9 replies to this topic

[koiguy1969]

what do you use for preditor prevention with sucess
go down the list click on the one(s) that apply to you lets see whats most popular...
please do not vote for things youve not sucessfully used..

[Mrshkoiluver]

Steep sides is my answer. I don't really have a problem with predators. We did make the sides steep so the fish could not be reached.

[koiguy1969]

i couldnt get away with lethal force where i live..but if i lived in the country i would eliminate preditors without hesitation..the only animals i consider "protected" in my yard are the ones i put there!!

[oldmarine]

I didn't know it at the time, but by installing a six foot vynal fence all the way around my back yard keeps the local racoon population out of my yard all together. It seems that racoons can't get their little craws into the plastic to climb the fence.

Initially I was pondering what method to use to keep the coons out of my pond and destroying everything like they have in the past when all I had was 80 gallon tub for my fish. That tub ended up with a wire lid that worked. The racoons would leave signs of their occasional visits, but couldn't get to the fish.

So far I haven't had any problems the heron that I have seen flying over from time to time. I would imagine that if that becomes a problem, I will install a grid of fish line. I have seen that work on a manufacturing plant on their roof to keep the seaguls from landing and congregating in flocks.

[rdk]

I put up a fishing line around my pond. My pond has 50% tree cover 50% open space so that must help me from herons finding me. The first thing I used that worked very well for me is a repellent called Critter Ridder. I live in a raccon rich area. If I had known that racoons were a problem I may never have gotten into ponding. They always came at night after my garbage cans. They have never touched the area around my band new pond with Critter Ridder. But the secret of using it is to apply it once every 7 days not 30 days. I now also have a pond net on to keep the leaves off. So I would say all three things.

[Meekaboo]

What worked for me was a deeper pond and a dog.

My dogs only go out in the yard to do their business or when I'm out there. They are never left out overnight. I sometimes see the racoons in the neighbours tree, but in three years I've seen no sign of them in my yard.

When my pond was shallow (18"), and before I had a dog, the battle with the racoons was endless. I'd go out in the morning and find all my fish laying on the lawn with their heads chewed off. The pump would have been pulled out and the plants were destroyed. It was a mess. So often I'd want to just give up and fill in the pond. I'm so glad I didn't quit. My pond is sooo much easier to maintain since I went larger and deeper. And not having to worry about the racoons is great.

My worry now is herons. I live between a large lake and a good size river. I've seen the herons fly by, but so far my pond hasn't interested them. Maybe they've seen the dogs and decided it wasn't worth the risk. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

[koikeepr]

Mrshkoiluver said:

Steep sides is my answer. I don't really have a problem with predators. We did make the sides steep so the fish could not be reached.

Ditto for me! This is the best method of keeping critters away from your pond. Make it hard for them to fish and they'll go to a watering hole that is an easier target.

I do have a 36" high wrought iron fence around my pond as well, but this was really to keep the kids out and safe. But, I guess it serves the purpose of keeping out critters as well--though there are neighborhood cats that hop it easily. In this instance, I have no flat place for a cat to sit at the edge of the pond. Any flat rock has a smaller rock on top that is sitting an angle where a cat would have no place to rest. I do see them at the upper end of the pond, but there is a 3 foot drop straight down before there is any water, so there's not chance of them doing any harm.

[newday3000]

I had raccoons all summer and they never got any fish. Steep sides was the answer. They couldn't reach anything in the pond, the odd lily was shreded. They messed with the water fall until I raccoon proofed it and they stopped coming.

[FineFins]

Nothing. I've been somewhat lucky. Only one heron vist, 2 fish lost and they weren't my favorites. One was a fantail that was a slow swimmer and the other, well, it's just gone.

[CliffandJoann]

We large oaks, herons and egrets don't like to land in our backyard because of
the trees. Racoons are another matter. We have trapped and located several
of them. Our fish will back off from the beach area when strangers approach,
and never go into the beach section at night. I'm knocking
on wood here, when I say a racoon has never
attacked our pond. Our pond is loaded with plants, inside and out, and nothing
was ever disturbed around the pond, or in the pond.

We do keep a few jars filled with fish food outside and many times the lids
were taken off the jars, and all the food was missing.
We know this was from racoons.

We also have a Beagle, he's head of security around here.