Snake??
-
vettepilot_6
- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
- Posts: 2826
- Joined: 07 Aug 2011, 17:50
- Location: Childers
- Contact:
Neighbour comes over and tells me 2 baby (almost weaned) Goulds are missing...go have a look and to her horror now a Tri Colour finch has dissappeared too (was there that morning)...it is a very easy plain aviary the only hidey holes are nestboxes (nothing in them except nestlings and eggs) aviary sits on a concrete floor, feed and water dishes hung from ceiling.....one side has a fig tree branches brushing up against wire (12mm x 12mm H/Duty stuff) I would assume some type of snake but I would have thought it would still be in aviary because of full belly...no broken wire anywhere..... no carcasses either.... anybody got other ideas???
The Bitterness of Poor Quality Remains Long after the Sweetness of Cut Price is Forgotten
-
craigvdl
- ...............................
- Posts: 103
- Joined: 20 May 2009, 09:47
- Location: Sydney, NSW
- Location: Sydney
Before leaping to the thought of a snake, my bet would be that either a rat is getting in somehow (check for any sign of rat droppings or feathers lying around, and check behind boxes, under any pots in the aviaries), or a butcher bird pulling them through the wire (half inch wire is a specialty of theirs).
Craig
Craig
-
vettepilot_6
- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
- Posts: 2826
- Joined: 07 Aug 2011, 17:50
- Location: Childers
- Contact:
Yes Craig I suggested that to her too....had a good look in aviary, couldnt see a thing.. 
The Bitterness of Poor Quality Remains Long after the Sweetness of Cut Price is Forgotten
-
vettepilot_6
- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
- Posts: 2826
- Joined: 07 Aug 2011, 17:50
- Location: Childers
- Contact:
Well more of Neighbours young Goulds went missing today....had a big hunt and was as I suspected a snake grrrr....how it got on top rail of aviary is anybodies guess but it was laying lengthways (full belly.. 4 baby goulds just fledged) behind a channel rail about 5ft off the ground...anyways Neighbour very happy its gone to bighouse ...She is now replacing 12mm sq with 6mm mesh, and has trimmed all trees back from aviary..
...She is now replacing 12mm sq with 6mm mesh, and has trimmed all trees back from aviary.. The Bitterness of Poor Quality Remains Long after the Sweetness of Cut Price is Forgotten
-
GregH
- ...............................
- Posts: 1671
- Joined: 17 Feb 2009, 08:20
- Location: Brisbane
- Location: Chapel Hill, Brisbane Qld
From my experience with snakes it will take more than just the mouse mesh to exclude them as they will find the smallest gap that no finch would fit through. The entry points I've had to cover are:
1) Roof corrugations; place mouse mesh on before fixing the roofing panels
2) Bulges in overlaps of sheet-metal cladding; fill with silicon rubber
3) Bulges in overlaps of mesh; thread or tie-wire at intervals not exceeding 100mm
4) Gaps created by irregularities around the doors; will depend on construction
5) If you want a dirt floor then install a subsurface concrete perimeter wall (depth dependant to n soil type) and/or place stainless steel mouse mesh under soil and fixed to the aviary base.
Entry points around the door are the hardest to fix as the gate must swing and so its best to take the time to ensure that the door is without fault in the first place. If you have a concrete perimeter you can render the door tread to match the door. If the door has irregular gaps between it and the jamb when closed these can be filled by mouse mesh wrapped over the frame of the door-jamb. Except on the hinge side, a flat strip can be fixed to the opening side of the door itself so that it covers the gap when closed and prevents the door swinging into the aviary (outward opening door)
1) Roof corrugations; place mouse mesh on before fixing the roofing panels
2) Bulges in overlaps of sheet-metal cladding; fill with silicon rubber
3) Bulges in overlaps of mesh; thread or tie-wire at intervals not exceeding 100mm
4) Gaps created by irregularities around the doors; will depend on construction
5) If you want a dirt floor then install a subsurface concrete perimeter wall (depth dependant to n soil type) and/or place stainless steel mouse mesh under soil and fixed to the aviary base.
Entry points around the door are the hardest to fix as the gate must swing and so its best to take the time to ensure that the door is without fault in the first place. If you have a concrete perimeter you can render the door tread to match the door. If the door has irregular gaps between it and the jamb when closed these can be filled by mouse mesh wrapped over the frame of the door-jamb. Except on the hinge side, a flat strip can be fixed to the opening side of the door itself so that it covers the gap when closed and prevents the door swinging into the aviary (outward opening door)
-
vettepilot_6
- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
- Posts: 2826
- Joined: 07 Aug 2011, 17:50
- Location: Childers
- Contact:
Snake was found eventually and disposed of....Slick wrote:Could also be a butcher bird
The Bitterness of Poor Quality Remains Long after the Sweetness of Cut Price is Forgotten
-
finchbreeder
- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
- Posts: 11629
- Joined: 27 Jun 2009, 20:00
- Location: Midwest of West. Aust. Coast
- Location: Midwest of West.Aust.Coast
"Except on the hinge side, a flat strip can be fixed to the opening side of the door itself so that it covers the gap when closed and prevents the door swinging into the aviary (outward opening door)"
Hubby has orders to do this to all my avairys, as I am sick of snakes every summer. Fortunately, my finches seem to have highter than average IQ's and keep out of the way. But even 1 or 2 losses is too many.
LML
Hubby has orders to do this to all my avairys, as I am sick of snakes every summer. Fortunately, my finches seem to have highter than average IQ's and keep out of the way. But even 1 or 2 losses is too many.
LML
LML