings with hardware cloth? Can't imagine a cat wanting to live in a coop, and with their natural instincts, doesn't seem like the best idea.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Cover up all your holes with anything smaller than chicken wire.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

I don't know that it was a snake though. I had a baby in an individual breeding cage randomly end up dead like that too, with the head/neck/crop area soaked. I have no idea what happened. Anyway if it was a snake I have a hard time believing it gave up on swallowing it but I suppose it is possible.


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

MaryOfExeter said:


> I don't know that it was a snake though. I had a baby in an individual breeding cage randomly end up dead like that too, with the head/neck/crop area soaked. I have no idea what happened. Anyway if it was a snake I have a hard time believing it gave up on swallowing it but I suppose it is possible.


 Never saw such a thing myself, but if every entry point is covered then any outside critter could be eliminated from the list of possibilities.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Yep there is a small space but not big enough for the snakes we have around here.


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## Bheboyy (Jun 7, 2012)

Put house hold lime outside your loft


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## mncanary (Jul 15, 2011)

A man who was raised in Vietnam told me, long ago, to keep Geese in the yard and there would be no snakes. I actually did that (we lived in the country and we had a pond). And--no snakes. That was not exactly a scientific trial. And screening your birds properly would be, um, _cleaner_ than having geese in the yard.

Dave
St Paul MN


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

With the right hardware cloth covering any openings, you don't have to worry about predators.


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## Flapdoodle (Nov 8, 2009)

SmithFamilyLoft said:


> I would think the best way is during the construction phase, but if that was somehow over looked then you simply have to secure the loft, which to me means there is no way for a snake to get in. Same as you would snake proof your house, brick and mortar, two by fours & plywood, steel mesh, steel siding etc.
> 
> Course if you have rattle snake's in your back yard, your perimeter security should start some distance from your loft. I personally like the concept of layered security including electrified high voltage perimeter arrays and low tech devices. With some systems check with legal, you don't want to get fried after you fry a two legged predator.
> 
> ...


Warren I missed this post. I am going to make some of the traps like those listed on the third link to keep my neighbors out of my pumpkin patch. 

There are companies locally that put the same kind of snake fence up that you posted. I didn't even think about it until I read your post. 

Score is 4 to 4. Four pigeons / four snakes. The fourth rattle snake was right next to the loft this morning. I luckily don't have any more babies on the floor of the loft. I guess I am going to have to add 1/2" x 1/2" mesh around the base of the loft.


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## Japanese Boyfriend (Jun 28, 2012)

Here we have other threats for pigeons. 

1) Cats
2) Racoons
3) Hawks
4) The Law. Apparently Pigeons are not native here and it is not legal to keep them in your home in the city.


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