Sorry, all. I didn't mean to start this thread and abandon it, but I've been out of town for a funeral for the last three days. Who knew they barely have functional Internet in rural Illinois?

As far as I know, the snake is still here. I did manage to look up a local snake wrangler before I left. I'll try to get in touch later today. If it is non-poisonous I'll probably leave it be. The pond is badly in need of some serious maintenance. We had a hose failure earlier this spring that pumped most of the water out and killed all the larger fish. The snake is eating this and last years babies. If it gets them all I'll be able to empty the pond and try to fix the leaks.

I checked, it's a Plisskin.

Just whack it. It's only a snake.

(August 10, 2018 at 7:39 am)mh.brewer Wrote: Just whack it. It's only a snake.

But then where do we get our apples?

(August 10, 2018 at 7:39 am)mh.brewer Wrote: Just whack it. It's only a snake.

See reply # 8 in this thread.

(August 10, 2018 at 7:04 am)popeyespappy Wrote: Sorry, all. I didn't mean to start this thread and abandon it, but I've been out of town for a funeral for the last three days. Who knew they barely have functional Internet in rural Illinois?

As far as I know, the snake is still here. I did manage to look up a local snake wrangler before I left. I'll try to get in touch later today. If it is non-poisonous I'll probably leave it be. The pond is badly in need of some serious maintenance. We had a hose failure earlier this spring that pumped most of the water out and killed all the larger fish. The snake is eating this and last years babies. If it gets them all I'll be able to empty the pond and try to fix the leaks.

WB.  If you're going to reno..the cost of 1/4inch wire mesh is negligible.  Bury it 6 inches under ground and 30 inches over around your pond.  Snake problem solved forever.

(August 10, 2018 at 8:57 am)Khemikal Wrote:

(August 10, 2018 at 7:04 am)popeyespappy Wrote: Sorry, all. I didn't mean to start this thread and abandon it, but I've been out of town for a funeral for the last three days. Who knew they barely have functional Internet in rural Illinois?

As far as I know, the snake is still here. I did manage to look up a local snake wrangler before I left. I'll try to get in touch later today. If it is non-poisonous I'll probably leave it be. The pond is badly in need of some serious maintenance. We had a hose failure earlier this spring that pumped most of the water out and killed all the larger fish. The snake is eating this and last years babies. If it gets them all I'll be able to empty the pond and try to fix the leaks.

WB.  If you're going to reno..the cost of 1/4inch wire mesh is negligible.  Bury it 6 inches under ground and 30 inches over around your pond.  Snake problem solved forever.

People say this about keeping birds out too, but what's the point of having a pretty pond if you're going to make it ugly with mesh?

Still on the snake kick, I see.

(August 10, 2018 at 11:32 am)Shell B Wrote: what's the point of having a pretty pond if you're going to make it ugly with mesh?

Mesh makes great trellis for delicate climbing landscape elements...many of which are beautiful flowering natives to pond edge.  Personally, I've incorporated it into my entire fenceline, but that's cost restrictive compared to a smaller border around a problem feature. The cost of replacing the fish and peace of mind when it comes to snakes are worth the inconvenience of maintaining wire so that it doesn't look ratty..imo. Other than fencing..you can remove a snake, but another will take it's place for the same reason that the first came in. Snakes can climb..but they rarely do.

(Keeping birds off your fish is easier. You don't need mesh, just stringers and/or subsurface overhangs in the pond - I use 12 inch pvc tubes glued together into a pyramid shape, like underwater efficiency apts...now -that- looks ratty, lol)

*also, death to all snakes..a well compacted clay strata is 100% better than pond liner on just about every metric..and you can shoot into it with abandon!

My point is that even the best maintained mesh is still. . . mesh. Not my favorite look, but to each his own. I'm not putting in any water features because maintenance is not the name of this game.