2022 caught 20 , 2023 #22 - #27 just caught about 18inches

[GBBUDD]

I was just trying to get addy to not feel guilty taking them out. Never looked up their particulars. But 20 less snakeswont hurt anything.
I am not one who hatessnakes on the contrary when I see them I have / had to catch them for the challenge .and ok sport of it. I am however not a hunter of big game

 

[rubyduby]

My watersnake took my largest shubunkin and then disappeared. I have been lucky not to have had more than two at a time and they don't stay for more than a week (they leave after they take out all of my frogs) I hope I never have to experience what addy1 has...what a nightmare!

 

[addy1]

Actually, northern water snakes mate *once* a year, in the Spring when they come out of hibernation, and give live birth in late summer/early fall to their babies, numbering 12 - 36! So yeah, quite a few, but NOT 1500, or even 150. (Although at this point I'm sure addy1 doesn't want even another half dozen hanging around! lol)

I would be happy if they just went away. Why after 8 years of ponding did they show up? Or was there a random one hanging out I never saw.

I don't kill anything , just relocate to a nice farm / wild pond and or stream.

One article said one snake had 99 live birth babies (in captivity)

 

[Lisak1]

While the snakes are jus living their natural life, when we create a pond and put fish in it, we have an obligation to do our best to protect them from predators. Otherwise it will be advantage predator every single time. And snakes are prey themselves to lots of other animals, so us dealing with them as we need to in our environment is, to me, the only sensible thing to do.

 

[BKHpondcritters]

While the snakes are jus living their natural life, when we create a pond and put fish in it, we have an obligation to do our best to protect them from predators. Otherwise it will be advantage predator every single time. And snakes are prey themselves to lots of other animals, so us dealing with them as we need to in our environment is, to me, the only sensible thing to do.

I don't disagree - it is important to do our best to protect our fish from predators (while realizing that you can't always control everything in an outdoor pond, unfortunately) We had a small northern water snake hanging around our pond for a couple of years, and last year we did finally make the decision to catch & relocate her, because she had gotten large enough to really decimate our frog population (as well as pick off a couple of our smaller fish)

My point was simply that it's not right or fair to the snakes to make up wild "facts" about them, and post it on an open forum that any & everyone can read.

 

[addy1]

I (for some crazy reason, do like snakes) was pretty excited to see the first one, it was wandering around the edge of the pond. No clue what kind. After I loss over 200 fish and unknown number of frogs, the excitement was totally gone.
I started trapping as I saw more and more of them living off the fish in my pond.

This year a expensive pond vac to help remove muck, to help reduce the growth of the hornwort, which they used as a place to sit and snack on the fish.

Three traps out, only one small snake caught so far. None of the big ones spotted, but we are on alert. Watch via the cams where they tend to travel.

I also cut down a lot of the growth around the pond, won't help the hawks to catch them (pond net for herons) but maybe make them less comfy.

 

[j.w]

I like them too but only want to see our little garden ones here...............no big, huge mouth fish grabbers thankfully.............never moving out of this area

 

[TJeep_1999]

Just scrolled through this thread... That is a lot of "snake". If it was mentioned earlier and I missed it I appoligize, but did you ever identify what type of snakes these are?

 

[addy1]

Just scrolled through this thread... That is a lot of "snake". If it was mentioned earlier and I missed it I appoligize, but did you ever identify what type of snakes these are?

Northern water snakes. I think we ended up with a female that dropped a bunch of kids. They do live birth.

I would leave one, but not the invasion I have had. It is cold again, snakes on pause.

I did buy 250 fish last year (600 bucks) had around 70 in the pond originally. Down to 60 plus a few. They ate the rest, never see a dead body. Ie the added fish didn't die on their own. My 1000 gallon pond is down to 6, there were around 20.

They are expensive snackers.

 

[TJeep_1999]

Northern water snakes. I think we ended up with a female that dropped a bunch of kids. They do live birth.

I would leave one, but not the invasion I have had. It is cold again, snakes on pause.

I did buy 250 fish last year (600 bucks) had around 70 in the pond originally. Down to 60 plus a few. They ate the rest, never see a dead body. Ie the added fish didn't die on their own. My 1000 gallon pond is down to 6, there were around 20.

They are expensive snackers.

I didn't realize that they ate your new fish. That really sucks. You are being a lot kinder than most would be! Do you think you will try and restock again after they are all gone?

 

[addy1]

The hatchery where I bought the fish has offered me some more.

They love fish and frogs.

I am waiting for consistent warmth, then the snakes will be out for sure. Only then will I know how much of a fight this year.

 

[sissy]

YIKES ADDY YOU GOT YOUR OWN MOVIE INSTEAD OF SNAKES ON THE PLANE , YOU HAVE SNAKES IN YOUR POND

 

[addy1]

Yep!

 

[addy1]

I dread to think this is a fat female ready to drop her live birth babies......................About 4 feet long...............I can't type what I am thinking...................

 

[addy1]

I have removed all of the hornwort , will be yanking more as it grows. Giving the snake no lay around hiding spot to snack on the fish. I removed a lot of the growth around the ponds. I fear for the 1000 gallon pond fish, they are way down in numbers, like 6 from about 25, snake food. They don't have a lot of escape room.